Archaeologists explore sites
and recover information through fieldwork, including survey and excavation. All excavation is destruction, so archaeologists must be careful
to record as much information as possible while they are digging so the site can be "reconstructed" in the lab. This information about the site records the
context of the materials recovered, where each item was found in relation to other materials, and what kinds of situations were represented-such as a storage pit, a
fireplace, or a house floor. Such information will include many maps, descriptions of each feature
unit, the soil color and texture, photographs, and forms that systematically document the process of excavation.
Fieldwork, including excavating a site, is just one step in recovering information about the past. After coming in from the field, the lab work, analysis and interpretation
are undertaken to learn about the materials recovered during the excavation. This research will help to answer the questions identified during the first phase of the
project—the research design.