Archaeologists study many sites because one site cannot reflect the entire range of activities of a society. The context would be lost, and only general statements about the people who left the trash could be made. This is what happens when vandals dig up sites. One sample is only a glimpse into a complex society. Just as you only see a small piece of our society from one bag of trash, archaeologists see only a sliver of the past from one site.
Students then exchange bags and make a list of the contents.
Next to each recorded item the student should write down a possible inference about the household from which it came. The family has a pet fish. The family has just had a birthday party. Our Webmaster, Sarah Mattics , works under the direction of Dr. Gregory A.Waselkov .