Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Need some help. Have a science fair project due next year, but there is NOTHING out there for archaeology. Was thinking about an idea for maybe the decomposition of living matter but don't know yet. Help plz?????

I don't know if these meet what you are looking for, but here are 2 links to science buddies projects on some of the research techniques use in archaeology.

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p009.shtml

And

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... p015.shtml

This is just a start. Hopefully another expert has some ideas as well.

Hello zbrow13,

here is an idea I found on the web, it is about testing how the kind of soil influences fossilization:
http://www.galeschools.com/sci_try/fossils.htm

You could also do the experiment using different kinds of living organisms (be aware then that this would make two variables in your experiments, that should be analyzed as such), as insects, worms, leaves... (Personally I have made some plaster prints of butterflies, and it gives a very pretty result.)

I hope this helps, let me know if you need anything else!

Heloise

hi,

What about looking at the grinding efficiency of different rock types on grain?

From the stone age to the modern day people in the world grind grain for flour using stones, called querns or millstones. You could take a selection of lithologies and grind a known quantity of a given grain for a known time and see what features of the rock type you use are particularly good for milling. Then compare your experimental results to the lithologies that are known to have been used and suggest why certain ones were used more than others?

Just a thought.
I love bread so I'm always thinking in flour..

Hi,

The other experts have given you some really good suggestions. Here’s another idea. Here is a website that describes different techniques that archaeologists use for dating objects.

http://archaeology.about.com/cs/datingt ... timing.htm

Perhaps you could use one of the techniques, like seriation to do a study of gravestones in a local cemetery, or dendrochronology to study tree rings. This would make a good project because you could explain the science behind the technique and then use it to answer a question.

Donna Hardy