A Day At Beaubassin Public Archaeology Experience 2008

A Day At Beaubassin Public
Archaeology Experience 2008

Archaeology
The Basics

Archaeology is a field of study that incorporates many methods and theories of other disciplines such as anthropology , ethnology , sociology , history biology and geology . Archaeology itself can be defined as a set of theories , methods and techniques for the study of human behavior from physical remains of past activities . Through analysis of physical remains , for example , objects like pots or even dugout canoes , ships , and features , such as hearths , structural remains , such as buildings or locks , and flora and fauna . Archaeologists interpret the people and cultures they study . The further archaeologists go in their research , the closer they come to recreating an intimate portrait of their subjects and revealing more about the human occupation of the land .

Archaeological research can take place anywhere - an urbanized setting or a remote location . For example , research can be prompted by a new
construction project in the city , for an inventory in a natural park or as
part of the designation of a historic site .

One of the great challenges of archaeology is to analyse the data that has been collected . Often and for various reasons , this information may be difficult to sort out , for example a site can have experienced successive occupations by various groups of people . To distinguish between time periods and groups, stratigraphic analysis and the spatial distribution , of material remains is very important . Researchers have to pay close attention to visible clues while investigations , for example ; surveys and their excavations are in progress and all observations must be properly recorded . Once a site is excavated much of the evidence is destroyed . Architectural elements that have to remain in place or be reburied must be sketched , their location indicated on the map , and even photographed . Meticulous recording of data is essential .

Every trace of the past human activity is an archaeological resource .
These resources are non - renewable and often constitute the only evidence of the passage or occupation of human groups that have disappeared or been displaced .

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