ASK THE ARCHAEOLOGIST:

The answers to the most frequently asked questions about archaeology

Dave Weldrake
Education ad Outreach Coordinator

Question 5: What Sort of clothes do you wear?

On site
Modern archaeologists on site look more like Bob the Builder than Indiana Jones. Often they are working on construction sites and have to follow all the safety regulations which the builders have to follow. This will include wearing safety helmets, high visibility waterproof jackets and steel capped boots.

Fieldwork - West Yorkshire: Images and Information is a new area on the WYAAS website. Here you can find brief reports of recent sites and images of people at work to show your pupils.

In the lab
We also have to wear safety gear when we work in the labs. We wear white lab coats and look pretty much like any other laboratory worker. We also have to use safety equipment such as goggles and fume cabinets when dealing with dangerous chemicals.

Activity Ideas
Familiarity with such films as Raiders of the Lost Ark and computer games such as Tomb Raider mean that children are expecting an adventurer not a professional working person. Care therefore needs to be taken to make your presentation as trued to life as possible. Here are some hints:

Role play
Adults can generally find suitable work clothing to personify a site archaeologist (Safety helmet, high-visibility jacket, and boots) and should feel confident enough to discuss their use with pupils.

There are also dressing-up opportunities using adult clothing with younger children. (It makes for cute photographs!). Many younger pupils will not realise how heavy safety boots actually are.

Children working on simulations can be given toy safely helmets and bright waterproof clothing. The appearance of lab workers can be simulated by the use of a white coat from a play doctor's uniform.

Toys
As far as I an aware there is only one toy 'archaeologist' - part of the Lego Egyptian series. I'd advise use of models from a "men at work" series. This would give you figures in helmets and jackets and a range of machinery. For younger children figures of Bob the Builder and Scoop might serve a similar purpose.