Before I taught English, I was an archaeologist. A lot of people confuse archaeology (humans) with paleontology (dinosaurs) so here is a little insight into what an archaeologist actually does. Back in the early 2010s, I was the Tribal Archaeologist at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Clewiston, Florida. As an archaeologist for a tribe, my mission was to protect and preserve artifacts and important archaeological sites on the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s (STOF) six reservations.
The team of ten archaeologists, who are all college graduates with degrees in either Anthropology or Archaeology, had special training in archaeological field and laboratory methods through our experiences in cultural resource management work and various archaeological field schools.
We used the most advanced data gathering technologies to maintain an innovative and ever–evolving research design. By using state-of-the-art Global Positioning Systems (GPS), the team was able to record and complete archaeology for the Tribe on both paper and in an electronic database. Our archaeological data collection and analysis database were one of the nation’s top tribal archaeological databases.
Typically, an archaeological field crew excavates shovel test units in the first phase of archaeological site detection. Every shovel test is recorded and mapped using a Trimble GeoXT (GPS Device). The Trimble provides the location of the test unit at sub-meter accuracy. The maps created aid in the writing of reports and in the archaeological research.
If you would like to learn more about archaeology, contact me today! www.jlabate.com
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