Hobbies And Interests
The Site Discovery
Excavation sites can be discovered in a number of ways. For example, sites can be discovered accidentally. This occurs in a situation when a person or group just happens to come upon an artifact protruding from the ground. Another form of archeological site discovery is called rescue archaeology. This is done when a site that is known to contain objects is threatened by development or decay. Planned archaeology is the third type of site discovery; it involves locating a site to study by analyzing historical documents or satellite imagery.
The Survey
There are two kinds of archeological surveys: regional surveys and site surveys. When conducting a regional survey, archeologists seek to locate sites within an entire region. In a site survey, archeologists look for specific clues, such as houses and middens, within a specific area. A specialized team of anthropologists, engineers, aerial photographers, biologists, lithic analysts, botanists and ecologists are typically involved in archeological surveys. Surveys can be so comprehensive that they can take the place of a dig. Surveys can also be an inexpensive way to gather information that does not destroy a site.
The Excavation
During an excavation, archeologists discover the objects and features of a specific area. In an excavation, archeologists also gather data on the relationship of these objects to one another. Excavations are the most expensive process of a dig, and they can destroy large areas of land. For this reason, archaeologists do not often excavate an entire site. it is common during excavations to allow 10 percent of artifacts to remain in order to preserve the history of the region.
The Analysis
During the analysis process of archeological dig, artifacts are preserved so their composition can be determined. Archeologists also estimate the age of discovered objects through carbon dating techniques. All findings are evaluated to help increase understanding of cultures and lifestyles from the distant past.