An environmental archaeologist is a social sciences professional who has dedicated his or her career to the study of how human cultures interact with the natural environment. Much of the work focuses on ancient, even primitive cultures, but it can just as easily relate to more modern civilizations, particularly where tracing roots and origins is concerned. Professionals usually spend most of their time evaluating and observing how people make use of animals, both for food and for labor; plants, both as crops and as aesthetic gardens; and land resources, particularly soil cultivation and mining. A lot of an environmental archaeologist's study is academic, but some can be hands-on as well.
The study of environmental archaeology is, in its most basic sense, the science of how humans interact with and exploit their surroundings from ancient times through to the present. Professionals in the field have many different career options open to them. Most focus on one of three major areas. Zooarchaeology is the study of animal domestication and use, whereas archaeobotany looks at how plants have been grown, prepared, and eaten. Scientists focused on archaeopedology spend their time studying soil samples to find hints of how the earth was cultivated and exploited by human civilizations.
Depending on the area of an environmental archaeologist’s study, all or part of the work may be done in the field. Samples must be collected from digs or excavations and either studied in context or brought back to a lab for further investigation. Archaeologists usually spend years working on single projects. The research is often slow, but the results can be quite comprehensive.
There are many different reasons for a person with archaeologist training to seek out jobs related to human environments and settlements. Understanding how early civilizations used the land can shed light onto how people use it today, for instance, and can lend insight into different means of reaching the same results in more modern times. Environmental archaeologist professionals can also provide a more comprehensive view of who ancient people were, looking not just at where they lived but also how. It is often difficult to get a full picture of how communities functioned based on artifacts and static city layouts alone. Knowing how people used their surroundings helps modern scholars determine more of what early cultures were really about.
An environmental archaeologist usually works on a team with various other anthropology and archaeology professionals. He or she contributes research that is essential to creating a full picture. Archaeology jobs in this discipline typically center on facts and conclusions. They often lead to publications of books and formal studies of the history and roots of civilization.
Archaeological study of this sort often happens in universities. The discipline is also important to many cultural and anthropological endeavors, and as such is often sponsored by heritage organizations and governments. Museums will also hire people with this sort of archaeologist training, either as exhibit consultants or as docents and resident experts.