As part of the Student Takeover Day, I have created a downloadable resource for you to have a go at doing some research about your local area. Learn about how archaeologists decide where to dig and plan an excavation, and then try and explore the history of where you live!
There's actually a whole process before excavation even begins, known as the Desk-Based Assessment, or DBA. This is when archaeologists collect as much information as they can about the area they want to study, including geology, history, old maps and previous investigations that have happened nearby. The DBA is a very important step in the archaeological project as it allows us to plan very precisely - we wouldn't want to dig where somebody has already been if they've taken everything!