Duties for an Archaeologist
Archaeologists are scientists who examine the human condition by studying the remains of ancient civilizations. Archaeologists typically work for government agencies, museums and universities. The duties of an archaeologist are diverse and include site excavation, administrative duties, research, teaching and publishing.
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Digging
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Excavation is one of an archaeologist's primary duties. Using sophisticated tools, archaeologists and their teams attempt to unearth and recover the ancient ruins and artifacts of lost civilizations.
Administrative Duties
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Archaeologists often serve as consultants or directors of excavation projects and research programs. These archaeologists perform a range of administrative duties; they may even be responsible for writing grants.
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Research
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Archaeologists must frequently conduct research in order to analyze the artifacts that they collect. Archaeological research may involve laboratory work, dating artifacts, examining historical records and consulting with outside experts.
Teaching
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Some archaeologists choose to serve as college or university professors. The duties of archaeology instructors include teaching classes, grading assignments and assisting students.
Publishing
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Archaeologists are obligated to share their discoveries with the general public. They announce the results of their research in various scholarly journals. Some also write books on their areas of expertise.
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