Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 09/09/2007 - 19:44
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Kuril Islands Biocomplexity

Makayla

Why aren’t the artifacts buried deeper in the ground than you dig?

Wed, 09/12/2007 - 10:42

Misty Nikula

Actually, Makayla, they ARE!The archaeologists dig as deep as they can, but often don't get to the bottom most layer of artifacts.  Sometimes, they can use a soil probe (like a metal straw) to pull a plug of dirt out and see if there is anything obvious below the bottom of the excavation.  If they look about 50-75 cm lower and don't find any signs of cultural material (such as charcoal, bits of bone or pottery or lithic flakes) then they feel confident that there aren't any more artifacts.  But really, they don't know if that is true or if they just didn't see something that was there because they looked in the wrong place!
It is a difficult thing to decide that there isn't anything just because you didn't see it!  Maybe you looked in the wrong place!  But it is the best that they can do.
Ms Nikula