artifactual
Not naturally occurring
Artifactual means resulting from or characteristic of an artifact—something created by human work rather than occurring naturally.
In scientific and medical contexts, artifactual often describes misleading results caused by experimental methods rather than the phenomenon being studied: The anomaly turned out to be artifactual, introduced during sample preparation.
Also spelled artefactual in British English.
Created by humans
- syntheticProduced artificially, not natural
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- constructedBuilt or assembled
- engineeredDesigned with technical precision
manufactured · plastic · composite · machine-made · mass-produced · prefabricated · industrial · technological
Preserved ancient object
- antiquityGreat age, ancient era
- heirloomInherited family treasure
- curioOdd collectible item
- collectibleObject worth amassing
keepsake · memento · souvenir · vestige · remnant · specimen · shard · fragment
Pertaining to legal investigation
- traceMinute remnant or pursue
- proofDemonstration of truth
- cluesHints toward answers
- authenticationConfirming genuine identity
verification · documentation · provenance · analysis · examination · identification · attribution · dating
Act of unearthing
- digUnearth by shoveling
- siteDesignated location
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
- carbon-datingIsotope-based age measurement
trowel · prehistoric · context · survey · typology · seriation · flotation · sediments
Preventing waste or loss
- restorationReturning something to condition
- stabilizationProcess of becoming steady
- curationSelective organization of items
- archivingStoring for long-term keeping
climate-controlled · acid-free · archival · digitization · cataloging · documentation · provenance · authentication
Inherited cultural legacy
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
- ritualsCeremonial repeated practices
ceremony · symbolism · mythology · folklore · indigenous · ancestral · sacred · ceremonial
man-made
Created by humans
- syntheticProduced artificially, not natural
- fabricatedInvented, not real
- constructedBuilt or assembled
engineered · manufactured · plastic · composite · machine-made · mass-produced · prefabricated · industrial · technological · processed
relic
Preserved ancient object
collectible · keepsake · memento · souvenir · vestige · remnant · specimen · shard · fragment · remains
forensic
Pertaining to legal investigation
authentication · verification · documentation · provenance · analysis · examination · identification · attribution · dating · origin
excavation
Act of unearthing
- digUnearth by shoveling
- siteDesignated location
- stratigraphyStudy of rock layers
carbon-dating · trowel · prehistoric · context · survey · typology · seriation · flotation · sediments · lithics
conservation
Preventing waste or loss
- restorationReturning something to condition
- stabilizationProcess of becoming steady
- curationSelective organization of items
archiving · climate-controlled · acid-free · archival · digitization · cataloging · documentation · provenance · authentication · dating
heritage
Inherited cultural legacy
- traditionCustom passed through generations
- ethnographySystematic study of peoples
- customsTraditional practices or import taxes
rituals · ceremony · symbolism · mythology · folklore · indigenous · ancestral · sacred · ceremonial · funerary