When I get to my dig site, I begin by digging around in areas where I believe I might find some artifacts. I dig carefully to ensure that I don't damage anything I can't see yet.
Once I find an artifact, I clean it using my picks to get off clumps of dirt and my brush to clear away loose dirt. Then I put it in a safe container to take back to the lab. It is also important for me to write down my observations and thoughts about the artifact. I also take some soil samples from the area to test it for clues about the conditions in the area at that time.
Once I have collected plenty of items and data from the site, I can return to the lab. This is where I take my information and put it all together to read the story of the people who once lived at the site
Shoebox Archaeology Classroom Activity
Archaeology in Motion
- TTW put students in groups on four and hand each group a shoebox and a set of archaeology tools. The shoebox will be filled with sand with various artifacts buried in it. The tools include a small scoop, a toothpick, and a small brush.
- TSW dig in their shoeboxes for artifacts. Anything they find should be cleaned and catologued with a description in the science journal.
- TSW discuss with group mates to make five inferences about the people who left the artifacts. This can include why they might have created the artifact, what kinds of resources were available, or what the people's lives might have been like. Evidence for each inference must be provided.
Now it's your turn!
Would you like to experience my job for yourself? Here's your chance!
Use the archaeology tools provided to dig through your site for artifacts. Analyze the artifacts that you found and make an inference about the people that once lived there. Work with your group mates to write five inferences you can make and the evidence for making them.
All Kinds of Tools!
Dressing for Work!
My job requires a lot of different tools. I like to keep my shovel handy for digging around sites. A lantern is useful when I go into old building or caves. Other tools I use include spades, picks, brushes, tape measure, buckets, and rope. I also need a camera, pen and paper for recording my findings and containers for bringing back samples of things. But what is my most important tool? My brain, of course!
My job often involves working outside at dig sites looking for artifacts. When I am out in the field, I dress in sturdy, comfortable clothes like long pants, hiking boots, and a lightweight shirt. In colder places, I need a jacket, too. In sunny places, I like to wear a hat to protect my skin and eyes. I wear gloves when I am working with my hands. I also like to keep a small bag for my tools and other items.
Take a look at what I'm bringing to work today...
Here I am getting ready to look for artifacts!
Vocabulary to Know
Hello! I am an archaelogist!
- Analyze : to carefully study something to learn about its parts, what they do, and how they are related to each other
- Observation : something you see or experience at a site
- Inference : an educated guess made based on evidence from observations
- Archaeology : the study of human life in the past through material artifacts and environmental data
- Field : refers to collecting raw data from a location of interest
- Site: the specific location at which items and information will be collected
Sound interesting? Archaeology is the study of human life in the past through material artifacts and environmental data. As an archaeologist, it is my job to go to sites all around the world and look for things like buildings, kinds of plants, and tools. These give me clues about the way of life for the people that once lived there.
A Day
in the
Life
- Artifacts : items found at a site that were made and used by the people that once lived there, such as clothing, tools, and pottery
- Environmental data : information about the air, plants, water, and other resources in an area
- Sample : A small piece of something that can be tested for environmental data
- Resources : Things found in nature that people can use to survive
I analyze the artifacts I have collected to see what the people made and how they used it. This can give me information about their day-to-day activities, their cultural traditions, and their religious beliefs. Finally, I write about my findings so that I can share the information with other archaeologists. That way, they can use this information when they are making discoveries of their own!
I run tests on my artifacts and samples. The results of these tests can tell me when these people lived as well as things about that time period such as what the weather was like and what kinds of resources the people had access to.