People sometimes get confused when trying to distinguish between archaeology and anthropology - the main difference is that archaeologists tend to study dead people while anthropologists study people in the present. In any case the key word here is 'people', therefore we leave the dinosaurs to the palaeontologists. In order to understand the people in the past we study what they have left behind. This tells us their behaviour, how they lived, what they ate, and sometimes also why they died. One can study these remains through different techniques. The most common technique is excavation, which s unfortunately also a destructive method. However, before even starting the excavation archaeologists have to do an evaluation of what is expected to be found in the trench, even before the digging begins. This is done through studying any historical documents that may exist about the site, or reports written by anyone who may have done a survey or conducted an excavation of the site. Naturally one can also do some original research by, for example, fieldwalking the area or conducting a geophysical survey of which the procedure you are probably familiar with from Time Team episodes.
When all the necessary information is gathered, one can finally commence the actual archaeological work which is usually carried out through excavation. The general idea is to identify the different layers in the soil, i.e. colour and texture differences, and locate any artefacts within them. These artefacts can then be used to date the layers, out of which a timeline can be constructed as naturally the layer on top of another would be the younger layer. In order to be carried out properly, an excavation takes a lot of patience and time. Each layer has to be carefully identifed, interpreted and recorded before it can be stripped in order to see what is underneath. Unfortunately in reality finance and the lack of time will demand the work to be carried out fairly quickly, which sometimes results in that somethings is overlooked and the final interpretation is not complete but subjected to some guesswork.
As mentioned before, archaeologists are not just after the silver and gold, but any clues that may help us understand our human past. The great excitement about working in archaeology is when history is discovered. Historians can sit and read their books as much as they like while archaeologists are busy writing them. In my university days I had many of my friends studying history complaining about the couple of hundred years they have to study for their exam, while I was trying to cover a timeline ranging from 2 million years up to the end of the last glacial maximum before the start of the Mesolithic - I happily illuminated them of my situation and watched as they lit up when they realised somebody else had more work to do than they did.
Archaeology is truly an interesting subject - a lot of detective work, a bit of science, a lot common sense and guesswork and also a great deal of excitement! Most countries offer an archaeology degree on university level if you are interested in getting into the subject. The following books offer some basic reading for a future archaeologist, so give them a go!
- Carman, J. 2002. Archaeology and Heritage: An Introduction. London: Continuum
- Drewett, P. 2011. Field Archaeology: An Introduction. Abingdon: Routledge (2nd Edition)
- Gamble, C. 2008. Archaeology: The Basics. Abingdon: Routledge (2nd Edition)
- Grant, J., Gorin, S. and Fleming, N. 2008. The Archaeology Coursebook: An Introduction to Themes, Sites, Methods and Skills. Abingdon: Routledge (3rd Edition)
- Greene, K. and Moore, T. 2010. Archaeology: An Introduction. Abingdon: Routledge (5th Edition)
- Hunter, J. and Ralston, I. (eds). 1999. The Archaeology of Britain: An Introduction from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Industrial Revolution. London: Routledge
- Renfrew, C. and Bahn, P. 2012. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Pracitce. London: Thames and Hudson (6th Edition)
- Swain, H. 2007. An Introduction to Museum Archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Also, have a look in the area for any archaeological excavations you may be able to volunteer for - in order to work in the commercial archaeology business one has to have at least 6 months of practical work experience. Unfortunately most university degrees do not offer that amount of experience, so it will be up to you to make sure you have enough experience when you are ready to get into working in the archaeology sector. The key is to keep at it and not give up when times are tough - if you are determined enough you will be able to see it through! Good luck!
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