THE GREATEST HINT OF ALL!
So, you want to know how
we discover the past?
Well, archaeologists use
the scientific method. This is more than measuring everything, making
maps and being so organized that your science teacher would cheer.
All of these activities are part of science, but not the main part.
The scientific method involves:
-
OBSERVATION
-
FORMULATION OF A HYPOTHESIS
-
TESTING THE HYPOTHESIS
-
EXAMINING EVIDENCE OBSERVED DURING
THE TEST OF THE HYPOTHESIS
-
-
ADAPTING THE HYPOTHESIS IN A NEW
FORMULATION
-
TESTING THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS
-
EXAMINING EVIDENCE OBSERVED DURING
THE TEST OF THE SECOND HYPOTHESIS
-
-
ADAPTING THE HYPOTHESIS IN A NEW
FORMULATION
-
TESTING THE THIRD HYPOTHESIS
-
EXAMINING EVIDENCE OBSERVED DURING
THE TEST OF THE THIRD HYPOTHESIS
And on and on until we think
that we have a pretty good fit between the hypothesis and the observations
(or clues).
This is what archaeologists
do when they study
archaeological sites (or go
on 'digs').
Got it? Good.
Take
me to DhRl 16 NOW!
