What is Archaeology?
By: Mrs. Albarella
Archaeology is the scientific study of past cultures and the way people lived long ago based on the things they left behind. Archaeologists are scientists who study artifacts found left behind by ancient civilizations.
There are two types of archaeology: classical and anthropological. Classical archaeology explores records and artifacts of ancient civilizations. Anthropological archaeology focuses its study on prehistory or the time before written records were kept.
Archaeologists study artifacts. Artifacts are the material remains of past human life and activities. Artifacts are primary sources that give historians ideas about how people in the past lived.
If an archaeologist suspects that an area may have a lot of artifacts, they must get permission before they dig on that site. Sometimes they get permission from the person who owns the land and sometimes they need to get permission from the government or a country.
When archaeologists find a site where they want to dig they create a grid on the land. The grid is made with rope and string, and is organized into small squares. The grid is made so archaeologists can search the land carefully and mark where they find artifacts. When artifcats are found the archaeologists label it and coordinate that item with where it was found in the grid.
Archaeologists use many specialized tools to do their work. Some of these tools include: wheelbarrows, little trowels, brushes, spoons, and more. Sometimes archaeologists work in labs too!
Being an archaeologist is an exciting job!