An artefact is any object that has been used, modified, or manufactured by a person. Artefacts can provide information about the lives and activities of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

Artefacts may be found in a range of contexts, both on the ground surface and subsurface (underground), in isolation or in association with a range of other cultural heritage objects. In the context of Australian Aboriginal archaeology, the majority of artefacts we encounter are made from stone and are referred to as lithics.

Lithic artefacts include any culturally-modified stone, as well as the discarded by-products associated with tool production or stone quarrying. Examples include sharp stone flakes used for cutting or scraping, and implements that have been modified through use, such as grindstones.