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Archaeology as a Profession
Special Thanks To:
Andrée Crépeau - Senior Archaeologist
Doug Ross Shafir - Archaeologist/Material Researcher
Jim Campbell - Archaeology Collections Supervisor
Charles Burke - Project Archaeologist
Heidi Moses - Collections Assistant
Theresa Boone - Collections Helper
Q: What is the main reason why you like being an archaeologist?
A: "Archaeologists are always learning." - Andrée Crépeau
Q: On being an archaeologist:
A: "Died and gone to heaven." -- Andrée Crépeau
When asked to choose one particular thing that Crépeau has found most interesting in her personal archaeological experience she replied by saying that there isn't one thing that is more interesting than another. However, if the choice had to be made then that one particular thing would be the site itself.
There is still so much to be done. There remain huge areas that are rich in artifacts, containing new and intriguing information which is in need of documentation. These artifacts are under threat by erosion, looting, and vegetation cover.
Excavation, which is the most commonly used method of gathering historical scientific data, is also one of the most destructive ways to collect this data. It is for this reason that detailed recording of sites and first location of the objects is essential. Once a site has been excavated it can never be excavated again. All that remains of these sites are the specimens and the data that has been collected and recorded. This is one of the most important lessons that an archaeologist will learn in his or her career.