The systematic study of ancient societies, especially through their material remains, is called what?

Introduction / Context:
Many general knowledge questions ask about the names of academic disciplines and what they study. Ancient societies are of interest to several fields, but one particular discipline focuses on them through their physical and material remains such as tools, pottery, ruins and burials. This question checks whether candidates can correctly match that focus with the correct term, which is commonly encountered in school social science textbooks.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on ancient societies.
• The study emphasises material remains: artefacts, monuments, ruins and other physical evidence.
• Options are Anthropology, Archaeology, History, and Ethnology.
• We assume standard definitions used in social science and humanities.

Concept / Approach:
Archaeology is the discipline that studies human history and prehistory through excavation and analysis of material remains. Anthropology is the broad study of humans, their cultures and biology, both past and present. History is the narrative and analysis of past events, often based on written records. Ethnology typically refers to comparative study of cultures, usually living or recent ones, through fieldwork and ethnographic data rather than ancient artefacts. Because the question highlights ancient societies and their material remains, archaeology is the best match.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Note the keywords "ancient societies" and "material remains" in the question. Step 2: Recall the definition: Archaeology is the study of past human life and culture by recovery and examination of remains. Step 3: Compare with Anthropology, which is broader and includes cultural and physical anthropology but does not restrict itself only to ancient material evidence. Step 4: History focuses on written documents and narratives, which might not exist for many ancient societies, and ethnology tends to look at living cultures through field observation. Step 5: Conclude that Archaeology is the discipline that most directly fits the description.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by remembering school lessons about archaeologists like those who worked at Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, where excavations uncovered artifacts of the Indus Valley Civilization. These professionals were always introduced as archaeologists, confirming that archaeology is the field associated with study of ancient societies via physical remains.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Anthropology: While anthropology includes study of humans and cultures across time, it is not limited to ancient societies and material remains and often uses living people as subjects.
History: Historians mainly interpret written records; although they may use archaeological findings as sources, their primary method is not excavation of material remains.
Ethnology: This branch focuses on comparative study of contemporary or recent cultures, usually using fieldwork and participant observation rather than excavation of ancient sites.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to confuse archaeology with anthropology because both appear in social science contexts. Another pitfall is to think that history, as the general study of the past, must automatically be the answer, without paying attention to the specific mention of "material remains". Paying attention to those key words guides the candidate to archaeology rather than the more general terms.

Final Answer:
The systematic study of ancient societies, especially through their material remains, is called Archaeology.