Archaeology

Archaeologists DO NOT:  Study dinosaurs  Just look for pretty or valuable objects.  Just pick up artifacts.  Spend all their time just digging  Buy, sell, or put a price on artifacts.

What Is Archaeology?  Archaeology – study of the remains of past human life & their culture  Scientists excavate (dig) into the earth and find artifacts ARTIFACTS – anything made by people Archaeology Culture Speech & Language Biology of Man

History of Archaeology  1719 – uncovered city of Herculaneum  1769 – discovered city of Pompeii  1799 – found the Rosetta Stone in Egypt - Helped to explain meaning of Egyptian language  – uncovered 5 lost civilizations

How old are the artifacts?  Time periods based on materials people used Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age  Also based on food 1 st – food gatherers 2 nd – food producers  1946 – discovery of radioactive element: Carbon 14 Measure levels after death