Analyze an Artifact

Meet the artifact.

• Material (check all that apply):

  Bone	Pottery	Metal	Wood	Stone
  Leather	Glass	Paper	Cardboard	Fabric
  Plastic	Other

Observe its parts.

Describe it as if you were explaining it to someone who can’t see it.

• Think about: shape, color, texture, size, weight, age, condition, movable parts, or anything written on it.

Try to make sense of it.

Answer as best you can.

• Where is it from?
• When is it from?
• Who used it? List reasons you think so.
• What was it used for? List reasons you think so.
• What does this tell you about the people who made and used it?
• What does it tell you about technology at the time it was made?
• What is a similar item from today?

Use it as historical evidence.

• What did you find out from this artifact that you might not learn anywhere else?
• What other documents or historical evidence are you going to use to help you understand the event or time in which this artifact was used?