Archaeology

This year we will be studying people that lived in the past.  We can study the past because really smart people have pieced it together for us.  They are called archaeologists.

Archaeology is studying the remains or objects of people from the past.  Archaeologist are smart people that examine objects made in the past.  The objects they study can be an actual person like a mummy or items made in the past like tools, pottery, paintings, or books.  These are all called artifacts.  An artifact is an object made by someone in the past.  Artifacts were left behind by people that lived many years ago. 

First archaeologists survey a site or location.  This means they will carefully look for clues on the ground.  Next, archaeologists dig up, or excavate, sites to find artifacts.  Special care is taken when archaeologist do this.  They use special tools and are very careful so each and every object can be studied.  They will also section off the ground into small squares called a grid when they find objects.  Then, these smart people will study items more carefully.  When they study the items more carefully they will also test them.  A scientific test called carbon testing or carbon dating can tell them how old an object is or exactly how long it has been on the Earth.            

Archaeologists might do many other things after finding artifacts; such as:  take X-rays, make a map, take pictures, compare to other artifacts. Archaeologists will summarize their findings by making conclusions.  Students can then learn about the past because these people have pieced it together.