Archeologists also explore under water to find buildings and relics from earlier cultures.

In ancient Rome, it was a mark of status to be buried by a busy road, where passers-by could stop and read the tomb’s inscription. This was thought to give the dead person a certain measure of immortality.

The coins found at archeological sites help historians understand the trade and economic patterns of ancient cultures.

Archeologists often use dental picks and cotton swabs to scrape away dirt and clay from coins, bones, pottery, and other finds.

By analyzing differences in embroidery, color, and design, archeologists can sometimes identify the village in which an item of clothing was made.

Evidence about grid plans for cities, ceremonial avenues, apartment compounds, and plaza structures has led archeologists to think that the several early cities from the Basin of Mexico resemble the ancient Aztec city of Teotihuacan.