Field guide · Archaeological methods
A field guide to the methods archaeologists use to read the past.
From stratigraphy to stable isotopes, here are the methods archaeologists use to read soil, stone, bone, and pollen — how each one works, how it is done, and what it reveals about the past.
01Excavation & Field Survey
Digging, recording, and sampling the ground to understand a site.
02Dating Methods
Techniques that establish how old a layer, site, or object is.
03Remote Sensing & Prospection
Non-invasive ways to find and map sites from above and below.
04Laboratory & Scientific Analysis
Scientific analysis of recovered material in the laboratory.
05Subfields & Approaches
Specialized branches and ways of thinking within archaeology.