Welcome to Archaeology Camp at the Biblical History Museum

of Collierville!

A Day In the Life

Introductory Videos about Archaeology

What is:•Anthropology?

•Geology?•Paleontology?

•History?

• The word comes from Greek and means “the study of what is ancient”

•Archaeologists study fossils and documents, but those are only 2 sources of many that they use.

•They also deal with material remains – the remains are usually incomplete, but still very useful

Excavators + excavation = A field Crew

Artifacts + analysis = Collections specialist

Animals + archeology = Zooarcheologist

Scuba diving + archeology = Underwater archeologist

Nature + archeology = Environmental archeologist

History + archeology = Historical archeologist

Geology + archeology = Geoarcheologist

Talking + listening = Oral historian

•People have searched for ancient artifacts since the 1300s!

•They wanted to learn about the past from sources other than texts.

•Texts might be incorrect, exaggerated, or nonexistent.

•Daily life•Culture•Religion•Wars•How things changed•What people ate•Where people lived•Art•Class systems

•Evidence of writing•Art, sculptures, and

paintings•Monuments or buildings•Evidence of engineering such as pyramids or aqueducts•Evidence of trade or interaction•Evidence of class systems•Towns and cities, layouts

First: Indentify your site

Next: Select your site crew and excavation crew

Then: Be sure to plan ahead and have all materials ready for excavation

Finally: Begin your excavation!

Excavation is the process of looking under the ground at artifacts and the structure of the earth. Excavation involves digging and recording.

Artifacts that are uncovered must then go through a process of identification.

Why is it important to identify and examine your findings?

What might disrupt the site and why would that be such a bad thing?

What if you find objects from another place such as Greece or Egypt in a Roman site? What does this tell us?

How did the past get underground?

How do archaeologists find out the date of a site or objects in a site?

Why is it important to know the dates?

As we go through this week, we must be sure to keep very detailed records of what we find. Why do you think this is important?

What kinds of things should we keep a record of?

Keep a journal of your findings! Everyone will get a field journal and record keeping forms to fill out with the information we dig up each day.

•The site name•Photographs of objects as we uncover them

•Objects we find•What the objects are made out of

•The objects’ use•Name, type, identification

•Location of the object within the site•Dimensions of the artifact

•Preservation methods and needs•Features of the artifact•Remarks and theories•Sketch each artifact

What happens to artifacts once they are uncovered?

Once the artifacts are uncovered, preserved or conserved & interpreted… What happens next??

Our artifacts will be displayed at the museum in an exhibit created by YOU!

•to reconstruct the history of past societies

•to determine how people in these societies lived

•to understand why societies changed over time

•to advocate the preservation of cultural resources

The past was created by individuals with links to many levels, among humanity. The past belongs to everyone, because we are all humans.

The past teaches universal lessons.

It is essential that we ensure the survival of artifacts and relics of our past.

What will archaeologists say about you and your culture in the future?

• Academic / At a school or college

•In a museum

•For the state or government

•Private archaeologists