Archaeology volunteers assist professional archaeologists with tasks such as organizing artifacts, collecting local history, restoring historic structures, and participating in digs. They help categorize artifacts and may analyze their surfaces. Volunteers can also document oral history and restore neglected structures. They are essential for large excavations, as they help extract artifacts in a timely manner. Volunteers typically work on university research or government projects and can find personally satisfying projects by contacting colleges or local agencies.
Archeology volunteers perform various assistance tasks for a professional archaeologist. Volunteer responsibilities may include organizing discovered artifacts, collecting local history by talking to natives, restoring historic structures, and participating in an archaeological dig. Many partially buried artifacts in an excavation must be carefully removed in a timely manner so that the elements to which they were exposed do not further damage them; having several archeology volunteers on a dig will help speed up this process.
An archeological dig can yield a number of artifacts that must be categorized. Archeology volunteers can arrange artifacts at a dig site or in a laboratory. Artifacts may need to be broken down by era or type of item, such as pots and pans. Some volunteers may be asked to analyze the outer surface of the artifact for past damage or visible engravings. Most volunteers are assisted by professional archeologists to ensure all items are safely handled and labeled.
Oral history was a common way of passing on older stories to a new generation before written communication began. Some archeology volunteers may visit local natives near an excavation site to document regional histories that may never have been recorded before. These stories can help professional archaeologists understand the purposes of artifacts discovered in the future.
Other types of projects archeology volunteers can help with include restoring historically important structures. Many of these structures are neglected due to lack of public funding; while volunteers restore these structures, professional archaeologists can study the structures and oversee the process. Typically, the archaeologist will give volunteers specific instructions and tools so that the structure is not inadvertently damaged during restoration. The work can be done quickly with several volunteers, while the archaeologist gains new information about the formation and purpose of the structure.
An archeological dig is one of the main responsibilities of an archaeologist, but some can be quite large. In these cases, volunteers are essential to a successful excavation. Items cannot be pulled or scraped off the ground; instead, in a time-consuming process, dirt must be carefully removed from artifacts to ensure their structural integrity. A single archaeologist covering a dig would not be able to extract the artifacts in a timely manner. As a result, important artifact evidence can be ruined by rain or wind, damaging newly discovered items.
Archeology volunteers are typically used for university research or government archeology projects. It is possible to find a research project that is personally satisfying, such as discovering an ancient city or a herd of fossilized dinosaurs. Potential volunteers should contact a college or local government agency to inquire about future project positions.
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