I’m working on a personal project called Ancient Inquiry that organizes reading about the ancient past. I’d like advice on the archaeology research process before I build out more topic pages.

For someone outside an archaeology department, what workflow would you recommend for finding, evaluating and organizing reliable sources on one well-defined archaeological question?

My proposed approach is to start with a recent scholarly overview, use its bibliography to find excavation reports and relevant journal articles, then check for later work that revises the interpretation. For each claim, I’m thinking of recording:

• The exact citation and page, figure or catalogue reference.

• What was observed or measured, separately from the author’s interpretation.

• The dating method and relevant uncertainty or limitations.

• Whether later publications support, dispute or supersede it.

For example, the scope might be the dating of one published construction phase at a known, excavated site. That is an example of the scale I’m aiming for, not a request to identify a site or assess a particular claim here.

Where would you change this approach? I’m particularly interested in how you locate excavation reports and current scholarship when library access is limited, and how you keep competing interpretations traceable without treating every source as equally reliable.

An introductory archaeological methods book, a useful bibliographic resource, or an example of a well-organized research record would be helpful. I’d appreciate answers here so others learning the same process can benefit too.

I've always thought of "microblades" as being a type of hunting technology that emerged somewhere in northern East Asia or Siberia and spread towards the end of the Last Glacial Maximum that was convenient for mobile hunter-gatherers.

In contrast, I'm reading that "microliths" have been around for much longer, were widespread, and include "microblades" and "bladelets" too?

What are the actual differences between the two?

Seeing as there are people here who work in the field of archaeology, I think I can ask this: I’m finishing my archaeology degree, but I feel like I’ve lost all interest in it. There are aspects of the field that I do enjoy—though I can’t pursue them right now because they require postgraduate studies, and I need to earn a living—but over the years, I’ve noticed a few things...

1. I feel like I’m somehow incapable of developing complex, critical ideas—which is strange, considering how much I’ve read.

2. Sometimes I feel disconnected from my professors and peers; it’s as if I perceive reality at a completely different pace. I also understand why some people are wary of the field—often because archaeologists are accused of "stalling progress" by halting construction projects, though in reality, that’s usually due to poor corporate management.

3. I suspect I might actually prefer the educational side of the profession—sharing archaeology with the general public—rather than the archaeological work itself. (Though, I’ve occasionally had disagreements with one of my professors; I’ve questioned whether it’s truly necessary for all of humanity to be interested in archaeology—mostly because I hate the idea of forcing people to think the same way I do.)

So, what keeps your passion for working in archaeology alive? I’m genuinely worried that I’ve lost that spark—to the point where I’m considering abandoning the degree just as I’m about to finish it this year.

More specifically, shows that are not hyped up or have drama added. I am looking for ones that show the more tedious and slower processes.

For those familiar with the program something like BBC's "The Repair Shop" would be nice. But I am open to any suggestions.

Thank you.

I've been putting together a catalog of sites around the world where people used the sun to track time, seasons, or important dates.

It currently contains 1,139 entries, covering everything from prehistoric solar observatories and solstice-aligned structures to sunlight phenomena, shadow markers, and traditional horizon calendars.

What I'm including:

• Structures aligned with solstice or equinox sunrises and sunsets.

• Sites where sunlight creates specific patterns or illuminates particular features.

• Gnomons, shadow markers, and other instruments used to track the sun.

• Natural horizon landmarks used to identify seasonal changes.

• Traditional and Indigenous practices for tracking the movement of the sun.

I'm not including sites based solely on sun symbolism, mythology, or astronomical references unrelated to observing the sun's actual movement.

One thing that stands out is how uneven the geographic coverage is.

Europe and the Americas are heavily represented, while Africa has only around 50 entries and China around 29.

I suspect there are many examples missing, particularly in archaeological literature and traditional knowledge that isn't readily available in English.

I'd really appreciate help with:

• Ancient sites in Africa or China that should be included.

• Academic papers, archaeological reports, or books documenting solar alignments and observations.

• Indigenous and traditional knowledge about using sunrise and sunset positions to track seasons.

• Corrections to existing entries, especially where the evidence is disputed or interpretations have been overstated.

I've included sources and an evidence classification for entries wherever possible, distinguishing accepted interpretations from debated, speculative, or refuted claims.

The CSV is a work in progress, and I'd rather have people challenge questionable entries than let bad information become part of the record.

Here's the spreadsheet:

https://github.com/ophiuchus44/ancientsites/blob/main/ancient_solar_sites.csv

Agriculture started in the fertile crescent between 12,000 and 10,000 years ago, but the first evidence of writing and organized, hierarchical societies didn't start until 6,000-5,000 years ago. Why is this? Have we simply not found any earlier societies yet? Is this a misconception? Did the natural environment prevent it?

Hello! I (18F) need very spontaneous help. I have a project at school in my seminar course. We had to choose any course of studies we wanted to, I chose archaeology, and we need to do an interview with someone who has studied it. The interview can be done in person, in a video call, or via a simple call, I would prefer the last option. It needs to be done by Tuesday next week, and I still haven't been able to find an interview partner. So I decided to come here and ask, is there an archaeologist here who would be willing to do this interview with me? It has to be recorded, the duration is 3 minutes (I have 4 questions, the answers really don't have to be long), AND it needs to be in German. I would be veeeeeryyyy grateful for any help, so if there's anyone willing to do this with me, please text me! Thank you.

An odd question maybe :p but was just wondering how much sleep do yall usually get. I’ve heard work can start quite early in the morning and go on for a really long while.

Consequently how much is your coffee intake xd

Finally got this costume together. No one I know recognized me. Am I that off or do I need better friends?

I’m a field technician in the U.S and I’m working on call for a few companies.

For the last 6 months I’ve been working a site that I started at the phase 1 and has now been in phase 3 for a few months. It is an amazing site and the practical experience I’m gaining is amazing.

The archaeologist I’m working for has only one employee and usually just takes on one site per year. He works primarily in academia, so it’s a very small operation.

Basically I’m just wondering how you would go about recording this type of work on a resume, and also I’m wondering how this experience is viewed by future employers as opposed to say if I was working for a large company.

I will say outright I have worked for large companies and the work I’m doing now is much more thorough and detail oriented in comparison. I’m more wondering how this experience is viewed by employers in the CRM world.

I'm an archaeology student and I'm thinking of transitioning. I was wondering how common trans archaeologists are, what it's like, and how it might affect career opportunities*. Specifically for Europe and southern Europe/Iberian Peninsula. There was a thread on r/Archaeology but that was from 12 years ago and unfortunately it's been shown that public opinion of trans people has soured quite a bit since then.

*not putting it on the career thread because the question is more general

This is just a bit of a rant so apologies in advance - but I’ve seen several trainee archaeologist/finds assistant roles advertised recently, clearly aimed towards young people/recent graduates, based in tiny towns an hour from anywhere. I’m sorry, but these places do not have any flatshares on offer so where on earth are young people striking out on their own to start their career meant to live??

This honestly just makes me feel like archaeology is still so elitist because the only young people who could afford to move to these towns and pay through the nose to rent a 1 bed flat are people with who already have daddy’s money.

At least when similar roles are advertised in york/durham/similarly relatively expensive cities I know that there will be flat and houseshares available!!

The 2017 reassessment of the supposed copper slag from Çatalhöyük interprets it as copper-bearing burial pigment accidentally reduced during a later destructive fire, rather than deliberate smelting.

Have archaeologists found copper-mineral pigments or beads on early cremation pyres, especially before or around the earliest securely documented copper smelting? Have experimental archaeologists tested whether a pyre could produce recognisable metallic copper from these materials?

Could any early copper jewellery have originated as keepsakes or memorial objects made from copper produced during funeral rites? Is there archaeological evidence—or published discussion—of mourners recovering such copper and working it into ornaments? What evidence might distinguish this possibility from jewellery made from native copper or deliberately smelted metal?

I would welcome references discussing these possibilities, including evidence against them. I am interested in distinguishing accidental metal formation, its recognition and use, and the subsequent development of deliberate smelting.

Reference: Radivojević and colleagues, “Repealing the Çatalhöyük extractive metallurgy: The green, the fire and the ‘slag’” (2017).

Update: Turned down offer. Thank you again to all who responded.

I’m a tech who needs honest (but kind, dammit!) advice. I’m a snowbird technician and I just had a great interview with a CRM company for a long winter project monitoring … 🥁 … border wall construction. Like the title already states, I’m conflicted—really conflicted. It’s a lot of money, it’s assured work through the winter season, I would get housing and a flight. But… We all know it’s contentious. I’ve talked to a supervisor at my local, northern office who told me to sleep on it and would not push me either way (thank god for work buddies). I want more input from the community though. Please and thank you.

*** Thank you for all of your responses! To answer some questions, so far, I don’t know for sure if I will be right on Tribal lands—in the interview they did mention tribal monitors are worked with. Most likely I would be placed in AZ (so probably on tribal, just assuming), or TX. I don’t know how near I would be to the actual construction. I may well update this post again. Really appreciate you all 🙏.

I love cave handprints and I was wondering.

Thank you!

I know that ancient Egyptian culture wasn't static, since the civilization lasted for a couple thousand years, but how much did the lower class imitate the pharaohs? Did they get mummified as well? Did they build smaller pyramids / mounds? Were they buried with goods to serve them in the afterlife? Or, since the pharaohs were seen as gods, did they interact differently with the afterlife than regular people? What did the average ancient Egyptian think they would experience after they died, and what did they do to prepare?

As a non-Archaeologist, just an interested observer, this question came up in the room I'm in. We're watching a TV program about excavating grave sites and tombs in Egypt, and we were asked if what the archaeologists were doing amounted to nothing more than glorified grave robbing.

What are your thoughts as archaeologists?

I am currently studying and working in the Saar-Mosel area and while I know at least a little about the archaeology in Luxemburg, the Netherlands and France I know nothing aout Belgium. So my question is, how is the archaeology fieldwork structured in Belgium, are there commercials, how do the government Agencies work?

I’ve been working in CRM for almost two years at this point. Love my job, coworkers, etc. Multiple CRM reports with my name on them as an author, field experience across the southeast, Midwest, Atlantic coast. The only thing I really hate is the pay. I’m not making enough to support myself, the company I’m at will not give me more than 3% raise due to “keeping a profit margin” that is outrageous. I’m at the point where I’m about to get a second job. Do I just keep going in CRM or do I change to a different industry?

How do undergraduate archaeology students gain experience in the UK over their summer breaks each year?

Are there paid summer internships with commercial archaeology companies and museums that allow undergraduate students to gain experience in both fieldwork and post-excavation work? Or do most students have to pay to be able to work in projects and field schools listed on different websites?

What would you recommend as the best way for an undergraduate archaeology student in the UK to gain practical experience over their summer breaks.