Primary Resources - An Educational Activity for Home or Classroom
Introduction | Activity | Vocabulary
Archaeology is conducted in a step-by-step process much like scientific experiments. Before digging ever takes place, research is conducted. Primary sources, original documents from the time being studied, can contain valuable clues to what went on at a site in the past. Some of these sources include deed books, tax assessments, census data, letters, newspapers, photographs and diaries.
Print out this page and answer the questions in the activity below.
Read the paragraph below and then answer the questions.
Pretend that you are an archaeologist in 2040 AD. Select a primary source. You might choose a newspaper, photograph, magazine or letter from a friend from 1998. After you have read the document or looked at the picture answer the questions below.
- What artifacts are mentioned?
- Are any "features" described? An example of a feature might be a kitchen or garage.
- Are the names of people mentioned. Who are they?
- Can you tell how old these people are?
- What kind of work they might do?
- Are any places mentioned? Where?
Feature: A distinct physical aspect of a site which is treated as a separate entity, for example, a trash pit or well. Each feature is recorded and analyzed separately (i.e., not grouping the artifacts with those found in surrounding soil layers.)
Primary Resource: The original written documents from the time period being studied, for example newspapers, deeds, tax and census records, photographs, diaries and maps.
