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Libraries, Museums, and Archaeology
Archaeology
‘……what we're interested in are the finds and… what they tell us about the people that used them and the way they ordered their lives - we're interested in the past, full stop’. (Phil Harding, archaeologist and TV presenter of ‘The Time Team’, at the opening of a village museum in Wiltshire, 2004)
TV programmes like ‘Time Team’ and ‘Two Men in a Trench’ have made archaeology popular. They can bring the past to life!
If you work in archaeology you will investigate ancient sites to learn about the past.
There is a range of work involved – from land surveys and geophysical surveys to taking part in digs. You might find objects which are intrinsically valuable – like a hoard of gold – or objects which are not of financial value but tell us a great deal about how people lived. You will also have to write reports!
To work in this sector you should have an interest in the past. You should be observant, methodical, careful and patient.
Most archaeologists start by taking a degree in archaeology. For this you normally need 3-4 suitable Highers.
This is not an easy sector to make a career in. Work on excavation sites is often very short term and not very well paid.
Many archaeologists move on to other work, where they get a better salary. On graduation, about half of archaeology graduates go into jobs not related to archaeology and many more follow them in their late 20s. They go into a wide range of jobs which require a degree in any subject.
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