Archaeological evidence is not just a stele, piece of pottery or foundation of an ancient building. It is also provenance, context and analysis. Provenance includes evidence
…of the exact location where a find was made, with its removal preferably witnessed by reliable persons. This is particularly important for Near Eastern finds, because of the potential monetary value and the opportunity for religiously inspired misrepresentation. Knowing the exact location of the find enables archaeologists to place it in context with other finds in terms of age and influence. Much more can be ascertained by looking at sherds of pottery in situ than by looking at the same material displayed in a museum. Analysis can include carbon dating, microscopic, ultra-morphological, chemical, mineralogical or microbiological analysis. Paleographers can date the letters in an inscription by their shape, while language experts can provide an opinion on whether the language is appropriate for the time at which the object is otherwise dated. The flip side of archaeological evidence is archaeological fraud. Professor Eric Meyers of Duke University said, "Estimates are running as high as 30 or 40 percent of all inscribed materials in the Israel Museum [in Jerusalem] have been forged." (MORE) 
