Is there such a thing as an amateur experimental archaeologist?

Question

if so, how does a person get started w/that hobby?

Answer 1

All science, amatuer or otherwise, begins with observation.  Tour museums of archeology and develop your interests.  For example, my interest when I was 14 was pottery.  I studied everything I could about it.  Examined pottery shards and got an idea of timelines, native cultures in my area (Missouri then) pottery making, etc. .  Then, I went looking along streams and rivers and pretended to be a woman of whatever early culture was known to have dominated in that area.  I looked for high places along the rivers that I could could use as lookouts, seeing in as many directions as I could, someplace safe enough to make a hidden camp.  I'd climb up there and pretend where I would have slept for safety, how could I have gotten down easily to the river for water, could I have made pottery there?  How would I make pottery there?  I didn't frame my thoughts by what was actually known about how pottery was made there in the past.  I just perceived the area and natural resources for myself and genuinely went through the problem-solving processes in my head for how to make pottery from scratch right there for real in two days.  Then, I imagined the most sensible trails, the most sensible materials, the most sensible building site.  Early people did their hand work, like pottery making, arrow making, and such from their vantage points.  In other words, they whittled while they kept an eye out in both directions of the river for their enemies.  Now, here's the fun part.  BELOW that vantage point, down the hillside and all the way to the bottom was their garbage pit.  Whatever they broke or cast off or wasted, got tossed down that hillside directly below their favorite vantage point.  That's were you snoop around carefully. Toss some little rocks off the side of the overlook and watch where they tumble down to.  That's the best place to start digging for pottery shards and arrow heads.  Then, back to the books with your finds and identify and tentatively date the shards.  That's a good beginner's project.

Answer 2

yes, where do you think archaeology started when there were no books or studies around.

Answer 3

Yes, there is. But, as in coutries like Greece, where under every rock and in any beach you can find antiquities, only strickly supervised and designated by the Archaelogical department of each single city, Archaeologists, are allowed to dig or search.

Be always and any time informed about the laws and regulations of the country you choose to dig or research. In many countries, like Greece and Egypt anythoing found under the arth is considered a national treasure.

Answer 4

Read books, take courses, attend lectures.  Then, find an interesting location, pack your hiking boots, spec jars, sun glasses and get out there!  Joining a club is helpful.

http://asaa-persimmonpress.com/

Answer 5

Kelly,

The best way to learn about archaeology - amateur or professional - is to spend some time with people that already do it.  Most States have societies that allow anyone to join to learn more, and many often have monthly and annual meeting where you can learn a great deal - and get to meet people that specialize in all aspects of archaeology.  I see from your profile you are in AL.  So check out the Alabama Archaeological Society (http://www.usouthal.edu/aas/).  Good Luck

Answer 6

Sure.  I know some amateur flintknappers, and they definitely qualify as "experimental archaeologists."  Archaeologists even study the way that they do their craft, so we can understand how it might have happened in the past.

Experimental archaeology is a different animal than what most people think about "archaeology."  Examples would be a) flintknappers, or b) Lewis Binford following eskimos around and digging up their refuse, so he can see what activities leave what remains behind, or c) zooarchaeologists butchering animals themselves so that they can study the cut marks and infer what cut marks in the past indicate about butchering practices.