Archaeologists may suspect an area may be rich with discoveries, but they cannot simply start digging. An archaeologist cannot dig anywhere he or she wants. They need permission from the owner of the land. Sometimes, they need permission from the government of a country.

How do archaeologists choose where to dig?

To determine where a site might be, archaeologists conduct a survey, which can include walking through a site and digging holes of similar depths at an equal distance apart from each other, known as shovel test pits, as well as GPS, resistivity meters, and ground penetrating radars.

Do archaeologists always dig?

YES! Archaeologists always excavate carefully and often use delicate tools to remove soil from around fragile artifacts. It is also important to record where artifacts are found.