Archeologist: I Don't Carry a Whip... on the weekends.

Introduction
It's not like we're running around Venice wearing fedoras, but my curiosity is continuously fed.
It is important to know that a great deal of one's time is spent in the laboratory. Also, as an archaeologist, you will specify in a certain region of the planet. No one can be a specialist in archaeological activity globally. It's just like being a medical doctor in that respect.

Job Function
The best aspect of my job is traveling to work on a project. My research is based in Asia, and I go there just about every summer. I have had some amazing experiences doing fieldwork in what is apparent wilderness. What is so exciting about these projects is seeing how what humans have created has been buried into the texture of a continually adjusting planet.

Taking this idea to an urban setting, if you drive past an impoverished lot in a big city, and you see that it may have once been a successful gas station, and now it is merely a desolate home for rats, you can get a picture of how societies build themselves up with intricate ceremonies and goods, and at some point in the evolution, decay.

I also teach at a University. What I don't like about my job is grant writing. Depending on your project and the institutions you are affiliated with, obtaining funding can vary in ease or difficulty.

Careful investigation is the core of this career. This investigation includes study of many different academic fields, application of this knowledge to your own projects, and collaboration with researchers in other areas. You may share information or insights, for example, with anthropologists. Advertisement
Lifestyle
Most people are attracted to archaeology because of the exoticism of going to foreign lands to investigate the past. It seems redundant to state, therefore, that an archaeologist travels, but I'll say it anyway. I travel, if not to do field research, then to attend conferences.

My hours are regular. I teach, conduct research, and write for scholarly journals. There is a pressure to publish, as with many careers in academia. If I am behind on a paper, I will stay at the office later or work from home.

Additional Information
If you want to know more about this field, talk to professors at your school in the social sciences. Also, volunteer to accompany a professor on field research.

Helpful Links and Sources
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/profiles/dayInLife.asp?careerID=10
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos054.htm
http://www.archaeology.org/events/museums.html