Archaeology: What We Do And
What We Say
Archaeology
is the science of studying people and their lives after they're long gone. We do
this by finding and studying what these people have left behind.
Here are some of the terms archaeologists use:
  Artifact
means something made by a human. At Hippos, we have found pots, a plate and an
oil lamp. But mostly we find ...
... Potsherds, pieces of broken pots.
These are important because a pottery expert can look at potsherds and tell when
they were made.
Features
are buildings, tombs, city walls and other big structures at an archaeological
site.
Ecofacts or biofacts are seeds, animal bones or other things from plants or animals.
Ecofacts found with artifacts and/or features may show what people ate.
Site.
An archaeological site is where archaeologists find artifacts, features and/or
biofacts. Archaeologists sometimes must look carefully for sites where they
might find such things. They do this by conducting a ...
... Survey to locate a good site at
which to dig. They may do a survey by taking photos from the air or by walking
over an area looking for surface artifacts or features. At Hippos, we knew from
ancient writings that a city was there. And we could see the outline of the
Northeast Church.
Excavation
is what archaeologists call it when they dig up a site. They also call the
excavation a dig. Over the centuries, the wind often covers ancient sites with
dirt. That's what happened at Hippos. Before we began digging, all that showed
of the little church was a faint outline almost hidden by weeds.
  Tools.
We dig carefully. We use a hoe called, in Arabic, a turreah. It's is a little
like a garden hoe, except it's handle is shorter, about four feet long, and its
blade is approximately square, not pointed. We use the hoe to scoop dirt into
buckets that we empty nearby. We use picks to loosen hard soil. Sometimes, when
we're getting close to something important, we use a trowel or a little hand
pick called a patische to move smaller amounts of dirt.
Notes, Maps, Photos.
It's important to keep careful track of the things we find and to keep records
of where we find them. So we take photos, make maps and carefully write down
where we find things. When we look at the information all together, it may help
us understand more about the people who lived here.
Learn more by going online:
|
