Archaeology Terminology

noun a small, sharp implement used for cutting or piercing

verb to break up, turn over, or remove earth, sand, etc., with a tool or machine

• Archaeologists carefully dig through layers of soil to uncover ancient artifacts.
• I really dig the new song by that band.
• I heard she's digging that new guy she met at the party.
• She had to dig deep to find the courage to speak up in front of the large crowd.

noun a small piece or fragment of a brittle substance, typically glass, metal, or stone

• The archaeologist carefully excavated the shard of pottery from the ancient site.
• I found a shard of glass in my shoe and it really hurt!
• That breakup was like a shard to the heart, it's gonna take time to heal.
• The artist used the shard of mirror to reflect different perspectives in her artwork.

adjective describing a noun as not having been harmed or impaired in any way

• The artwork arrived undamaged thanks to the careful packaging.
• Luckily, the package with the fragile items came in undamaged.
• My phone fell but it's still undamaged, thank goodness!
• Despite the challenges, their friendship remained undamaged.