Life in the (Excavation) Trenches

Material culture is any tangible evidence of human history. It includes anything physical left behind by humans. Some examples are pottery, architecture, jewelry, tools, weapons, religious objects, art pieces, or tombs. Archaeologists also study organic material, like soil or plant remains, and what this can tell us about how humans lived in the past.

A primary source is any source of information that was created during the time under study. This could include artifacts, diaries, manuscripts, recordings, or building materials. We often contrast primary sources with secondary sources. A secondary source is a source of information that discusses information originally presented elsewhere. In the context of our excavation, the materials that we excavate are primary sources, while our interpretation of the site is a secondary source.

For example, we excavated the pottery below from the site of Eleon. These piece of pottery are primary sources: they were made by the Greeks themselves. If you are researching the ancient Greek world, you will also come across articles written in modern times about ancient Greek pottery (like this StoryMap!). These are secondary sources, because they describe and provide an interpretation of the primary sources (the pottery).

It depends on the context. By examining an artifact, archaeologists are often able to

• say something about locality (where the find was located and where it originated),
• give an archaeological description (the object’s material, form, technique of manufacture, as well as a description of associated objects where the object was found)
• assess the approximate time(s) the object was used
• draw interpretations about the people who used the artifacts

When should we look at material sources? Let's say we want to learn about ancient greek jewelry, specifically bracelets. There are some instances where material culture is the only source available. If we want to study a prehistoric time period (a period before written records), there won't be any writing about bracelets for us to read. In later time periods, we may have textual sources like poetry or history books, but it's possible that none of them discuss jewelry. In both cases, we will have to learn from the bracelet itself.

What if we did have access to a poem that describes a woman wearing a beautiful bracelet? Even if we do have access to plenty of relevant textual sources, material culture can still add to our understanding. Have you ever heard the saying that "a picture is worth a thousand words?" No matter how complete a description of this bracelet, it will always leave something out. Access to both textual and material sources gives us more information than either can alone. The poem may tell us about how bracelets were worn or what values they were associated with, while the bracelet itself tells us about craftsmanship, materials, or when it was used. This information all adds to our understanding about ancient Greek bracelets. Our knowledge of the past is most complete when we use multiple sources.

Some archaeologists focus on certain cultures, time periods, or areas. For example, we study the remains at one ancient Greek site, Eleon, which helps us learn about ancient Greek culture as a whole. Some archaeologists study a particular part of human activity. For example, some might specialize in studying art styles or architectural plans, while others have immense knowledge about burials and human remains.

Many kinds of people participate in archaeology, not just archaeologists! Zoologists study animal remains, botanists study plant remains, geologists study rocks, and soil scientists study layers of earth. Carpenters, journeymen, engineers and architects may help with the excavation process, and drone pilots, photographers, and artists help us maintain our documentation. When interpreting finds, we may also consult with historians or textual scholars to add to our understanding of cultural context.

Archaeological work involves surveying, excavating, sorting, documenting, conserving, and researching our finds.

Excavation requires a lot of patience and carefulness. Once a site is dug, it is impossible to return everything to its original position. You only get one chance, so a lot of planning and consideration goes into archaeological work. During the excavation, team members must be patient as they dig so that they don’t miss or break anything. Patience is also required as items are sorted and documented. Most of the time, archaeology is painstaking and slow work.

In order for an excavation to take place, a lot of people need to cooperate. An archaeologist must be prepared to cooperate with local communities and authorities, funders or stakeholders in the project, and other members of the team. During an excavation season, it's important that everyone works together and stays on task. If there is a disagreement, team members must be willing to communicate carefully and with respect. We’ve found that well-fed team members are happy team members, and we often eat meals together as a group!

Archaeology comes with ethical responsibilities. Since a site can only be dug once, it is our responsibility to proceed with caution. Sometimes, archaeologists choose to purposely leave parts of the site undisturbed, so that future archaeologists with even better technology and more knowledge can excavate. Archaeologists also have responsibilities towards the communities where they excavate, and a responsibility to publish what they find as accurately as possible.

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