Being an archaeologist is just like being a detective, but instead of using clues to solve crimes, we use clues to understand the mysteries of the ancient past. The earliest period of human history called the Stone Age is especially mysterious because it came before writing was invented. This means it was before humans started writing down their history, so the only way we can learn about it is through archaeological investigations.
Next month, I will be traveling into the mountains a few hours north of my home in South Africa to help with an archaeological investigation. I will be working at a place called Boomplaas Cave. We hope to learn about how people lived in the mountain valley during the Stone Age and all the changes that led from their Stone Age society to our modern society. To do this, we will follow the steps archaeologists take to understand the mysteries of the past:
1. Find a site: The first step of an archaeological investigation is to find an archaeological site. These sites are places where people once visited and left evidence of what they did there. For the Stone Age, we often look inside caves because these were natural shelters that our ancestors have always been drawn to.
