TOOLS USED IN ARCHAEOLOGY

LiDAR

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is an extremely modern archaeological tool. Only invented in the past 60 years, it uses lasers to measure how long it takes light (often emitted from a sensor in a plane or helicopter) to reach Earth and travel back to the sensor. The result is a map that lets archaeologists see how the land looks under all the plants on top—without having to mow them all down! LiDAR’s bird’s-eye view allows archaeologists to spot patterns that they might have missed otherwise.

􀀆􀀆􀀆􀀆􀀆􀀒􀀍􀀓􀀔􀀇􀀂􀀏􀀆Backhoes & Hand Shovels

If they need to move large amounts of dirt (like whole sides of hills) in a hurry, archaeologists will bring modern backhoes to their dig sites. If those scoops are too clumsy, though, they downsize
to a regular shovel and dig by hand! One thing is for sure—since these tools are so big and heavy, archaeologists never use either of them unless they are certain they won’t disturb anything that they’re trying to excavate.

Mesh Screens

Basically like the screens on windows, archaeologists have used mesh screens to sift loose dirt at their dig sites since the 1800s. As the dirt falls through the screen, things like beads and pottery shards are left behind. These screens come in all shapes and sizes, which means that archaeologists can pick different ones depending on what they hope to find. The smaller the holes in the screen, the more artifacts (and pebbles!) will be left behind.

Flat Trowels

One of the most common tools on any archaeological dig, the flat trowel is also one of the oldest—ancient people used animal shoulder bones as trowels! Small enough to be held in one hand, modern trowels can be either square or pointed. There is a reason they are in every archaeologist’s toolkit. Much more delicate than either a backhoe or a hand shovel, they can clear away dirt with enough precision that the archaeologists don’t chip the artifacts in their dig site.

􀀕􀀂􀀄􀀑􀀍􀀖􀀆􀀗􀀃􀀓􀀏Dental Picks

Although people used to use sharpened antlers as picks in the prehistoric age, archaeologists have upgraded since then and now use the same thing used at your dentist’s office! The very fine tips on these picks open up worlds of possibilities: they can be used to scrape dirt out of tiny nooks and crannies, either to get delicate artifacts out of the ground or to clean off artifacts that have already been excavated.