Dig This! How Archaeologists Uncover Our Past by Michael Avi-Yonah is an introductory, youth-oriented title that explains the methods of archaeology and the history behind key discoveries. Published in 1993, the book is part of the Buried Worlds series and is considered a solid, foundational resource for students aged between 9 and 14.
Overall Impressions of Dig This! by Michael Avi-Yonah
The book provides a concise and accessible overview of the field of archaeology, covering its history, significant figures, and the key discoveries that shaped the discipline.
Key features:
- It outlines the basic methods of excavation used by archaeologists. This outline is accompanied by many photos of archeologists on a dig as well as archeological finds. Every double page has at least two detailed photos which brings the author’s words to life.
- It covers major ancient civilisations from around the world, including the Middle East, Asia, and the Mediterranean. I found this a useful book to flick through with the children to give them an overarching impression of what the study of archeology entails.
- It provides a clear rationale for why and how archaeologists study the past.
- Mentions four well-known archeologists and their achievements. I had to laugh because amongst the three obvious choices (Heinrich Schliemann, Arthur Evans and Flinders Petrie) there is a less obvious choice of …wait for it…Indiana Jones!! Yes, you read that correctly!
Limitations:
- Outdated information: Published over 30 years ago, the book does not reflect major advancements in archaeological methods and discoveries. Since the 1990s, the field has seen significant progress in areas like remote sensing, forensic analysis, and DNA testing.
- Author’s focus: Michael Avi-Yonah was a prominent Israeli archaeologist known for his work in the Classical and Byzantine archaeology of the Holy Land. While he brings extensive knowledge to the subject, the book’s content focuses heavily on the region of his expertise.
- Accessibility: As a book intended for ages 9-14, the information is basic. It is not an in-depth academic work, but rather a starting point for students.
Thoughts
I used this book as a read aloud during our morning time together. I believe we had already studied Mesopotamia, Israel and Anatolia (Turkey). It was a fascinating book, covering some of these areas, in addition to Egypt, Greece and Italy. Thus, it usefully pulled together our knowledge from the Middle East, whilst offering up new takings from unit studies planned for our future.
This may be out of print now as I was unable to find any copies on Amazon (where I bought my copy from) but I can see other book sellers who have an odd copy to sell. It is a book worth having, although I have collected a few more archeology books which are more up to date (see below).
As a first introduction to archaeology, Dig This! is a relevant and reputable starting point due to its clear and comprehensive overview of core concepts. However, for a more current understanding of the field, especially regarding modern methods and recent discoveries, the book should be supplemented with more contemporary resources. I have included a few below:
Archaeology for Kids: Uncovering the Mysteries of Our Past by Richard Panchyk
Archeology (Eyewitness) by Jane McIntosh
Other Books By Michael Avi-Yonah
Buried Worlds series (Runestone Press)
This is an educational nonfiction series for middle-grade readers, published by Runestone Press in the 1990s. The books cover archaeology, writing, and various aspects of ancient civilizations.
- Fired Up!: Making Pottery in Ancient Times by Rivka Gonen focuses on ancient pottery techniques and how archaeologists study them.
- Scrawl!: Writing in Ancient Times by the Runestone Press Geography Department examines early writing systems and materials used by ancient cultures.
- Piece by Piece!: Mosaics of the Ancient World by Michael Avi-Yonah details ancient and modern mosaic techniques, and covers Greek, Roman, and Byzantine mosaics.
- Dazzling!: Jewelry of the Ancient World details jewelry-making in ancient civilizations.
- Dig This!: How Archaeologists Uncover Our Past explains how archaeologists work to uncover the past.
Further Book Reviews Related to the Mesopotamia Unit Study
Treasures Under the Sand by Alan Honour {Book Review}
Ancient Mesopotamia by Virginia Schomp {Book Review}
DK Eyewitness: Mesopotamia {Book Review}
The Seven Great Cities of Mesopotamia {Book Review}
The Lifeboat That Saved The World {Book Review}
Murder in Mesopotamia {Book Review}
For more ideas about studying Mesopotamia, head on over to my Mega Ancient Mesopotamia Unit Study post. This contains lots of recommended resources and free notepages. Oh, and some stem ideas for including science in your history unit studies.
For all my other history lessons, and more unit study ideas, head over to my History page
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