When we hear the word “artifact,” we might think of something ancient and valuable—like a gold mask, an old sword, or a piece of pottery in a museum. But in archaeology, an artifact is simply any object made or used by humans in the past. It doesn’t have to be fancy or made of precious […]
If you’ve ever baked a layered cake or made a parfait, you’ve already seen the idea behind stratigraphy in action. In archaeology, stratigraphy is the study of soil layers, and it plays a huge role in helping archaeologists understand how time passes at a dig site. Each layer of dirt, sand, or rock can hold […]
Archaeology isn’t just something that happens in one country or one kind of place. It’s a global adventure. From ancient cities buried in deserts to shipwrecks under the sea, archaeology allows us to uncover human stories from every part of the world. For young learners, this global aspect is one of the most exciting parts […]
One of the most exciting parts of running Dig Quest is the chance to visit schools and bring the thrill of archaeology directly to students. While textbooks can provide facts and photos, nothing compares to the look on a child’s face when they hold a replica artifact or uncover a hidden object in a mini […]
When people think of archaeologists, they often imagine someone brushing dust off ancient relics or carefully excavating bones in the desert. While that’s part of the picture, what many don’t realize is just how important an archaeologist’s tools are to their work. These tools are the key to unlocking stories that have been buried for […]
When Dig Quest began, it was sparked by a simple yet powerful idea: that archaeology could be made accessible, exciting, and meaningful for young students. As someone passionate about history and discovery, I realized there was a significant gap in how archaeology was being introduced to children. While textbooks offered facts and dates, they often […]
Background: Dr. Nancy Gonlin is a distinguished archaeologist and professor of anthropology at Bellevue College, WA, USA, specializing in the ancient Mayas and broader Mesoamerican civilizations. She has pioneered research on nighttime activities in ancient societies, founding the subfield known as the Archaeology of the Night. Her work explores household archaeology, social inequality, and cultural ecology, […]
Ben Fitzhugh has made substantial contributions to Sub-Arctic and Arctic archaeology through his extensive research, which explores the social and cultural evolution of arctic and subarctic maritime hunter-gatherer societies. As a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington in Seattle, Dr. Fitzhugh focuses on understanding the complexities of these ancient communities […]
All about my experiences and thoughts on CRM as a high schooler passionate about archaeology! What is CRM? Cultural Resource Management (CRM) is the practice of preserving, protecting, and managing cultural heritage sites, artifacts, and historical resources. CRM professionals ensure that important cultural and historical resources are not destroyed, especially in the process of construction […]
Over the past month, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in an archaeology field school for the very first time. This enriching program was led by the University of Wyoming excavation at a site in La Prele, Wyoming, one of Wyoming’s oldest archaeological sites, dating back nearly 13,000 years. This site provided a captivating […]
Artificial Intelligence’s productivity and immense potential could reshape archaeology as we know it. When thinking of Artificial Intelligence, archaeology usually isn’t the first thing to come to mind. However, AI has the potential to drastically transform the field of archaeology through its ability to process large amounts of data, create precise models, examine artifacts, and […]
Dig Quest
