An archaeologist studies the remains of ancient civilizations to learn about life in the past. They excavate sites to find fossils, which are remains of living things, and artifacts, which are objects made by humans. Archaeologists must get permission before digging at a site. They map the site using grids to carefully excavate and record the location of any finds. Tools include trowels, brushes and sieves. Archaeologists also use aerial surveys and scientific instruments to locate potential sites. Any artifacts found are analyzed in a lab to piece together clues about past cultures.