An (Incredibly Brief) History of Archaeology

Throughout history, people have been interested in the past. Ancient civilizations such as the created stories about a wonderful mythical past that helped to explain why their world was the way that it was. Rulers would create connections to past heroic or godly figures to legitimization their right to rule.
During the Renaissance in Europe (1300-1600 AD), scholars within Europe began to be interested in the art, architecture, writing and other achievements of the Classical World (Ancient Greece and Rome). Acquiring and collecting ancient items, artifacts, began to be very popular both for individuals and governments. In the late 18th century, Classical Archaeology (studying the Classical World) had began to become more 'academic' (to their standards, to us today most of the early work would look like nothing more than grave robbing) and their began to be a growing interest in Ancient  Egypt and the Ancient Middle East.
The 18th and 19th centuries saw the development of the Antiquarians - wealthy people who were interested in the past, and would collect antiques and would display them in their 'cabinets of curiosities' (which developed into some of the worlds first museums).
In the beginning of the 20th century, archaeology began to become more scientific and to look more similar to the work we do today. Most archaeology in those days were focused on creating a chronological timeline to explain what they were finding, and didn't expand much energy on trying to explain what it was they were finding. In the 1960s, there began to a movement towards a more scientific approach that would also have a greater emphasis on explaining what the findings might have been to the ancient peoples, rather than just when they were from. This helped lead to what archaeology is today.