Since most of the subjects of archaeologists are surrounded by mystery, people who aren’t involved have created their own myths about this scientific discipline. One of the biggest misconceptions about archaeologists is that they spend 100% of their time digging through the earth.
So, if your business hopes to attract archaeologists looking for Hitachi diggers for sale in NZ, you might want to help demystify this science first.
Myth #1: Archaeologists study dinosaurs
No. Geologists and palaeontologists are the ones who study dinosaurs. What archaeologists do is they study human activity by gathering and analysing material culture. Basically, these scientists are like the modern-day Sherlock Holmes who study objects used by ancient societies to understand what life was like back in earlier days.
Myth #2: Ancient Egypt is the mecca of archaeology
Again, no. Although ancient Egypt has so many stories to tell, it’s not the only place where archaeologists go. It may have so much information to help people understand ancient civilizations, but it’s not the only place that offers useful evidence of the ancient world.
Some archaeologists travel to Mexico and other South American countries to study ancient civilizations. Some go to Asia because countries like Thailand, Myanmar, India, and the Philippines are also abundant in ancient societies.
Myth #3: Indiana Jones is the ultimate archaeologist
Some people may have been inspired by Indiana Jones to become archaeologists themselves. But as soon as you immerse yourself in this rigorous discipline, you’ll realize that Harrison Ford’s fictional character is just an adventurer with a knack for discovering ancient artefacts.
Archaeology is more than just stumbling upon hidden treasures by following smartly hidden clues. Scientists who study ancient societies analyse every object they find hidden underneath the earth to understand how humans used to live their lives.
This takes time. The life of Indiana Jones may be exciting, but if you’re interested in becoming an archaeologist, you need to know right away that his methods are rarely effective.
Myth #4: Archaeologists dig all the time
Maybe before, but these days, archaeologists spend more time analysing the data that prior archaeologists have already gathered. They compare notes with other fellow scientists and come up with ideas about the way things were in ancient times.
One of the reasons digging is rarely done these days is that these scientists are more focused on preserving important archaeological sites. So, what they often do is perform low-impact investigations of these sites to prevent total destruction of resources.
Myth #5: The main goal of archaeologists is to find hidden treasures
Back then, this may be true. Archaeology may have been more focused on finding objects that could show them a glimpse of what life was like before. But these days, archaeologists are more focused on learning how humans lived back then.
So what they do is they study the artefacts prior archaeologists have discovered and come up with a clearer narrative about ancient human activities. They still search for hidden artefacts, but modern-day archaeologists spend more time poring over books.
