When did archaeology begin? Who were the first antiquarians in early modern Europe? How did archaeology free human history from biblical creationism? How did archaeology become a pseudo-scientific discipline? Who built the first museum? The author starts by dealing with the processes and techniques used by archaeologists, in the past and today. He then uses the results of famous archaeological studies both to illustrate the power of archaeology, and to show specifically what archaeology has taught us about ancient, and surprisingly recent, history.