Source: Visit Mungo National Park
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How Do Archaeologists Know About The Ancient Past?
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What Do Archaeologists Do?
Archaeologists are scientists who study about early people, traces of settlement and past cultures by digging artefacts and items that people from the past have used or may have changed. Archaeologists have a specific way to investigate. They use this 3-way guide: classification, dating and evaluation. Classification is a technique used for analysing, wherein they group the artefacts. Dating could either be by absolute dating, that is determining age in chronological order or relative dating that is placing objects in sequence relating to each other. However, most scientists nowadays use fluorine content to find the artefact’s age. Evaluation is when they use field testing to help find information on the environment, extent and significant archaeological remains present on site.
What Do Archaeologists Do?
Archaeologists are scientists who study about early people, traces of settlement and past cultures by digging artefacts and items that people from the past have used or may have changed. Archaeologists have a specific way to investigate. They use this 3-way guide: classification, dating and evaluation. Classification is a technique used for analysing, wherein they group the artefacts. Dating could either be by absolute dating, that is determining age in chronological order or relative dating that is placing objects in sequence relating to each other. However, most scientists nowadays use fluorine content to find the artefact’s age. Evaluation is when they use field testing to help find information on the environment, extent and significant archaeological remains present on site.
How Do Scientists Know How Old Mungo Man And Mungo Lady Are?
The scientists determined the age of Mungo man and Mungo Lady based from their cremated skeletons.They thoroughly investigated their bone fragments and teeth’s pulp exposure.They also studied the environment that existed during their life by looking at the layers of rocks that they found in their diggings. They used the fluorine content test to determine the age of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady.
How Do Archaeologists Know Where To Start Digging?
Archaeologists can have many ways to know where to start digging for artefacts. Most of them gain sightings from people stumbling into exposed artefacts or catching a glimpse of it from up above. They also research old documents, records or maps, with data leading to historical places directing with human population and some elderly people who may have lived in the area for a long time. Also, scientists are able to know where to dig by studying the soil layers which help measure the passing of time because the deepest soil layers are older than those on top. Thus, archaeologists have to dig one layer at a time, removing soil layer from one time period before proceeding to the next layer. Archaeologists could also use probes or cores to determine if the site has possible artefacts, without digging at all. A probe is an instruments that can penetrate the ground’s surface and sense if there are possible artefacts underground. Auger is another tool used by archaeologists to bring up soil samples from beneath.
What Do Archaeologists Do With The Artefacts?