An archaeological site (or archeological site) is any place with physical evidence of past human activity. Such sites might be from pre-history as well as history, and the oldest sites can be considered paleontology. Even remnants from modern times can count as archaeological sites.
Some archaeological sites give opportunities for tourists to take part in excavations. Other sites have developed into tourist traps, where commerce is dominant above the genuine experience.
For places that are both archaeological sites and still inhabited, there is a separate list at Old towns.
Ghost towns are abandoned settlements large and intact enough to look like towns. They were usually deserted no more than a few centuries ago - often within living memory.
There is no commonly accepted age limit for when a remnant of human activity becomes an archaeological site. Also, it is very difficult to define its geographic borders. New sites are fairly often discovered during modern excavations with some other purpose; China's Terracotta Warriors were found by farmers, and people building roads or digging foundation have turned up others. In some countries any major construction project and even fairly minor ones in historic Old Towns is planned with time allocated for archeological exploration from the get-go.
Most countries have some legal protection of archaeological sites. Legal consequences for trespassing in closed areas, damaging remnants, or removing artifacts, are often harsh. In particular, countries with a colonial history may resent loss of relics to places like the British Museum, and may therefore be inclined not to be at all gentle with modern relic exporters.
With or without laws, the leave-no-trace principle is recommended for these places.
See also: Art and antiques shopping
There are several kinds of archaeological souvenirs: Permits required
There are export restrictions or total prohibition against the export of archaeological and other cultural artifacts in many countries. Penalties can be anything from just seizure of the article to long prison sentences, though hefty fines are the most common punishment.
Even in countries that allow export of artifacts, permits are generally required; there will be paperwork and fees. Depending on the country, getting the permits may be anywhere from a minor hassle to very expensive and time-consuming, if it is possible at all.
If you really want a genuine artifact, be prepared to deal with a reputable vendor, to pay a stiff price, and to get the necessary permits. One way to recognize good vendors in the country of origin is that they are prepared to help with the permit process and the information they give you on that agrees with what you find from government sources. Outside the country, the best sources are usually the major international auction houses; be prepared to pay a premium price since you will be bidding against museums and collectors.
Nearly all travellers should restrict themselves to the last two categories.
Archaeology involves a great deal of work and helping out on a site might be both fascinating to a participant and valuable to a project. Unfortunately the field is generally not well funded and most projects cannot afford to pay anyone except professionals and perhaps some graduate students or, in some places, cheap local labor. There are programs in various countries that involve volunteer work on archaeological digs:
Sometimes even local groups have volunteer opportunities. For example in the Ottawa area, the NCC (National Capital Commission) runs an annual archaeology month, usually in August.
See also:
World Heritage Volunteers. A UNESCO program mainly working on preservation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Past Horizons. An index of archaeological projects worldwide that need volunteers
See also: Prehistoric Europe
See also: Ancient Egypt
See also: Ancient Mesopotamia
See also Sacred sites of the Indian sub-continent, Indus Valley Civilisation, Chinese Empire, Persian Empire, Mongol Empire, Khmer Empire, Pre-modern Korea and Pre-modern Japan.
See also: Indigenous cultures of North America