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 a significance because they offer an insight into: technological processes, economic development and social structure, among other attributes.