Archaeology Gifts Guide

It’s that time of the year again!  When you start racking your brain for holiday gift ideas for the archaeologically inclined in your life.  This year we’ve simplified your life by compiling a list of some of our favourite archaeology gifts for both field and home.

Archaeology Gifts for the Field

Marshalltown Trowel

An absolute must have for any budding archaeologist. You can’t excavate without one, and Marshalltown has been selling trowels to archaeologists for over a century.  They also sell excavation brushes and survey equipment.

Munsell Soil Book

Ever wonder why your archaeologist friend is so obsessed with determining which Munsell color the soil on site it? Now you can help them identify the correct color with this convenient book of color standards!

Saunders Clipboard

Archaeologists sure love paperwork and what better way to fill out site records than on a Saunders Clipboard?  This hardy clipboard will outlast the harshest of field seasons, keeping paperwork organized and dry during inclement weather.  Also doubles as a butt protector while lunching near cacti.

Weatherproof Notebook

There’s nothing worse than spending all day taking field notes only to later realize they are illedgible because of poor field conditions.  Whether it’s rain, grease, sweat, or mud this notebook will repel them all, ensuring your notes are as legible as your handwriting is!

 

Red Ants Pants

An amazing clothing brand that is actually designed for women (although they carry men’s sizes too).  The archaeologist in your life will greatly appreciate the gift of comfort and durability with. these well designed and constructed clothing

Bushwackers Briar Proof Chaps

Does the archaeologist in your life often look like they’ve been attacked by the land they’ve been surveying? Branches, briars, and thorns can be an archaeologists nightmare, but these chaps help keep your skin scratch free.  As a bonus, they’re also waterproof!

Carhartt Lined Jumpsuit   

Doing archaeology fieldwork, particularly excavation, in the winter can be bitterly cold. If you want to help your archaeologist loved-one stay warm even in the freezing cold we suggest Fleece Lined jumpsuits.  They truly are amazingly toasty.

 

DryGuy DX Forced Air Boot and Garment Dryer

There is very little worse than having to put damp clothes on before heading out to spend the day in the field.  Avoid the discomfort (and chaffing) this can cause by always ensuring your archaeologist has dry clothing!

 

Two Large Sticks

Is your archaeologist surveying in black bear country?  Get them the best in noise makers: sticks! As they round around landforms, these high tech gadgets can be banged together to warn critters of a human’s approach.

Archaeology Gifts for the Home

Munsell Mugs

Love those munsell colors? know an archaeologist who just can’t stop talking about soil? This mug is the perfect gift to bring some archaeological know how into the home (while hopefully leaving the dirt behind).

Trowel Lapel Pin

Looking to low key represent your archaeology love? Check out this stylish lapel pin to show your archaeology chops when field clothing just isn’t appropriate.

Buff Headwear

It’s a headband!  It’s a snow hat! It will protect your mouth from flying dust and dirt while screening!  This multifunctional tube of fabric will keep your archaeologist stylish and comfortable.

Archaeology Gifts for kids

WoW! DIGGING UP KIT!

As cool as archaeology is, it shouldn’t be surprising that kids love the idea of digging up items from the past.  Be the coolest gift giver ever with this dinosaur excavation kit! (And yes we know that’s paleontology but we just couldn’t resist!)

Blue Plush Archaeology Kit

Have a kid who really loves archaeology but is too young for metal or wooden tools? Indulge their desire for discovery with this plush toy archaeology kit!

Archaeology: Cool Women Who Dig (Girls in Science)

Looking for great archaeology role models for kids?  This informative book will teach kids the ins and outs of archaeology, while also showcasing some of the amazing women in the field.  You can check out our review of this awesome book on our podcast!

 

 

Gifts to Support Archaeology

 Black Trowel Collective

Help others access the field of archaeology by making a donation to the Black Trowel Collective in your loved ones name.  The Black Trowel Collective are committed to the active support of archaeology students from working-class and historically looted communities who are both regularly excluded by traditional scholarship and academic programs, or who require more economic support than those resources cover

Women in Archaeology Podcast Patreon

And now it is shameless self promotion time.  Get your loved one a subscription to our patreon so they can get early access to our episodes, get access to patreon only content, and get some sweet swag in the process!!

Small Archaeology Gifts

These are must haves for any archaeologist on the go:

-Hiking socks (Wigwam, SmartWool, DarnTough); protect those toes in style.

-Chapstick; great for lips and chaffed hips.

-Hand and feet warmers; your archaeologist will be super popular on freezing cold monitoring projects.

-Electrolyte tabs (Nuun; REI); no one wants a woozy dehydrated archaeologist in the field.

-Duct Tape; you’d be surprised what you can do with some tape, from removing cactus spines to wrapping up sad toes.

-Pencils and Sharpies; somehow, those little suckers keep wandering off.