HOW DO ARCHAEOLOGISTS KNOW WHERE TO DIG?
Lots and lots of clues help archaeologists know where to look for artifacts. Usually, a search starts in history and record books. The archaeologists learn where buildings and structures used to be. This works well for towns and buildings within towns. Using the descriptions, the researchers will go to the site and rope off large grids, or rows of squares. Then, the archaeologists can begin testing the area. Sometimes, metal detectors reveal items under the surface. Sometimes, they use chemical tests to see if anything unusual is in the soil. Other times, archaeologists dig “test holes” in some or all of the squares. If they find something interesting, they dig more in that square. If they don’t find anything, they move on to the next square. The digging can take a very long time. But using a grid makes sure important discoveries aren’t missed. What if there aren’t any books or records to give clues on where to look? Archaeologists can use other clues as well. For example, a person wit
