In order to have a better understanding of archaeology before you come to Camp Dig-It! here are some terms and definitions that would be helpful to know. We have also included some links to websites with more info and games on the links page.
Definitions
Archaeology: The study of how people lived in the past by digging in the ground to uncover artifacts, which will reveal information about them.
Historical archaeology: The study of the past using artifacts and written records.
History:
The study of the past through written records.
Pre-history: The study of history during the period before events were recorded in writing.
Artifact: Any object made or used by human beings
Paleontology: The study of life forms in prehistoric times from fossilized remains. Fossil: Fossils are formed when an animal dies and it is quickly buried (by sinking in mud or being covered over in a sand storm). The bones become encased and after a long time the bone slowly decays and minerals seep in to where the bones were. This results in a copy of the skeleton being preserved in the rock. Stratigraphy:
The study of soil layers. The ground that we walk on today covers many layers of earth. Archaeologists study the layers in order to tell the age of the artifacts found in them. The most recent artifacts are normally found in the top layer (layer 1) while the oldest ones will be at the bottom (layer 5).
