A Career in Archaeology

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Want an exciting and fulfilling career? Well, archaeology just might be it, but it isn’t for everyone. It is important to understand the profession and all that it entails since it can be extremely challenging and demanding. The first prerequisite is passion and love for all that archaeology stands for.

What Do Archaeologists Do?

Archaeologists study human culture and history but not by reading books, instead by identification and discovery. They survey and excavate historical sites and study relics (such as pottery, weapons, jewelry, articles of daily use, plant, animal, and human remains) and architecture to understand material development in human societies.

Their job is not just excavating, but also analyzing, documenting, and preserving history for future reference. Even an insignificant looking article like a piece of broken pottery or a human bone tells a lot of things to a seasoned archaeologist. Technological advancements in the field have made this profession even more exciting and expanded its portfolio vastly. The state-of-the-art research techniques utilized by modern day archaeologists are, genetic study, radiocarbon dating, thermography, satellite imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and so on.

Holistic Approach

As a multidisciplinary activity, archaeologist needs to be well-versed in the following disciplines:

• Anthropology
• Art history
• Chemistry
• Classical literature
• Ethnology
• Geology,
• History
• Information technology
• Linguistics
• Paleontology
• Physics
• Statistics

Is It The Right Career For You?

Well, if you are passionate about discovering history and culture then it could be. But passion itself is not enough. You should be willing to put in long hours and days camping and undertaking field work at excavation sites and in laboratories. Patience is a must as projects can take months and years, and sometimes nothing comes out of it.

Additionally you need:

• To have abundant knowledge of history
• Be an avid reader
• Excellent penmanship
• An analytical and focused mind

Career Options

There are three main employment areas for archaeologists:

1. Research and Government Employment:Research archaeologists may be hired by:
   • Federal agencies, such as the National Park Service, and the Fish and Wildlife Service.
   • State Agencies, such as the State Historical Societies, and historic preservation programs, typically have one or more archaeologists on staff.
   • Museums and research institutions, such as the Smithsonian
2. Teaching: If your interest is teaching then you would require a doctorate (Ph.D.) degree. Teaching specialties could be Historical archaeology, Egyptology and Classical Archaeology.
3. Cultural Resources Management. As a CRM archaeologistyou would assist developers and public agencies in meeting the requirements of preservation legislation by locating previously unknown archaeological resources. Evaluation and emergency rescue of those treasures would also fall in your purview.

Many archaeologists choose to work in all three categories for example, an archaeologist who is a university or college professor during the academic year is often involved in research or consulting during the summer.

Way Forward:

Opt for a distance learning program in Archaeology. Most of the courses can be covered online though training and excavation skills will have to be developed in the field. A bachelor’s degree is necessary for entry level jobs, a PHD for teaching positions and a master’s if you want to stay ahead of the curve.

Do your research and get going! CQJHZSPRF3S7