Welcome to the ancient world! The science of archaeology has always fascinated me; studying ancient peoples and cultures means literally travelling back in time, conjecturing how people lived their daily lives and realizing they experienced the same emotions, problems, and challenges as we do today, no matter how long ago they lived. There is a special bond with the past when you hold an ancient pottery shard or a small bronze statuette in your hand, imagining the person who created the object, the people who handled it, and wondering what it was used for. Who says time travel is impossible?One of the best sources of information on archaeology is Archaeology Magazine, with lots of links to related sites. Have a look-see - this stuff is more exciting than you may think!
If you really want to lose yourself in ancient history, there is the Odin's Castle, the "mother of all history sites"! - you must see this, it's way cool! Another great history site is Ancient World.
Some years ago, I had the privilege of fulfilling a dream - travelling to Egypt to see all the ancient wonders there. Here is my DIARY about that trip.
Now, if you want to get your hands dirty and actually dig for stuff yourself, do what we did last spring. We worked as volunteers on an archaeological dig in Belize.
We had a wonderful time excavating at a Maya site called 'Lamanai South', an ancient mound containing several settlement levels on the New River Lagoon.
Click here for a detailed article I wrote about our adventure! The Lamanai Outpost Lodge where we stayed is as close to Eden as it gets...
We found many artifacts, such as obsidian blades, spear points, pottery, as well as human skeletons. The site seems to have been an important trading point on the river and will continue to be excavated, and we hope to return next year and continue working and learning. If you're interested in stuff like that, you may wish to visit Archaeological Fieldwork Opportunities or Earthwatch International.
