Survey

To decide where an archaeological site might be, archaeologists do a type of fieldwork called survey. When we survey, we look at the ground and what’s around us—without digging—for signs that there may be an archaeological site nearby. We take note of small items like pieces of pottery or stone tools on the ground, or larger signs like unusual bumps or dips in the ground that might be covering an ancient structure! We can survey an area by walking over it in straight and careful lines, by driving around large areas, or even by looking at satellite pictures taken from space!