Ancient Civilization
This river valley civilization in modern-day Iraq is often called the “Cradle of Civilization.”
What is Mesopotamia?
This tool is used to take photographs and document findings at a dig site.
What is a camera?
This massive stone statues on Easter Island are called this.
What are Moai?
Scientists use evidence from artifacts and sites to draw conclusions about past cultures.
Archaeology
This word describes a place where archaeologists dig and study past human activity.
What is a site?
This structure in Rome was used for chariot races and could hold over 100,000 spectators.
What is the Circus Maximus?
This tool helps archaeologists determine direction and orientation at a site.
What is a compass?
This ancient library in Egypt was one of the largest centers of learning in the ancient world.
What is the Library of Alexandria?
Ancient maps prove that humans once lived alongside dinosaurs.
Pseudoarchaeology
This term refers to ancient human-made structures like buildings, roads, or monuments.
What are ruins?
This early writing system used in China involved symbols carved onto bones and shells.
What are oracle bones?
This grid system tool divides a site into sections for careful excavation and recording.
What is a grid (or grid system)?
This ancient city in Peru sits high in the Andes and was rediscovered in 1911.
What is Machu Picchu?
Excavations are documented carefully so others can verify the findings.
Archaeology
This type of dating uses known historical records or objects to estimate age.
What is absolute dating?
This South American civilization is known for its capital city, Cusco.
What is the Inca civilization?
This tool is used to create detailed drawings and maps of excavation sites.
What is a drafting tool (or graph paper)?
These ancient scrolls, found near the Dead Sea, contain some of the oldest known biblical texts.
What are the Dead Sea Scrolls?
Mysterious energy fields explain how ancient monuments were built, despite no scientific proof.
Pseudoarchaeology
This specialty studies animal bones to learn about past diets and environments.
What is zooarchaeology?
This Hittite capital city was located in what is now modern-day Turkey.
What is Hattusa?
This technology uses satellites to help map and analyze archaeological sites from above.
What is GPS?
This Bronze Age site in Turkey is considered one of the world’s earliest known cities.
What is Çatalhöyük?
Researchers publish findings in academic journals for review and criticism by other experts.
Archaeology
This process involves preserving artifacts so they do not decay after being excavated.
What is conservation?