Archaeologists DON’T excavate dinosaurs, but nevertheless, check this out

On By arenmaeirIn Miscellaneous

As almost any archaeologist can tell you, one of the most common reactions that one gets from many people when they hear that you are an archaeologist is the question: “Have you ever found a dinosaur?”

Now, boys and girls, archaeologists DON’T excavate dinosaurs – Paleontologists do that (the last dinosaurs bit the dust around about 63 million years ago – about 55 million years BEFORE the appearance of the first hominims… [and see here for the newest theory on their disappearance :-)). Archaeologists only study the material remains of humans, their cultures and environments (and as Indiana Jones knows, occasionally, also that of aliens…).

This is such a repetitive issue, that there even is a company that makes a special t-shirt for this!

Nevertheless, even though I DON’T excavate dinosaurs, I came upon this funny little clip about Paleontologists.

Aren

4 thoughts on “Archaeologists DON’T excavate dinosaurs, but nevertheless, check this out”

  2. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that the people who dig stuff up are excavators, & if the stuff is believed to be prehistoric (i.e., excavated from rocks), the people who study it are paleontologists, but if the stuff is historic (i.e., excavated from dirt), the people are archeologists?

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    1. arenmaeir

      George – no! Paleontologists excavate prehistoric animal remains.
      Archaeologists deal with the material and environmental evidence of humans (and, as I said, also hominims), and at times, also use paleontologists when dealing with prehistoric animal remains that lived at the same time as humans.

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