[MUSIC] JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST: Scholars in Greece in the fifth century B.C.E.
were the first to save even more ancient artifacts.
But the science of archaeology didn't really get started until the 1820s.
Archaeologists still use the same basic tools today: A trowel to help remove layers of earth delicately, A shovel to move large amounts of dirt, Picks to use on harder surfaces, brushes and dental picks to clean artifacts without any damage and Sieves to filter out small artifacts.
But not every tool is so simple.
Archaeologists are using ground-penetrating radar to see what lies beneath the soil.
They use high-powered microscopes to examine tiny details, Archaeologists are even joining with NASA to study land features hidden away by growth and time.
And high-tech computers and software help with anything from mapping, artifact analysis, data recording, even 3-D modeling.
What started as scientists scraping away at soil, is now an advanced and exciting science.
For more information about archaeology, check out the Science Trek website.
You'll find it at ScienceTrek.org