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Archeology Publications and Resources

Are you interested in archeology? Read more about the profession.

  • Confused about who can help when you discover an ancient fossil or an arrowpoint? Who can identify the unusual rock you found in the riverbed? Do you think an archeologist has the answer in each case?

    Actually, archeologists study traces of the human past, while paleontologists study fossil remains of plants and animals, and geologists examine rocks and landforms for clues to the history of the earth. Still confused? Let's review the definitions and skills.

    Archeologist: A scientist who studies past peoples and cultures by excavating and examining material remains as simple as an arrowhead or as complex as the ruins of a prehistoric village. Archeologists study ancient cultures as well as recent historic occupations.

    Archeologists are interested in animal bones, plant remains and certain stone materials when these things occur at archeological sites and have a clear relationship to human activity. Animal bones that show evidence of hunting or butchering can shed light on what past inhabitants ate and details about the environment they inhabited. So can certain types of plant materials, such as seeds and nutshells.

    Stones interest archeologists if they were used for making tools, lining a hearth or building a structure. Natural features such as rock shelters, caverns and sinkholes may interest archeologists if they were used or lived in by humans. Since dinosaurs lived long before the first humans, archeologists do not search for or study dinosaur bones.

    Paleontologist: A scientist who reconstructs the geologic history of the earth through the study of plant and animal fossils.

    Overall, the fossils that interest paleontologists predate human history. Petrified wood, dinosaur bones and tracks, fossil snails and shellfish, and other ancient life forms preserved in stone interest paleontologists.

    Geologist: A scientist who studies the composition, structure and history of the earth.

    Geologists derive important clues to the earth's history through the study of rocks, minerals and geologic features such as volcanoes, underground caverns, escarpments and other landforms. Fascinating landforms occur in every region of the state and draw the attention of geologists eager to gather more information about Texas' geologic past.

    See our What Does an Archeologist Do? brochure for more information.

  • Copy Link
    • SAA Archaeological Record: Career Stories
    • Society for American Archaeology Career Guide
    • Princeton Review's Career Guide
    • FAQ's about a Career in Archaeology in the U.S.
    • Texas Archeological Society
    • Big Bend Archeological Society
    • Council of Texas Archeologists
    • Southern Texas Archaeological Association
    • El Paso Archaeological Society
    • Society for American Archaeology
    • Society for Historical Archaeology
    • Society for Industrial Archeology
    • American Anthropological Association
    • American Association of Biological Anthropologists
  • Copy Link

    Academic Institutions

    • Baylor University
    • Rice University
    • Southern Methodist University
    • Stephen F. Austin State University
    • Sul Ross State University
    • Texas A&M University
    • Texas A&M Conservation Research Laboratory
    • Texas State University–Anthropology Department
    • Texas Tech University
    • Trinity University
    • University of Houston
    • University of North Texas
    • University of Texas–Arlington
    • University of Texas–Austin
    • University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley
    • University of Texas–El Paso
    • University of Texas–San Antonio

    Archeological Societies

    • Texas Archeological Society
    • Big Bend Archeological Society
    • Council of Texas Archeologists
    • Southern Texas Archaeological Association
    • El Paso Archaeological Society
    • Society for American Archaeology
    • Society for Historical Archaeology
    • Society for Industrial Archeology
    • American Anthropological Association
    • American Association of Biological Anthropologists

    Career Links

    • SAA Archaeological Record: Career Stories
    • Society for American Archaeology Career Guide
    • Princeton Review's Career Guide
    • FAQ's about a Career in Archaeology in the U.S.

    General Archeology Links

    • Archaeological Institute of America
    • ArchNet (online archeology library)
    • Center for Archaeological Research
    • Center for Big Bend Studies
    • National Park Service Cultural Resources
    • Southwestern Archaeology
    • Texas Archeological Research Laboratory at UT Austin
    • Texas Beyond History (main web page)

    La Salle Projects

    • Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum
    • Conservation Research Laboratory, Texas A&M University
    • Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History
    • Matagorda County Museum
    • Museum of the Coastal Bend
    • Texas Beyond History, La Belle Shipwreck and Fort St. Louis

    Red River War Battle Sites Project

    • Texas Beyond History (Red River War web page)
    • Armstrong County Museum
    • Hutchinson County Historical Museum
    • Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum
    • River Valley Pioneer Museum
    • Saints’ Roost Museum
    • White Deer Land Museum
    • Wolf Creek Heritage Museum

Curatorial Facility Certification Program

  • Certified Curatorial Facilities
  • Handbook
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  • Self-Evaluation
  • Field Review Questions
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  • Annual Reporting Form
  • Held in Trust Agreement

Research Resources

  • Order Technical Publications (fee plus postage)

Brochures

  • A Property Owner's Guide to Archeological Sites
  • Artifact Collecting in Texas
  • Destruction of Archeological Sites in Texas
  • Documenting Archeological Collections
  • Historic Texas Lands Plaque
  • How to Get Involved in Texas Archeology
  • Laws that Protect Archeological Sites
  • Marine Archeology in Texas
  • State Archeological Landmark Designation: A User's Guide
  • Texas Archeological Stewardship Network: Volunteers Saving the Past
  • Texas Archeology Awareness Month: A Learning Opportunity for All Ages
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