A person who researches the history and culture of earlier human societies by examining material remains such as tools, buildings, and ceramics.
example
Der Archäologe legte bei der Ausgrabung vorsichtig die Reste einer römischen Villa frei.
During the excavation, the archaeologist carefully uncovered the remains of a Roman villa.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Archäologe' (the archaeologist) is the person who works in the field of 'die Archäologie' (archaeology). The ending '-loge' often refers to an expert or scientist, as in 'Biologe' (biologist) or 'Geologe' (geologist).
EXAMPLE
Als Kind wollte er Archäologe werden und Schätze finden.
As a child, he wanted to become an archaeologist and find treasures.
Grammar trap: N-declension
'Archäologe' (archaeologist) is an N-declension noun. This means it takes the ending '-n' in all cases except the nominative singular: den/dem/des Archäologen.
EXAMPLE
Wir haben dem Archäologen bei seiner Arbeit zugesehen.
We watched the archaeologist at his work.
Typical activities
Typical verbs associated with an archaeologist describe their work: 'eine Ausgrabung leiten' (to lead an excavation), 'Funde freilegen' (to uncover finds), 'Artefakte untersuchen' (to examine artifacts), or 'Ruinen dokumentieren' (to document ruins).
EXAMPLE
Der Archäologe untersucht die antiken Keramikscherben.
The archaeologist is examining the ancient pottery shards.