• University of Reading

Archaeology: From Dig to Lab and Beyond

Experience archaeology in action by exploring civilisation sites and artefacts in the Vale of Pewsey, near Stonehenge.

56,316 enrolled on this course

A female student crouching on the ground examining the ground

Archaeology: From Dig to Lab and Beyond

56,316 enrolled on this course

  • 2 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

Uncover the step-by-step process of archaeological excavation and research

Stonehenge might steal the spotlight, but just a few miles away, the Vale of Pewsey holds secrets waiting to be uncovered.

On this two-week course from the University of Reading, you’ll step into the shoes of an archaeologist and follow a discovery from excavation to analysis, and finally, to public display.

From deciding where to dig to interpreting what’s found, you’ll explore the full arc of an archaeological investigation.

Along the way, you’ll learn how artefacts are recorded, preserved, and studied – and how even a fragment of pottery or a human tooth can open a window into the past.

Uncover the full process of archaeological investigation

Begin your journey at the field school in the Vale of Pewsey, where you’ll learn how archaeologists plan and conduct excavations at sites that still hold untapped historical value.

Explore how decisions are made about where to dig, what tools are used, and how each find is carefully documented for further study.

Analyse finds and interpret past lives

Next, head to the lab, where the real detective work begins.

You’ll discover how archaeological finds are cleaned, stored, and studied, and how experts draw conclusions about people’s diets, health, and occupations from objects and remains.

You’ll also dive into osteoarchaeology, the study of human bones, to learn how archaeologists piece together personal stories from burial sites.

Bring the past into the present

Finally, you’ll explore how discoveries are curated, interpreted, and shared with the public in museums and heritage spaces.

By the end of the course, you’ll have a deeper understanding of how archaeology bridges the gap between the ancient and modern world, discovering the ways even the smallest discoveries can reshape what we know about the past.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 4 seconds If you aspire at all to want to practice archaeology in the field, these are skills that you can’t learn anywhere else. It’s learning to read the soil beneath your feet. It’s teaching people to use their imagination to really engage with the past. And it marks out the University of Reading Archaeology department from any other department in the country. We called this course a virtual field school because we wanted to explain how the different elements of archaeological research connect up from the trowel edge, digging the field right through to the analysis of the material and then its stories and preservation in the long term at the end.

Skip to 0 minutes and 50 seconds The people that use Marden Henge, the people that use the building at Marden Henge, they will have seen Stonehenge in use. They will have probably worshipped there themselves. Everyone was really excited. I was lucky enough to be able to process it. So I did actually use a toothbrush, but not as thoroughly as you might with your own teeth. I’ve recently completed a large-scale study of teenagers from medieval England. With archaeology, obviously, the people aren’t with us anymore, but we still have to think about that storytelling and how you can build that research around it and make it significant, make it meaningful for people today. So do join us on the course, Archaeology, from Dig to Lab and Beyond.

What topics will you cover?

Week 1:

  • The transferable skills needed to be an archaeologist
  • Introduction to the Neolithic period
  • Planning an excavation
  • How does a dig work?
  • Storing, handling, recording and transporting artefacts

Week 2:

  • Introduction to the medieval period
  • Human bone analysis
  • Archaeological science: what can isotopes in bone tell us?
  • Museums: the ethics of storage and display

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain how an archaeological dig works, from the planning stages, through excavation, to the analysis and storage of artefacts
  • Summarise the basic characteristics of all archaeological periods from the Mesolithic to the post-medieval period (c.8000 BC–AD 1900)
  • Describe the main ways in which archaeologists analyse human skeletons
  • Debate some of the key issues facing archaeology today
  • Understand the transferable skills you will acquire from studying archaeology

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in studying an archaeology degree at university. However, all those with an enthusiastic interest in archaeology are very welcome to join, as no prior knowledge of the subject matter is needed.

Who will you learn with?

Duncan Garrow teaches and researches later European prehistory (with a particular focus on Britain) and archaeological theory at the University of Reading.

I am a human bioarchaeologist (bone specialist) specialising in the recognition of disease in children and adolescents. I am a lecturer at Reading and run an MSc in Professional Human Osteoarchaeology

I am a field archaeologist who has worked on excavations of all periods, all over the world. I specialise in the teaching of archaeological field techniques, and organising large excavation projects.

Who developed the course?

University of Reading

The University of Reading has a reputation for excellence in teaching, research and enterprise.

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Choose the best way to learn for you!

Buy this course

$54/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Subscribe & save

$349.99 for one year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

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Start learning today

Free

Try this course - with limits

  • Limited to 2 weeks

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