2.2: The Job of the Archaeologist Excavating a site
In this When they fi nd a site to excavate, archaeologists:
• carry out a survey to see if the site is worth excavating.
topic, you will learn about:
How sites are excavated
The skills and methods archaeologists use
Some Irish archaeological sites
• dig test trenches. A test trench is a sample hole dug to see if there is anything of interest present and judge whether it is worth excavating the whole site. Trenches are measured and marked in grids so that the exact position of anything found there can be recorded.
• dig very carefully to make sure they do not damage anything. Archaeologists use trowels and shovels for this, to remove smaller amounts of soil.
• use brushes to remove soil delicately from any objects found.
• use sieves to ensure nothing is thrown away in the soil. A sieve catches even the
smallest pieces of artefacts.
• record the position of every artefact found. Everything is carefully drawn and photographed.
• catalogue the details of each artefact on computers and in the excavation’s site book.
• put artefacts into separate, labelled bags and then boxes, which are numbered and sent to the laboratory for tests.
Once the tests are fi nished, artefacts are usually brought to museums where they can be displayed for people to learn from. CHECKPOINT!
1. Defi ne the terms test trench and topsoil in your own words. 2. Name three tools used by archaeologists. 3. List all the steps involved in excavating a site. 4. Why do archaeologists have to be careful when excavating?
.
I can explain how archaeologists excavate a site. I CAN MOVE FORWARD
TIME TO GO BACK 17 Visit www.
educateplus.ie/ resources/artefact for a video and a worksheet on the role of the archaeologist
Go to page 10 of your Sources and Skills Book for an exercise on a dig.
What it means to conserve the past
• remove the topsoil using a digger or a pick axe. Topsoil is the topmost, most recent layer of soil.
An excavation taking place. Can you identify what each archaeologist is doing?
