Archaeology FAQs: Everything You Need to Know

🔍Archaeology focuses on the study of the human past, particularly the last 10,000 years, while paleontology focuses on ancient life forms, such as dinosaurs.

🔎The discovery of Richard III's remains in a parking lot and the wreckage of the Endurance ship off the coast of Antarctica are among the significant archaeological discoveries in recent years.

🔧Archaeologists use different tools depending on the situation, including trowels, brushes, popsicle sticks, and more.

💀Excavating human remains can provide valuable information about the past, including cause of death, diseases, and social status.

🕰️Carbon dating, which measures the rate of carbon-14 decay, is used to determine the age of organic materials.

What is the difference between archaeology and paleontology?

—Paleontology focuses on ancient life forms like dinosaurs, while archaeology focuses on the study of the human past, particularly the last 10,000 years.

What are some significant archaeological discoveries in recent years?

—Some significant discoveries include Richard III's remains in a parking lot and the wreckage of the Endurance ship off the coast of Antarctica.

What tools do archaeologists use during excavations?

—Archaeologists use a variety of tools depending on the situation, including trowels, brushes, popsicle sticks, and more.

What information can be obtained from excavating human remains?

—Excavating human remains can provide insights into cause of death, diseases, and social status of individuals in the past.

How do archaeologists determine the age of artifacts?

—Carbon dating, which measures the rate of carbon-14 decay, is commonly used to determine the age of organic materials.

00:00Archaeologist Andrew Kinkela answers frequently asked questions about archaeology.

00:16The difference between archaeology and paleontology: paleontology focuses on ancient life forms, while archaeology focuses on the human past.

00:40Significant archaeological discoveries in recent years include Richard III's remains and the wreckage of the Endurance ship.

01:26Archaeologists use various tools such as trowels, brushes, and popsicle sticks during excavations.

04:20Excavating human remains provides insights into cause of death, diseases, and social status in the past.

05:47Carbon dating is used to determine the age of artifacts by measuring the rate of carbon-14 decay.