September 24, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR JOAN LUSK IN RI
You can study archeology itself at many universities and colleges.
The field is divided into "historical archeology", which studies
artifacts from that time of relatively recent civilizations,
particularly those with written histories, and "pre-historic
archeology" from earlier times. You'd learn not only how to go about
finding evidence, but how to interpret what you find. If you look at
the requirements for bachelor's degrees in archeology you'll see what
various faculties have considered important collateral study. You
might also study history and languages (to go with historical
archeology), history of art (since many findings are of artistic
merit), or you might be led into biology through the analysis of
bones and plant remains and even back into geological time scales to
study pollen and climate. If you got interested in the technologies
used to interpret your findings, you'd study radiochemical dating
techniques and analytical chemistry. The "high-profile
organizations" you'd like to work for need writers and photographers
who can understand the importance of the discoveries, and to put out
a slick magazine takes an editorial staff, advertising and marketing.
To run a non-profit research organization takes fund-raising from
private donors and from research grants. So if you study archeology
itself, there are lots of ways to combine practical skills with your
intellectual interests. You might get to visit fascinating places -
and with luck now have as _dangerous_ adventures as Indiana Jones!