Top Archeological Vacations

If Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull has inspired you to get digging for artifacts at historic sites, here’s how to find your inner Indiana Jones: Forbes Traveler has put together a list of top archeological vacations. Various organizations offer vacations that combine travel with hands-on archeological activity, even for those of us who are not officially trained. As the magazine puts it, “Taking one of these voluntourism trips will give new meaning to the idea of a ‘working vacation.’”

But be warned: Working on a real archeological site can be strenuous. Jim Walker, a director at the Archaeological Conservancy, says, “People quickly learn… that archaeology can be hot, dirty, hard work.” He says that a good dig has “a high ratio of trained, degreed professionals to participants.” The professionals usually offer lectures and instruction.

Here’s the list of some of the sites:

• Truk Lagoon, Micronesia: Sunken World War II ships and aircraft

• Mayan Archeological Project, Belize: Mayan ruins

• Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Cortez, Colo. Anasazi artifacts

• Mount Zion, Jerusalem: Homes from the first century B.C.

• Cueva Victoria Cave in Murcia Province, Spain: Ancient human remains, artifacts and fossils

• Hot Springs, S.D.: Woolly mammoth fossils (pictured)

• Pambamarca Archaeology Project, Cayambe, Ecuador: Pre-Columbian fortresses

For more details, along with other sites and tips, click on the “See our slideshow of Top Archeological Vacations” link in the story.