Classical archaeologists study ancient Greece and Rome, for example. Troy has both prehistorians and Classical archaeologists working there - can you tell why? If you think you want to become a Classical archaeologist you might want to start learning ancient Greek and Latin, which you would need as a basic skill in that field. In high school, you should take courses in history and other humanities classes; foreign languages (German, Italian, French) will be needed along with the ancient languages. Many American archaeologists study the ancient past of their own continent, which means studying the remains of American Indian cultures. Get ready for an archaeology career by finding out about archaeological investigations around the world. There are many books and websites to explore. Go to your local museum to see archaeological displays. |
Find out how you can visit a local archaeological dig, and even volunteer at one. Keep in mind that an archaeologist is a scientist, but one who also needs to know about cultures, history, arts and languages. There's a lot to learn! You need not major in archaeology as an undergraduate in college. It's best to study a wide variety of subjects, and get a head start with languages. To be a professional archaeologist, you need at least a master's degree (Master of Arts or Master of Science) in archaeology. This takes about two years and generally requires writing a thesis (a long paper about a research project). The top jobs in archaeology, including college teaching, investigating in foreign countries, and supervising digs, call for the Ph.D. degree. That usually takes at least four years of study, including a research project described in a dissertation. An archaeologist might work for a university, a museum, a government, or a private company. |
The most recent archaeologists at Troy work at the University of Tübingen, Germany, and at the University of Cincinnati, U.S.A. They spend a "season" in the summer investigating at Troy, then analyze their finds and write up the results of their research during the rest of the year. Many young researchers are currently writing their Ph.D. dissertations based on the work they have done at Troy over the past years. |
