Objects made or shaped by humans, especially those from past cultures that have historical or archaeological importance.
From Latin 'arte' (by art or skill) and 'factum' (made or done), so literally 'made by art.' The spelling 'artefact' (with 'e') is primarily British, while American English prefers 'artifact.' The term became popular in archaeology in the 19th century.
Every artefact is a time capsule of human creativity—a 4,000-year-old clay pot tells us not just how people cooked, but what clay was available, what they valued cooking, their artistic skills, and their patience, which says volumes about ancient cultures we'll never directly meet.
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