Tools Used in Digs for Egyptian Archaeology
Archaeologists who work on an Egyptian dig site use a variety of tools to excavate the site and safely remove artifacts. While these tools can be purchased from specialty shops, many are common household and garden implements that can be found in hardware and home improvement stores.
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Large Excavation Tools
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On some archaeological sites, large amounts of sand or topsoil must be removed before archaeologists can begin to dig. Equipment like a backhoe or a bulldozer is used to move soil. Field survey preparations are done prior to excavation to ensure that large machinery doesn't remove too much soil and damage the artifacts below.
Digging Tools
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After the site is prepared, archaeologists can dig for artifacts. Each person works in a specified grid area and uses pickaxes, bucket augurs, shovels, rakes and hoes to uncover items in the ground. Buckets, dust pans, brooms and wheelbarrows remove sand and soil from the work site.
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Fine Excavation Tools
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Once an artifact is discovered, the archaeologist carefully removes the sand and soil around it with fine excavation tools. Tools include trowels, hand picks, calipers, paint brushes and dental picks. In addition to small implements, items like shaker screens, measuring tape, yardsticks and a scale help the archaeologist find small fragments of pottery, wood and bone.
Recording Tools
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An archaeologist not only excavates artifacts, she also records daily observations about the items and the site. Paper, pencils, cameras, video cameras and tape recorders are important tools to document small details that will be important once excavation is complete and the artifacts have been moved to a museum or laboratory.
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References
Resources
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