What types of evidence do archaeologists find?

A lot of archaeological ‘finds’ are artefacts. An artefact is a man-made movable object. Artefacts include pottery, tools, jewellery, coins, weapons, building materials, clothing, and much more! Artefacts can be made from materials like clay, bone, stone, wood, textiles, or metals including bronze, silver, iron and even gold!

But archaeology isn’t just treasure hunting for gold or artefacts!

It is all about collecting evidence. Often it is smaller pieces of environmental evidence like charcoal and burnt seeds that tell archaeologists more about what it was like to live in a certain place at a certain time, than any artefacts found there.

Archaeologists also explore the landscape.

Lumps and bumps in the ground can be useful clues that show how people used to use the land. Lumps and bumps can also hide the remains of buildings that have been buried underground. Hedgerows and modern roads often follow the boundaries and routes that have been used for centuries.

Archaeologists look at standing buildings too.

They explore how buildings have changed through time and look at different materials and methods used in the construction of buildings.

Some archaeologists also look at historical documents, records, maps and plans.

They explore historical documents, letters, inventories, court records, estate records, historic maps and plans to look for first hand documentation and descriptions of places and events that occurred during the recent past.