| Antiquity | Recognition of antiquities | Early recognition, collection, and display of artifacts from the past |
| 15th-16th Century | Rediscovery of the Classical World | Pioneered in Renaissance Europe, this era marked the systematic exploration of ancient structures and artifacts |
| 17th Century | Emergence of antiquarianism | Detailed recording and drawing of artifacts and ruins |
| 18th-19th Century | Birth of archaeology as a discipline | Excavations became more systematic; archaeological methods were developed |
| Late 19th Century | Development of stratigraphy | The understanding of site formation and context; three age system – Stone, Bronze, Iron ages |
| Early 20th Century | Further development of methods | Techniques like cross-dating and seriation; environmental archaeology begins |
| Mid 20th Century | New Archaeology (Processual archaeology) | Shifted focus to understanding why things happened, not just what and when |
| Late 20th Century | Post-processual archaeology | Emphasized the subjective interpretation of archaeological data |
| Present | Digital and Public archaeology | Use of technology like GIS, LiDAR, 3D modeling; increased public engagement |
