Knowledge Library

For more information on archaeology, below are additional SAA resources for a wide range of audiences:

Student Loan Debt in Archaeology [PDF 3.8 MB]
In 2022, the SAA conducted a survey of its membership on the impact that the debt from student loans has on the archaeological workforce. The results demonstrate how the high cost of education and the resulting debt burdens are endangering the future of the discipline.

Archaeology & You [PDF 1.2 MB]
This 1996 booklet from National Geographic Society and the Society for American Archaeology is about archaeology and you. It is designed to provide basic information about the science of archaeology, along with advice on how you can learn more and actually take part in it. An Internet version was developed in 2000, and the PDF created in 2018. The links in the document may no longer be active.

What is the NPHA? [PDF 1.3 MB]
This fact-sheet from the Society for American Archaeology helps explain the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), a federal law that protects archaeological resources in the United States. It includes common misconceptions about the law and explains the Section 106 review process, which is particularly important to historic preservation. Last updated in 2022.

Is the Past in Your Future? [PDF 1.1 MB]
Aimed at high school students, this brochure create by the Society for American Archaeology in 2015 provides brief information about a career in archaeology.

Why are there Two Different Spellings: Archaeology and Archeology? [PDF 220 KB]
You may have seen two different spellings (archaeology and archeology) and wondered which one is right. Both are correct! This explanation by Barbara Little covers how the two spellings came to be and how they are used today.

2020 Online Archaeology Week Playlist
Watch six videos made for SAA's 2020 Online Archaeology Week. The videos feature archaeologists celebrating history and culture through archaeology in Texas and elsewhere with short lectures and demonstrations. Topics include ancient hunting technology, Texas prehistory, making stone tools, Buffalo Soldiers and Apache in Texas, and a 3D-printed mastodon tooth.

2021 Online Archaeology Week Playlist
Watch 11 videos made for SAA's 2021 Online Archaeology Week. The videos feature experts celebrating history and culture through archaeology in California and elsewhere. Topics include Neanderthals, ancient beer-making, San Francisco's buried ships, virtual reality, and more!

2022 Public Archaeology Day Playlist
Watch five videos made for SAA's 2022 Public Archaeology Day. The videos feature experts celebrating history and culture through archaeology in Chicago and elsewhere. Topics include ancient trade, the 1893 world's fair, Chicago's African-American heritage, archaeobotany, and community-based collections care. Watch their short lectures, embedded below: