The following overview of the archaeological process was prepared by students in the Fall 2022 course, ARCH 1900 The Archaeology of College Hill, as an introduction to the fundamentals of archaeological methodology:

New to Archaeology? Start Here!

Whether you were inspired to learn more about archaeology because you just rewatched Indiana Jones or visited a fascinating museum exhibit with amazing excavated artifacts, you can learn the basics of  archaeology here.

An archaeologist has several tools in their belt at all times:

TrowelTrowel…

… which you drag against the ground to remove layer by layer of dirt. Archaeology occurs much slower than in the Indiana Jones movies (you can’t just start attacking an artifact location with shovels!) You MUST be careful not to damage any artifacts, so you go bit by bit with a trowel.

Archaeological tools: brushBrush…

… which you use to lightly clear dirt. Once you uncover an artifact, a brush can be more effective than harder tools, like your trowel, at removing dirt and ensuring the safe removal of the artifact. Think about it, if you find something that has been in the ground for years, decades, or even centuries, the artifact may be very fragile and any contact could damage it.  

Archaeological tools: row of bucketsDustpan & Bucket…

…which you use to collect loose dirt

Field Notebook…Archaeological field notebook from 2022 excavations of Sack House.

…which you use to record the color of the dirt you’re digging in, the experience of digging, the weather, and all other factors that will help you go back and understand the digging conditions. 

 

Clothes & Gloves… Archaeological tools: gloves

…that you’re willing to get dirty! In the field or in the lab, you will have both hands in the dirt, you will kneel in the trench, and dirt simply ends up everywhere.

Step 2: Plan Your Research Questions

Before you break ground, think carefully about who the land belongs to. Do you have permission to dig here? If you find any artifacts, will they belong to you, the person who left the artifact, a nearby museum, or somebody else? 

Now, you are ready to design research questions to guide your dig and analysis. Inspiration for research questions might include your own personal interests, other work at similar dig sites, cultural narratives, or anything else that sparks your curiosity!

Each semester, the Archaeology of College Hill class designs a number of research questions to guide our dig and artifact analysis. In 2022, our questions were

  1. How can we better understand the life of German immigrants through our excavation of the Sack House?
  2. How can we better understand the difference in lives between wealthy families and their servants?
  3. How was the Sack House decorated?
  4. What types of food and goods did the Sack family buy?

Step 3: Dig!

Start off with a beginning-of-dig photo so you can compare it to your after-dig photo and measure progress. Always record the direction in which you took the photo using a compass. Recording the digging process is essential so you can go back and remember your dig days and ultimately share them with the archaeology community.

Use the flat part of your trowel to scrape dirt in a straight line and use your dustpan and bucket to clear loose dirt regularly. This  video very clearly shows how to pick a trowel, how to trowel, and how to clean loose dirt from your dig space. Do not use the pointed part of your trowel because you don’t want to leave any grooves or accidentally dig deeper than you originally intended. 

If you find any artifacts, place them into a bag labeled with the trench and locus number where you found the artifact, as well as the number of the bag. Create different bags for different artifacts, for example, you may have a brick bag, a slate bag, a special finds bag, and more.

DO NOT walk over your or your trenchmates’ troweling area as you can damage artifacts or pack down loose dirt.

Step 4: Process Your Artifacts

The dirty work does not finish in the field. Periodically, or once you have finished digging your trench, you must clean and record the artifacts you have collected.

Brown University students processing archaeological artifacts found at Moses Brown School excavation in 2022. Different artifacts require different cleaning techniques.

  • For example, glass, stone, and other non-porous materials can be cleaned using a soft brush and a bit of water. You do NOT want to use water on metal, porous clay, or any other materials that could potentially be damaged by water.
  • If you are unsure how exactly to clean an artifact, consult online resources or an archaeology professional.

Be sure that you do not lose track of which artifacts came from which trenches/loci by labeling the various parts of your lab workstation.

Step 5: Interpret Your Finds & Answer Your Research Questions

You may need to refer back to your field journal for information on your digs, which is why it is so important to keep a detailed record during the previous steps.

With clean artifacts removed from your trench, you can return to your research questions and begin answering them with your newfound evidence!

Local libraries or historical societies can be treasure troves of information that can assist you with answering your research questions in conjunction with your artifact evidence.

Share your evidence, field journal, and interpretations with the community around you! Other people may offer different perspectives that can help you answer your research questions or approach different research questions.

Further Reading

If this piqued your interest and you’re interested in learning more, check out these great resources!