No single record of the past is more important than any
other, but each records different features of the past.
Therefore the record chosen for investigation in a given
study is largely determined by the specific questions under
consideration. If we want to address a cultural question, such
as ‘What was life like for humans 10 000 years ago?’,
archaeology will give us more insight than will linguistics or
genetics. In contrast, if we want to answer a biological
question, such as ‘Which nonhuman species is most closely
related to us?’, archaeology and linguistics will be of little use.