Department of Archaeology
Tel: (604) 291-3325
Fax: (604) 291-5666
Tel: (604) 291-3325
Fax: (604) 291-5666
Simon Fraser University
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6
8888 University Drive
Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6
|
Department of Archaeology Tel: (604) 291-3325 Fax: (604) 291-5666 |
|
Simon Fraser University 8888 University Drive Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6 |
In the last century, archaeology changed dramatically, from a treasure hunt to carefully planned scientific investigation. Two of the many changes are a focus on 'problem-based' research, and co-operation with indigenous people.
Archaeologists do not dig at a site 'to see what they will find'. Archaeologists frame a research question and excavate in order to find the answer to that question.
Archaeologists work within the framework of archaeological legislation. In most parts of the world, digging is illegal without permission from the land owner and a permit from the government. In British Columbia, a permit is issued by the Archaeology Branch in Victoria only after the applicant has also received the permission from local First Nation. Some archaeologists work for a First Nation to uncover the early history of their people.
Nowhere are these changes more noticeable than in excavating. Archaeological excavation today is a very labor intensive, time consuming, careful process, usually carried out by a team of specialists.
At the SFU Department of Archaeology, undergraduate students are encouraged to learn field excavation skills in one of the field schools taught each year. Fields schools have been taught near Vancouver, near Kamloops, on the Gulf Islands, on the central coast and in more exotic locations such as Tonga and Fiji.
Excavating is far more than digging for artifacts. Excavating is a carefully planned destruction of a site or a portion of a site. Once the site is dug, it no longer exists – an archaeological site is literally an irreplaceable resource. Archaeologists record as much detail as possible, preserving not only the artifacts but many, many other types of information. In this way the site is not lost forever, but can be re-examined through the notes, maps, samples, drawings, photographs and other data.
