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What is Archeology?
Archeology is the study of the past shown through monuments, fossils, ruins, and objects called artifacts. Artifacts are simple objects (such as tools) showing a stage of development in a culture or human work and representing a culture. When archeologists are looking for objects in the Earth, it is called excavating. Here on my website you will learn about famous archeological finds, facts about archeologists Zahi Hawass and Dr. Otto J. Schaden, and tools that archeologists use. I hope you will learn and enjoy!!!!
Carbon Dating
One archeological tool used is the Carbon Dating test. It measures chemicals in wood and other materials to determine how old the artifact is, and what time period it was from. This helps archeologists better understand the object they have found.
Tools for Digging
When archeologists dig holes to find artifacts, their digging is very scientific. Each spot is usually squared off and marked very carefully on a graph. It is important to know where you found an artifact because how deep the artifact was in the ground and it’s surroundings may tell you more about the artifact. Also it is important to know where you found the artifact because you might find something else in the area.
When
searching through the ground, archeologists must be careful so they don’t damage
artifacts. They use sifters, shovels, brushes, picks, and maybe air pumps.
Sifters are boxes with screen in the bottom so you can easily search through
sand. An archeologist uses shovels, brushes, and picks to scoop up or move away
dirt, sand, or maybe even an artifact. Air pumps blow away dirt, sand and dust
from objects without touching or harming them.
Zahi Hawass
Dr. Zahi Hawass was born in Damietta, Egypt, in 1947. He is the Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities. Zahi right now is trying to return important artifacts to Egypt such as the Rosetta Stone from around the world. Zahi Hawass was with Dr. Otto J. Schaden when he opened KV63 in February 2006. KV63 is the first intact tomb to be found since 1922 in the Valley of the Kings!
Dr. Otto J. Schaden
Dr. Otto J. Schaden is an American Egyptologist. He is the Field Director for the Amenmesset (the fifth ruler of the 19th Dynasty) Tomb Project of the University of Memphis, Tennessee. On February 8, 2006, Otto Schaden and his team discovered KV63 which was excavated March-May 2006.
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060210/060210_egypttomb_hmed_11a.standard.jpg
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Terra-Cotta Soldiers
One of the most amazing archeological finds was found in 1974 in the east of Mount Lishan is the 16,300 square-meter excavation that revealed over 7,000 life-size Terra-Cotta figures of horses and warriors in battle position.
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Pyramids of Giza
The ten Giza pyramids were made in the 4th Dynasty. They are located on the bank of the Nile river outside Cairo, Egypt. They were built for the Kings and Queens of Egypt. The first pyramid of Giza was found on April 14, 1990.
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King Tut’s Tomb
Howard Carter and his assistant, Lord Canarvan, in 1922 found Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Tutankhamen’s tomb is on the west bank of the Nile River by Luxor, Egypt. It is an important find because most tombs had been robbed or emptied. This allowed archeologists to find out more about King Tut's life. |
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Rosetta Stone
The Rosetta Stone was discovered by French archeologists in 1799. The stone is written in two Ancient Egyptian forms of writing and in Classical Greek. The Rosetta stone helped scientists translate Ancient Egyptian writing. Now the world has a chance to read Egyptian writing.
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Duke, Kate. Archeologists Dig for Clues. New York: Harper Collins, 1997.
Hawass, Zahi. The Great Discovery. (Online) Available http://guardians.net/hawass/buildtomb.htm, 1997.
Lesko, Leonard H. “The Pyramids of Giza”. World Book Encyclopedia. 2004.
Merriam, Webster. Merriam-Webster’s Intermediate Dictionary. Philippines: Merriam Webster Inc, 1994.
Otto Schaden. (Online) Available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Schaden, 11/06.
Trip Advisor. Terra-Cotta Warriors and Soldiers Museum. (Online) Available divisor.com/Attraction_Review-g298557-Reviews-Terra_Cotta_Warriors_and_Soldiers_Museum-Xi_an_Shaanxi.html, 2006.
Zahi Hawass. (Online) Available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zahi_Hawass, 11/06.
