Shell command to tar directory excluding certain files/folders

Question

Is there a simple shell command/script that supports excluding certain files/folders from being archived?

I have a directory that need to be archived with a sub dire

Answer 1

Possible redundant answer but since I found it useful, here it is:

While a FreeBSD root (i.e. using csh) I wanted to copy my whole root filesystem to /mnt but without /usr and (obviously) /mnt. This is what worked (I am at /):

tar --exclude ./usr --exclude ./mnt --create --file - . (cd /mnt && tar xvd -)

My whole point is that it was necessary (by putting the ./) to specify to tar that the excluded directories where part of the greater directory being copied.

My €0.02