10 Common Misconceptions About Archaeologists

by: Shana Leslie

There are very few scientific fields as misunderstood as the field of archaeology, and even fewer
fields have been as romanticized. Anthropology, the parent field of archaeology, is also the only
scientific study not taught in American schools.
Biology, geology, geography, chemistry, computers and technology were introduced to the very
basics of these sciences before we even enter high school. Why not archaeology and
anthropology? After all, anthropology is the study of humankind!
Its no wonder there are so many misconceptions about archaeologists. Here are the ten most
common:

Archaeologists dig up dinosaurs: FALSE

Archaeologists do NOT dig up dinosaurs. Paleontologists dig up dinosaurs
whose bones have been fossilizing in the ground for around 65 million years.
Archaeologists study the life and behavior of modern people, who first
appeared sometime around 200thousand years ago. Dinosaurs and human
beings are separated by millions of year. Calling an archaeologist a
paleontologist is like calling a duck a fish. They both like water, but they live in
totally different levels of it.

Archaeologists dont do anything useful: FALSE

Archaeology has long been viewed as a glorified academic hobby
with little real practical application. This may have been true a
century ago when archaeology was still growing as a discipline,
but modern archaeology has grown up. Modern archaeologists
work closely with specialists in a variety of fields from medical
doctors to environmentalists to policy planners.
We dont just study cool artifacts and old cultures, we uncover
patterns in human behavior, resource distribution, urban planning,
and more. We provide doctors with critical data about disease and medical conditions. And there
are more than a few countries whose entire economies would collapse without the income
generated by archaeological tourism.
Archaeologists are the chroniclers of humanitys achievements and failures. The value of
archaeology is just now becoming apparent to those in other fields.

Archaeologists are tomb robbers: FALSE

There was a time when archaeologists dug furiously just to uncover
stunning treasures, pristine pottery, and bejeweled finery. Archaeologists
used to be solely concerned with museum-quality pieces that justified the
expenses of their adventure. More commonplace artifacts, even mummies,

were crushed and lost in the onslaught of early excavators. Thankfully, those days are gone.
Todays excavations are meticulous, and every bit and artifact is plotted and recorded.
Excavations require permits and approval, and graves are disturbed as little as possible (see
Archaeologists like to dig up graves, below). In the present, archaeologists are collecting and
analyzing scientific data to uncover trends in human behavior, human ecology, and more. Human
remains are only uncovered when its legal to do so, and if doing so will help us answer specific
questions about the culture being studied.

Archaeologists spend most of their time excavating: FALSE

Some archaeologists wish this were true! Excavation is only one
piece of the archaeological puzzle a crucial piece. Excavation is
one cog in a systematic scientific machine whose goal is to answer a
specific research question.
When an archaeologist excavates a site they collect data on every
aspect it soil samples, artifacts, features, flotation results.
Everything that's uncovered must be cleaned, measured, and
cataloged. Once the data is compiled, the real analysis begins.
For every day spent excavating, weeks or months are spent in an office or lab, recording and
analyzing every detail.

Archaeologists like to dig up graves: FALSE

Excavating human remains is tedious, time-consuming, costly, and often
controversial. The cleaning, analysis, curation, and repatriation of human
remains after excavation is also very expensive. One skeleton uncovered on a
site can stop the rest of the dig in its tracks, completely taking over the
excavation. Legal authorities must get involved and the paperwork doubles.
Archaeologists recognize the solemnity and respect that an exhumation
deserves. There is a certain excitement that passes through the excavation
site when a body is discovered. But it's usually excitement about what the
body can teach about when and how he or she lived. While uncovering a body
might sound fascinating, no human can look at the bones of another without
being reminded of her own mortality.

Archaeologists all dig in Egypt: FALSE

Egypt and archaeology have a long, complex, and often sordid
history together - but not all archaeologists are Egyptologists.
Egyptian archaeology is a specialized field called Egyptology. Most
archaeologists were drawn to Egypt at one time or another, and
we're all familiar with Howard Carter's famous discovery of
Tutankhamen tomb. But archaeologists tend to specialize in a
particular area, a geographical region, an aspect of human behavior,
or a time period. Unless that specialty is Egyptology, there's no

reason to think that a random archaeologist knows more about the pharaohs than the average
hobbyist.

Archaeologists get to keep their finds: FALSE

Archaeologists dont get to keep any of their finds, whether its
gold, a well-preserved artifact, or just a souvenir potsherd. Even if
they could, there are very few archaeologists who would horde a
piece of the archaeological record. Archaeologists are scientists,
and with that role comes pride and professionalism. There is a
deep sense of desire in the archaeological community to make
information available to other researchers and to the public.
Archaeologists see themselves as the curators of humanity. We
don't like to keep things to ourselves. It would be like a librarian
stealing and hording books from the library. It's silly!

Archaeologists are running out of things to dig up: FALSE

There are two things that humans do really well. We explore new lands,
and leave trash behind when we do. The world is literally littered with
200,000 years worth of modern man's activities. Every country has
thousands and thousands of archaeological sites - most of which have
yet to be discovered. Many well-known sites, where excavation has been
ongoing for years, are only partially uncovered. For example, an
estimated one-third of Pompeii still lies buried. Digital and satellite
technologies have enabled archaeologists to locate thousands of sites
that were previously unknown. The image to the left shows the more
than 1,000 archaeological sites, most previously unknown, that are
visible from a car in England. These were compiled by archaeology
enthusiasts with the help of Google Street View technology. One
participant said, "It's amazing to think that out there beside our busy
roads is thousands of years of history just waiting to be discovered."

Archaeologists have to know a lot about history: FALSE

Most archaeologists (but not all) study prehistory the time period
before writing. Writing appeared at different times in different parts of
the world, but even the oldest writing (cuneiform) first appears just
three thousand years ago. In both the New World and the Old, nonliterate societies flourished into modern times. Since anatomically
modern man has been around for nearly 200,000 years, and writing for
only 3,000 at most, about 99% of archaeology is prehistoric. Many
archaeologists enjoy history, and most have attended university, so
they know as much history as the next guy. There are also
archaeologists who specialize in excavating sites from historical
periods, such as classical archaeologists, Egyptologists, and historical archaeologists. But it's
important to make the distinction: archaeologists are not historians.

Theres only one kind of archaeologist: FALSE

Like any field, archaeology has its own branches and specializations. As
well as the more "traditional" archaeologists, there are zooarchaeologists
who specialize in human-animal interactions, and help study hunting and
animal domestication. Experimental archaeologists recreate the
behaviors of ancient people. They learn skills like flint-knapping, weaving,
and butchering, to better understand how artifacts end up the way they
do. Historical archaeologists specialize in cultures and sites for which
writing is available, usually within the past few centuries. Environmental
archaeologists specialize in reconstructing past ecosystems in which
people lived. They look at soil samples, pollen grains, insects, and other, often microscopic, clues
to find out whether a site was a swamp, a forest, or a desert in the past. They also study how
humans impacted their environment, and work on applying those findings to modern
environmental policies and practices.
Last Updated: 25 October 2013

Environmental Archaeology
Richardson Gill carried out extensive work in environmental archaeology in order to study
the impact of climatic changes on the Mayan society. According to his theory, a
continuous series of droughts were responsible for the numerous societal changes and
subsequent decline of the ancient civilization.
Environmental archaeology deals with the study of interrelationship between the ancient
people and their natural environment. It involves three sub-disciplines of archaeology,
viz., zooarchaeology that deals with the study of ancient animal remains, geoarchaeology
that deals with the study of soil, sediments, rocks, natural deposits, etc., and
archaeobotany that studies ancient plant remains. Environmental archaeology answers
questions relating to the kind of natural habitat that the ancient people were surrounded
by, the plants and animals living in that age, varieties of wild and cultivated crops,
animals that were hunted and those which were domesticated, species of plants and
animals that are now extinct, climatic changes that took place over a period of time, and
the effects that the changes in natural environment had on the lives of the people and on
their subsequent disappearance. Environmental archaeology encompasses field studies
along with laboratory experiments.

Ethnoarchaeology
Dr. Malti Nagar carried out an ethnoarchaeological study at a chalcolithic site of Ahar in
Rajasthan, India. She found striking resemblances between the dotted designs on the
clothes of the local tribal women and on the designs on the ancient ceramics recovered
from the site. This shows how artistic sensibilities travel from one time period to the
other.
Ethnoarchaeology is the science that deals with the ethnographic investigation of living
communities in order to acquire knowledge of the past. It involves the application of
anthropological methods to a large extent. By using ethnoarchaeological techniques,
archaeologists, in a way, attempt to link the past with the present. They try to understand
how the ancient people in a given region may have lived, keeping as their basis, the
tangible and intangible culture of the modern communities. One can get valuable insights
into ancient social structures, religious and cultural beliefs, technology, etc., by applying
the principles of ethnoarchaeology. But, the link between modern and ancient societies is
of course still very ambiguous. This is because, even if two societies share some common
traits, they may be distinct from each other in many aspects, which tend to change by
default over a period of time. Nevertheless, studying advanced techniques of modern
communities may help to a certain extent to provide an insight into the rudimentary
techniques, which may have been used by the ancients.

Landscape Archaeology
A comprehensive study of a historical landscape with respect to the rise and decline of
urbanism was done in the early 1950s by Bernard-Philippe Groslier in the Angkor region of
Cambodia. He uncovered numerous evidences to show that overexploitation of landscape
was the main factor responsible for the decline of urban centers in the area.
Landscape archaeology is a broad division in archaeology that deals with the study of the
various changes that take place in different landscapes, both naturally as well as due to
human intervention. On the basis of this, landscapes have been classified into natural
and cultural landscapes, for archaeological purposes. The study of how landscapes and
natural habitats are interlinked with human behavior and cultural changes is actually very
extensive. There are a variety of changes that landscapes may undergo over a period of
time. These include natural changes with respect to topography, climate, soil, natural
calamities such as floods, landslides, tsunamis, rivers changing their courses, and so on,
and human induced changes such as agriculture, industrial and construction activities,
clearing of forest areas, etc. Interestingly, the methods in landscape archaeology are also
used in order to to analyze inequalities that may have prevailed in a social structure at a
given period of time.

Household Archaeology
Dr. Penelope Allison of the University of Leicester had been excavating the household
remains at Pompeii. Evidences revealed a number of surgical instruments from many
houses, which shows that first aid was available at the household level.
Household archaeology is a comparatively recent development in archaeology that
happened between the late 1970s and early 1980s. It involves a small-scale excavation
within a given area on an archaeological site. It considers every single household as a
unit that not only portrays the social, cultural, economic, and political sensibilities of the
people of a particular household/family, but also throws light on the affiliations of the
society on the whole. Household archaeology is also helpful in studying aspects of secular
art and architecture, food habits of the people, their religious beliefs, and so on. Gender
classification in the social order is an interesting aspect that can be studied by this kind of
archaeological method. Variety of evidences are taken into consideration in the study of
household archaeology, which include vegetal and faunal remains, pottery, processes of
site formation, etc.

Underwater Archaeology
Franck Goddio and his team managed to reveal the supposed lost palace of Cleopatra,
which was believed to be submerged under the sea some 1600 years ago. This
excavation was carried out off the shores of the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

This is also known as marine archaeology or maritime archaeology. It is associated with

the study of underwater evidences such as shipwrecks, water-buried cities, and other
inundated archaeological sites. It is an expensive branch of archaeology and incurs a
much higher cost than any terrestrial archaeological excavation. Knowledge of specific
techniques and methods that need to be adopted in order to carry out excavations
underwater is a prerequisite. Archaeologists practicing in this field attempt to discover
submerged evidences by diving into the deep waters along with sophisticated
archaeological tools. An underwater excavation may also turn out to be a little risky at
times because one cannot guess what the conditions under the sea would be like.
However, it makes an exciting profession for adventure lovers.

Aviation Archaeology
In 2005, Hungarian archaeologists used methods of geophysical survey in order to locate
a lost plane that crashed in Budapest during World War II. Remains recovered from this
excavation included the plane's engine block, a part of one of its wings, a part where the
ammunition was kept, etc.
Aviation archaeology deals with finding historical remains of aircraft, air-borne weaponry,
abandoned air bases or runways, and the like. In short, it deals with everything that has
to do with the history of aviation. Sometimes, remains from aircraft crashes are found
under the sea, which are eventually recovered, recorded and studied. It is due to this
reason that many people consider aviation archaeology as a branch of marine
archaeology, but this may only be true to a limited extent. This is because there are also
a number of aviation archaeological remains found on land, in which case, it becomes a
separate division in itself. Crash sites differ largely in magnitude and remains. The
remains range from military remains to civil remnants. Instances of ancient air bases
found by aviation archaeologists have also been recorded. As far as the actual
professional practice of aviation archaeology is concerned, there may be some legal
constraints, which can be overcome through adequate paperwork and permissions.

Battlefield Archaeology
From 1985 - 89, Douglas Scott and Melissa Connor carried out the first ever large-scale
excavation on a battlefield site of Little Bighorn in Montana, USA. They gathered in the
form of evidences, bullets, bullet shells, cartridge cases, skeletal remains, etc.
Battlefield archaeology, also known as military archaeology, is one of the most intriguing
types of archaeologies. It deals with digging up battlefields of the past and recovering
evidences relating to military activities, which may have been responsible for subsequent
changes in the social, political and economic spheres of the society. Archaeological
evidences recovered from battlefields have the capability to alter those historical
viewpoints which have been widely accepted and acknowledged. Evidences on such sites
include remains of implements of war, skeletal remains, and various artifacts related to

military history. These so-called war sites give valuable evidences to events, which took
place not only during a given war, but also before and after it, because not only actual
battlefields but even military camp sites provide valuable evidences. Also, just as all
other sites tell us about how and when people lived, war sites tell us how and when they
died. All in all, battlefield archaeology is an engrossing case-study of how written
historical accounts can undergo changes when actual material remains relating to the
recorded events are uncovered.

Commercial Archaeology
In the 1940s, Sir Mortimer Wheeler excavated at Arikamedu, near Pondicherry, South
India. Evidently, this site was a fishing village and an important foreign trading port
during 1st century B.C. Artifacts recovered include Roman coins, statues, beads,
glassware and pottery.
Commercial archaeology is actually a sub-discipline of archaeology, which deals with
everything that is related to commerce and trade. This includes evidences with respect to
the commodities that were traded and bartered, numismatic finds, ancient forms of
transportation that were used for commercial purposes, and so on. The study of ancient
trade routes and sea ports, harbors and marketplaces, is also included in commercial
archaeology. This is a very gripping study, as it answers questions such as which
countries had trade relations and in what commodities, what were the media of exchange
between them, how the commodities were transported, who and what all was involved,
how they coordinated, etc. Many a time, at commercial sites, ancient inscriptions are
found, which are obviously very valuable resources that are used for recording economic
histories.

Industrial Archaeology
The Sunny Corner Mining site, located in New South Wales, Australia, is an interesting site
pertaining to industrial archaeology, which belongs to the late 19th and the early 20th
century. This was supposedly one of the richest sites for silver mining in Australia, and
has numerous remains of mining and smelting processes.
Industrial archaeology is another kind of archaeology, which studies the material remains
of industrial by-products and artifacts. It does not deal with the movement of goods from
one place to another. On the contrary, it deals with the production of goods and the
various processes involved in the same. Evidences from industrial sites tell us about the
industries that existed during a given period in history, things that were manufactured
then, the tools that were used at that time, and attempt to answer queries like what
people did other than agriculture (which primarily was the main occupation in many
regions), what, where and how did they manufacture, what raw materials were used and
where did they get them from, how advanced was their technology, why did they
manufacture what they did, and so on. Evidences recovered from such sites generally

include those related to activities such as manufacturing, mining, quarrying, milling,

building roads and other infrastructure, etc.

Salvage Archaeology
The Turkish State Water Department proposed to build a number of dams on the
Euphrates and Tigris rivers in 1986. The extent of this project also covered nearly half a
mile of Zeugma, an ancient Anatolian trading center. Rescue excavations on the site
uncovered numerous structures, mosaics, stone sculptures, etc.
Salvage archaeology, also known as rescue archaeology, is a name given to an
archaeological excavation which needs to be carried out in an emergency and with
utmost urgency on threatened sites. Salvage archaeological operations are carried out on
sites that are on the verge of being destroyed by new road constructions, dams,
buildings, or any other kind of infrastructure development. The duty of the archaeologist
then, is to locate as many sites as possible in an assigned area, explore them, and
excavate them if deemed necessary, and ultimately record in detail all the finds that have
been procured. Generally, in case of salvage archaeology, time is a constraint, and so
detailed excavation is difficult to carry out. Therefore, archaeologists tend to record
whatever is found on the surface at the time of exploration. But, if it is realized during the
exploration that the site holds a prominent place in history, then detailed excavation can
be carried out and can thus alter the construction plans in some way or the other.

Experimental Archaeology
A classic example of practical application of the methods of experimental archaeology,
which was also aired on television worldwide, was a series known as Living in the Past.
Here, they attempted to recreate an entire settlement belonging to the Iron Age of 2nd
century B.C., in order to bring to life the life-ways of the ancient people.
Experimental archaeology is a kind of archaeological study in which archaeologists try to
figure out how the archaeological deposits were formed. In the course of this quest, they
experiment with various processes, which they think people might have applied in the
past in order to make or manufacture all those things which make the archaeological
deposit. This experimentation of remaking or replicating things using the methods of the
past is the core of the entire concept of experimental archaeology. Archaeological finds
ranging from pottery to structures are actually replicated using historical methods, which
helps to understand the past technologies as well as the resources available to them.
Flint knapping or the replication of prehistoric stone tools is an interesting activity
practiced in experimental archaeology. This has helped, to a large extent, in
understanding the prehistoric habitat and the rudimentary techniques that were used by
prehistoric man to make his much-needed tools. It has to be noted, however, that
experimental archaeology is related to a large extent to the imaginations of the
archaeologists, with regards to the period in question. Because, most of the things,

especially structures, are seldom found intact; the replication mostly depends on the
perception of the archaeologist.

Forensic Archaeology
Law enforcement agencies went on to employ forensic archaeologists in order to
investigate the genocide that took place in Rwanda in 1994. They proved to be of great
help in locating the graves and in finding valuable evidences to be presented in the court
of law.
Forensic archaeology is a newly developed stream and a very interesting one. It pertains
to the use of archaeological techniques in finding evidences on crime scenes. Forensic
archaeologists are generally employed by the security services in order to investigate
crimes and catch the culprits. Duties of archaeologists in this field of archaeology include
collecting evidences like human burials, artifacts, footprints, tool-marks, etc., and trying
to figure out the situation in which a particular crime might have happened; and to
ascertain the influences on the remains of external factors that may have disturbed the
crime scene. They also try to find whether all the remains are in situ, and if not, how and
when they landed up where they currently lie. The findings of forensic archaeologists
prove to be very effective in the court of law, and help the police to a great extent in the
investigation of the occurred crime.

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What Tools do Archaeologists Use

WhatToolsdoArchaeologistsUse
For people interested in archaeology, the information about what tools do archaeologists use would prove
to be helpful. Archaeology is all about discovering facts about past human culture to gain insight into the
practices they followed; their architecture and culture in general...
Advertisement

A science in which human culture is studied through the

recovery of artifacts, fossils, architecture, biofacts, etc. to carry
out further research is known as archaeology. The excavated
items are studied after documenting them properly. The
analysis and interpretation of artifacts, environmental data,
material culture, etc. form important steps in further research.
Since excavation forms an important part of archaeological
studies, it is necessary to have knowledge about what kind of
tools do archaeologists use in these excavations.
Excavation by archaeologists can be carried out in soft or hard soils. In few cases, they may even have to
go underwater for excavations. Therefore, many different tools are required by them, for the different
locations and different types of excavations. The archaeologists tool kit may contain two types of
equipment, commonly used field site tools and those used by specialists. Let us find out what tools
archaeologists use in recovering artifacts.
Field Site Tools
Field site equipment include digging tools, recording apparatus and safety kit. Digging tools help in
breaking the soil crust and uncovering artifacts. Here is a list of the various tools used by archaeologists.
Mattock: It is a digging tool similar to the pickaxe. The mattock is used to break hard ground and
make the process of digging easy. The blade and handle of the mattock are perpendicular to each
other. The blade is broad and resembles a chisel.
Marshalltown Trowels: These trowels are commonly used in the United States. They have a sturdy
body and flat blade which can be sharpened.
Plains Trowel: This kind of trowel facilitates working in tight/awkward corners and in keeping the
lines straight.
Shovels: Shovels are of two types, i.e. round-ended and flat-ended.
Coal Scoop: This is another field site tool used in collecting and carrying soil to the screeners.
Archaeologists find this tool particularly useful when they have to deal with square holes.
Total Station Transit: This tool is used to prepare a map of a particular archaeological site. The
elements/details presented in such maps include surface topography of the site, different features
of that area, positioning of the units engaged in excavation, and the relative location of artifacts.
Bucket Auger: It is a handy tool that is used in exploration of buried sites. The need of using bucket
auger arises in excavations of floodplain situations. The tool can be extended up to the length of 7
meters.
Shaker Screen: The soil which is excavated by means of digging tools is sifted through shaker
screens. This equipment has a inch mesh which helps in recovering artifacts that go unnoticed
during excavation.
Dust Pan: It is a simple tool used in taking excavated soil away from archaeological sites in a neat
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8/1/2015

What Tools do Archaeologists Use

way.
Tools Used by Specialists
The archaeological tools mentioned below are mostly used in a laboratory environment. The information
about what tools do archaeologists use in laboratories is presented below.
Flotation Device: The flotation device is used to separate smaller and larger artifacts by the method
of light and heavy fraction. Soil samples which contain artifacts are kept in metal baskets and
washed by gentle streams of water. Light artifacts (for example, seeds) float at the top, while the
heavier objects sink down.
Equipment for Analysis: Simple tools like calipers and cotton gloves are needed to carry out the
analysis of artifact fragments. Gloves serve the purpose of preventing cross-contamination.
Nested Graduated Screens: Nested graduated screen are used for size-grading. In the process of
size-grading, the percentage of artifacts falling in different size-ranges are found out. Nested
graduated screens used for this purpose have small mesh openings at the bottom and larger ones
at the top.
Weighing and Measuring: The artifacts obtained in excavations are carefully analyzed by weighing
and measuring them. Different types of scales are used for finding out correct measurements.
Archaeology is a vast discipline that uses artifacts as a means of delving into the history of past human
civilizations. It would be useful to find out why is archaeology important along with the information of
tools presented above. The various tools used in excavations and laboratories are of great importance in
finding out details of artifacts.
By Shashank Nakate
Last Updated: September 21, 2011
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Maya or
Myth?

A True or False Quiz

The ancient Maya were expert mathematicians,
scientists, and architects who believed in human
sacrifice and sacred rituals. Take this True or False
quiz to test your knowledge of the ancient Maya.

1. The Maya believed people were created from maize.

T|F

2. People living in different Maya cities all spoke the same language.

T|F

3. The Maya civilization extended from Mexicos Yucatn Peninsula to Panama.

4. The Maya used wooden boards to elongate infants heads.

5. The Maya used looms to weave their own clothing.

6. The Maya put gold fillings in their teeth.

T|F

7. Cacao beans were used to make jewelry.

T|F

8. The Maya believed the number 13 was very unlucky.

9. The Maya sutured wounds with human hair.

T|F

T|F

T|F

T|F

T|F

10. The first Maya settlements are about 1,000 years old.

T|F

11. The Maya built stone columns called stelae to ward off evil spirits.

T|F

12. In some parts of the Maya civilization, a sacred cenote was a sinkhole used for sacrifices.

13. The Maya deposited the bones of hunted animals in sacred caves.

T|F

T|F

14. The ancient Maya practiced bloodletting because they thought it cleansed their bodies.

15. Players in the Maya ball game couldnt touch the ball with their hands or feet.

T|F

T|F

Ancient
Artifacts

Archaeologists are scientists who search for artifacts so they

can learn more about ancient places and the people who lived
there in the past. They make inferences and draw conclusions
about the meaning of the artifacts to figure out how or why
the items were used by a group of people. Dig through these
clues to learn more about the ancient Maya culture.

Part 1: Match each artifact with the fact about Maya culture that best describes it.
Write the letter that matches on the line.

ARTIFACT:

MAYA FACT:

1. cacao pot ____

A. an instrument used to grind maize

2. metate ____

B. highly decorated glazed pottery used for trade

3. arrowhead ____

C. dental fillings often made of jade and usually

reserved for the Maya elite

4. scepter ____

D. an item used to communicate with the gods

5. ballcourt marker ____

E. a vessel used to hold a sacred food

6. stingray spines ____

F. protective wear used by Maya warriors

7. tooth inlays ____

G. a staff used by a Maya king

8. shell goggles ____

H. a circular feature that established a dividing line
between teams in Maya ball games
9. incense burner ____

I. instruments used for bloodletting

10. plumbate pot ____

J. a weapon made from obsidian, a volcanic glass

6
7

10

4
8

Part 2: Make inferences about how the ancient Maya used the artifacts
above. On the back of this page, sort the items into the categories below.

Daily Life

Adornment

Ritual/Ceremony

Recreation

STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE

Name:

(Page 1)

Maya Number System

The Maya number system is very different from the system you use dailythe Maya used only three
symbols to represent all numbers! They used a dot to represent 1, a line to represent 5, and a shell to
represent 0. The Maya wrote their numbers vertically and used zero as a placeholder. Many believe
that the Maya were the first people to use a symbol for zero.
The Maya used a place value system based on 20s, not 10s like the number system we use today.
So the place values were multiples of 20s: 1s, 20s (20x1), 400s (20x20), 8,000s (20x400), and so on.

HERES HOW IT WORKED: Numbers 1 through 4 were written using a row of dots.
The number 5 was written as a horizontal line. Numbers 6 through 19 were written
using a combination of lines and dots, or 5s and 1s.
For example:
6 was written as one line with one dot above it: (5+1)
10 was written using two lines: (5+5)
19 was written as three stacked lines with a row of four dots on top of them:
(5+5+5+1+1+1+1)

MAYA NUMERALS
0

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

STUDENT REPRODUCIBLE

Name:

(Page 2)

Maya Place Values

For numbers greater than 19, the symbols were arranged vertically in place values, with the greatest value on top.
Each place value was 20 times greater than the one that came before it. Look at the examples below.

303 was written as three lines in the 20s place, and

three dots in the 1s place: ((5+5+5) x 20) + (1+1+1)

8,000
400

420 was written with one dot in the 400s place, one
dot in the 20s place, and one shell in the 1s place:
(1x400) + (1x20) + (0x1)

20
1
Value of
Number

303

420

4,008

4,008 was written as two lines in the 400s place, one

shell in the 20s place, and three dots above a line in
the 1s place: (10x400) + (0x20) + (8x1)

PART ONE: Find the solution to each

PART TWO: To find the value of greater Maya numbers, multiply the value of the Maya

equation below. Write your answers using

Maya numerals.

numeral by the value of its place. Then add the values together. Calculate the value of the
Maya numbers presented below.

8,000
Maya Place Values

400
20
1

Value of
Number