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Archaeology

© Lucy Charlotte Acland Johnson

Archaeology is "The study of what is Ancient", which is the meaning of the Ancient Greek it is derived from. Archaeologists-the people who study this-look back on the past, studying it from a human point of view:

DIGS-Historic buildings and artefacts are usually buried underground, due to the pile up of soil over time, or occasionally because they were intentionally buried.

Archaeologists spend time digging up these artefacts (or objects), and an area being excavated (or explored) is known as a "dig".

Archaeologists use a variety of equipment for this, such as:

? Dental Picks are used, believe it or not, for when something particularly delicate is being dug up.

? Hand Picks are commonly used, especially in the Middle East, to clear rock and dig effectively.

? Small [paint] brushes are used to clear loose soil gently from artefacts.

REPARATION-When an object, such as a pot or jar, is discovered in pieces archaeologists attempt to put it back together again:

? Glue used on an artefact is effective, although glues that are reversible are usually used in case the person repairing it makes a mistake or the fragments need to be examined individually.

? Standing an artefact in a bowl of sand allows it to be held at the correct angle.

? Plastering a hole in an artefact has to be done so that it does not look very obvious, but can be seen upon close inspection. Wax is pushed into the hole, and then moved back once it has dried. It is taped behind the hole to support the Plaster of Paris, which is used to support it.

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