Tools

Archaeologists use many different tools. Different tools are used for different locations. For example, hand picks are used mostly in the Middle East. Tools can vary in size from a dental pick to a bulldozer. The tool most commonly used is a pointed bricklayer's trowel. Besides excavating tools, archaeologists use cameras for taking pictures of the excavation, tape measures, sacks and bags, and more.

For the most part, archaeologists use nothing bigger then a shovel or a small hoe. In some rare cases when archaeologists need to dig very deep, they might use a bulldozer. When they reach an artifact, archaeologists might use a brush to clear away the dirt or sand around it. An archaeologist always scrapes the dirt away from the artifact, never digs it out.

Archaeologists use tools in a certain order. First, archaeologists might use a flat-edge shovel to scrape away the upper layers of the earth. After that, they would use bricklayer's trowels or hand picks. If they reached an artifact, they'd use small brushes to clear away loose bits of dirt. When archaeologists work with very fragile remains, they might use dental picks. Archaeologists would use sifters to go through the dirt that was dug up to make sure they didn't miss anything. After that, they would use buckets, sacks, or bags to clear the dirt away from the site.

Can you organize the tools?