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Question: How do archaeologists do it!? !?
how do they get initial subjects to start research!?(like howed they find out where mummy's are buried and stuff!?)Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I'm an archaeology student!.

They tend to start research by looking at sources (some written e!.g!. bede) and through speaking to people for example a farmer may approach archaeologists saying they have ploughed roman pottery!.

Another main way of starting research is by looking at aerial photographs - the RAF did a big survey of britain after WWII and it is sometimes possible to see outlines of sites and features in the landscape from above!.

If they suspect that there is an area of land where there may be an archaeological site they might also survey it using for example, geophys and magnetometry which detects disturbances such as burials in the land!.

also in the case of the mummy's a lot of it is just guess work - they know from writings and existing sources and the pyramids that these tombs existed and therefore it is assumed because of already discovered evidence that there must be more!.

Metal detectorists also play a HUGE part in the discovery of sights even though many archaeologists hate them! in England there is something called the Portable Antiquities Scheme based at the british museum in London and when a member of the public finds an archaeological artefact, they can bring it to these people at the PAS to record it and if it is a find of special interest they might investigate the area where it was found!.

I hope that helps!!
ask if you need any more informationWww@QuestionHome@Com

just waht the last guy said about things being found by accident!.

Id say that at least half of the main tombs and such found throughout history have been because something was being built and a land was being cleared and a door or so was uncovered in the process!.

That leads to a excavation!.

But many mummy's or at least the main ones were burried in the Valley of the Kings, and everyone knew where that was!. It was just a matter of digging and hoping to find the entrance!.
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Sometimes it happens by accident!. A construction company building something finds something and archaeologists take over!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

These things are based on historical and geographical facts!. On things that are common in a place, and or ancient maps that are preserved!.Www@QuestionHome@Com