Introduction To Archaeological Finds: From Dig To Museum (Online Course)
- Online Course - Start anytime
Learn how archaeological finds are excavated, identified, and cared for - with practical exercises you can try at home.
Archaeological finds are fascinating, but if you want to learn more about them, it can be hard to know where to begin. What do archaeologists do with all the things they find? How are artefacts identified? How can you tell how old they are? What’s with all the funny labels? And which ones end up in museums?
In this all-in-one introduction to archaeological finds, you’ll learn what happens to artefacts, how they’re studied, and what’s needed for taking care of them – from the moment of their discovery on an excavation, to their final resting place in an archive or museum.
Featuring practical and try-at-home activities, along with quizzes, examples and case studies from our own archaeological collections, you’ll gain access to a world of study that often takes place behind closed doors – and walk away with practical knowledge that you can apply on a dig, in the Finds Room, or to your own studies.
Key details
🌐 100% online
⌛️Study at your own pace
📖 4 lessons, plus quizzes, case studies, and try-at-home activities
👩🏫 2-3 hours per lesson
💬 Global chat forum with students and mentors
🏆Downloadable certificate
What will you learn?
You’ll be guided through the key stages of working with finds, including discovery, excavation, cleaning, handling, sorting, identification, and illustration, all the way through to their eventual deposition in a museum or archive.
You’ll also learn about the basics of conservation, how to handle different types of artefacts, such as pottery, coins, stone tools, and animal bone, and even some of the different techniques that specialists use to study them.
And if you’re using an Archaeology Skills Passport, you can be sure you’ll cover:
- Artefact Recovery, Recording, and Storage
- Finds processing
- Illustration and Graphics
- Heritage Legislation
So whether you’re exploring archaeology for the first time, or building on your existing skills, you’ll walk away with practical knowledge that you can apply – on an excavation, in the Finds Room, or in your own studies.
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone who wants to learn more about archaeological finds, whether that’s for personal, professional, or academic reasons. Our teaching material is based on best practice standards in the UK – but that doesn’t stop it from being enjoyable too!
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is required. A notebook, pencils, and a smartphone or camera will come in useful if you want to try some of the practical exercises.
When can I start?
You can start this course anytime!
There are four lessons which you can progress through at your own pace.
How do I join this course?
You can join this course in two ways:
- Make a one-off payment to access this course for two months (£45)
- Subscribe for unlimited access to all our online courses (from £5 per month)
Both options include access to the chat forum and provide a downloadable certificate at the end, but Susbcribers also get unlimited access to this course, plus all of our other online courses!
Note: Existing Subscribers will be automatically enrolled on this course – no action required!
What do our students say?
I have completed many, many Archaeology online courses and this was definitely the best! It taught me so much more clearly than what I have experienced. If only university taught me as well! The bite size sections, images, and videos were really easy to grasp and absorb. I am autistic and your teaching style is perfect for all learners. I loved the practical exercises as well. Brilliant!
Lora W. Visitor Services Manager
This is my second time through the course. It provides an informative and interactive guide through basics in archaeological fieldwork, analysis, interpretation and curation. This is a useful guide for students, enthusiasts and professionals alike. I am in love with DV.
Zachary B. Archaeology Lecturer
I loved it!!! The information is clear and easy with plenty of supporting material, and takes a complete novice through step by step, start to finish. Perfect for a beginner's course.
L Wilson.
Very comprehensive and clear. I also liked the videos, it gave me a really good impression of the real thing (much better than just reading about it). And I liked the humour inbetween :)
Steph M. Conservation student.
This course has helped me make more sense of what I'm doing and why when I'm helping at the museum. I like the videos and images that give a visual experience to all the steps.
Kin T. Museum Volunteer
This course has been an eye opener. I learned so much as to what it takes to begin an excavation. Watching the videos was something I really enjoyed, as it put yourself in the sites to show and highlight information, and but a personal touch to archaeology.
Tina Z.
I loved this course - the informality and fun pictures was a lovely element. But it also didn't feel like the course held back; there were at times a lot to learn and instead of babying us you really went for it, thank you!
Liz C. Medieval Studies student
I loved it. I can't wait to join a dig. Being a huge fan of Time Team I understood some of the tasks, but now I know how and why each part is necessary. I enjoyed the way it was set up and all the links to current and past projects. It made the archaeological process come alive!
Jasper B. Engineer.
I loved the course. Fascinating introduction to practical archaeology. I enjoyed the "digging deeper" sessions and often found myself engrossed in the sites and stories they led me to.
Will S. Television Producer
What a great course! Clear explanations, great pacing and all the right information. If our students got all of these elements on their training digs they'd be well set up.
Holly M. Archaeology Lecturer
Ready to join this course?
You can join this course in two ways:
- Make a one-off payment to access this course for two months (£45)
- Subscribe for unlimited access to all our online courses (from £5 per month)
Both options include access to the chat forum and provide a downloadable certificate at the end, but Susbcribers also get unlimited access to this course and all of our other online courses!
Subscribe
Unlimited access to all of our courses from £5 per month
