Cultural artifact

{{short description|Social scientific term}}

{{Use American English|date=July 2020}}

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A cultural artifact, or cultural artefact (see American and British English spelling differences), is a term used in the social sciences, particularly anthropology,{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=4SIXk2bp5u8C&q=The+pragmalinguistic+analysis+of+narrative+texts&pg=PP1 | title = The pragmalinguistic analysis of narrative texts | author = Richard J. Watts | isbn=978-3-87808-443-3 | year=1981 | publisher=Gunter Narr Verlag}} ethnology{{cite book| url = https://books.google.com/books?lr=&as_brr=0&q=warrabarna+kaurna!&btnG=Search+Books | title = Warrabarna Kaurna! | author = Rob Amery}} and sociology{{Citation needed|date=September 2009}} for anything created by humans which gives information about the culture of its creator and users. Artifact is the spelling in North American English; artefact is usually preferred elsewhere.{{cite web

| url = https://www.oed.com/dictionary/artefact_n?tl=true

| title = artefact/artifact

| website = OED.com

| access-date = 2 October 2024

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Cultural artifact is a more generic term and should be considered with two words of similar, but narrower, nuance: it can include objects recovered from archaeological sites, i.e. archaeological artifacts, but can also include objects of modern or early-modern society, or social artifacts. For example, in an anthropological context, a 17th-century lathe, a piece of faience, or a television each provides a wealth of information about the time in which they were manufactured and used.

Cultural artifacts, whether ancient or current, have significance because they offer an insight into technological processes, economic development and social structure, among other attributes.