Media archaeology is a transdisciplinary approach that emerged in the late twentieth century. It seeks to understand media not merely as texts or representations but as complex socio-technical assemblages of human and non-human agents, as material and discursive objects and infrastructures shaped by various cultural, social, economic, and political forces over time. Despite its foundation in a diverse array of theories and methodologies, media archaeology is unified by its central objective: to challenge the notion of linear progress and to investigate new and emerging media forms by excavating earlier media manifestations, recurring practices, and the material histories of media, alongside their alternative genealogies. By introducing innovative methods for studying media history, media archaeology critiques conventional historical narratives and questions how historical disciplines define concepts such as time and memory. Practiced in two intertwined realms—academic scholarship (media history and theory) and creative media practice (media art)—the overarching principle of media archaeology is to foster open and transdisciplinary approaches to the complex dynamics of media. It also advocates for an experimental and critical examination of media technologies, particularly by exposing the hidden mechanisms within their “black boxes.” This entry explores media archaeology’s intellectual foundations, development, scope, and guiding principles.