The Joy of Archaeology

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Real archaeology works just like "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark." True False

2. So you want to begin an archaeological excavation. Which of these would be a good first step? To grab a shovel and dig a random hole To develop a research question To conduct a site survey To ask for money

3. Research excavations have the same goals and timeframes as rescue excavations. True False

4. You conduct a site survey to decide where to start excavating. Which of these techniques would you NOT want to use? Grab a shovel and dig a random hole Resistivity survey Aerial photography Fieldwalking

5. You might not want to locate your dirt dump, or spoil heap, somewhere you're planning to excavate later. True False

6. Now you finally get dig. What do you call that ubiquitous hole in the ground, the place where people are digging? Answer: (Starts with a T! Rhymes with "Grinch"!)

7. Every archaeologist keeps a notebook containing the record of everything that goes on at the excavation. Which of these is it NOT important to include in your notebook? The color and consistency of the soil The catalogue number of the current bag of pottery A drawing of the area being excavated Your workman is such a hottie

8. If you uncover a straight line of large stones, what do you write in your notebook? "Uncovered a wall" "Discovered an aqueduct" "Uncovered the foundation of a structure" "Uncovered a straight line of large stones"

9. You should never, EVER remove any structure to get to a lower level. True False

10. One of the tools you are likely to see at an excavation consists of a long tube filled with colored water and attached to a tape measure at one end. What is it? Your lunch A divining rod for small finds A water level A talisman to keep away creepy crawlies

11. Archaeology has its own set of terminology to describe what comes out of the ground. Take the term "small find." In Mediterranean archaeology which of these would *not* be considered a "small find"? A stone column base Pottery sherds Gold beads A bronze nail

12. Do the potsherds indicate the time period of the area you are excavating? Yes No

13. Say you find a sherd of pottery on the ground outside your trench. What should you do with it? Throw it away where it will not contaminate the excavation Drop it in someone else's trench Put it in with the pottery that has come out of your trench Keep it as a souvenir

14. So now you've finished another successful season of excavations. If you are the archaeologist, what should you do now? Gloat Publish the results Break out the ouzo Do the laundry

15. You, too, can work at archaeological excavation! True False