If Trash Could Talk

two girls with one holding up a pad of paper with list on it and other wearing rubber gloves and pointing to things on the table

Long ago, people did not have garbage trucks to haul away their trash. They often threw things into trash pits near their homes. Some trash, like food, was biodegradable and decayed over time. Other trash, like broken pottery and stone tools, were preserved for hundreds or even thousands of years.

When archaeologists dig, they look for clues in ancient trash. Simple things that people used everyday can tell archaeologists a lot about what life was like long ago. Like how many people lived in a house, what kinds of activities they did, and what they ate. 

Even when ancient food has rotted away, tiny clues remain!

leaf imprint in rock

Fossilized Plants
Some clues come from teeny, tiny pieces of plants. Clues include microscopic plant fossils called phytoliths and starch grains. Archaeologists can study this evidence to figure out what fruits, vegetables, and grains people grew and ate long ago.

ceramic jug

Ancient Pots
Archaeologists analyze chemical traces left on old pots. These traces help them identify plant oils, animal fats, and even ancient beer! Just like plastic containers that still smell like leftovers even after washing, ancient pots soaked up traces of food that was cooked or stored in them.

narrow stone tool with point at the top

Stone Tools
Stone tools contain chemical traces too. Even thousands of years later, they help archaeologists figure out what kinds of foods people cut or ground with the tools. These clues help us understand diets and daily life in the past.

What does your trash tell people about you? 

Look inside your trash can and analyze the clues!

What You'll Need

The Materials

  • Rubber gloves
  • Newspaper or plastic
  • Items from one trash can
  • Paper and pencil
tabletop with a clear plastic bag with various garbage in it, rubber gloves, a newspaper, a writing pad and pen

What to Do

Step 1

Before you begin, make sure it's okay with your parent or teacher if you go through a trash can. Be sure someone goes through the trash with you.

Step 2

Find a trash can to go through. Be sure it comes from some place you know well, like your house or school. (Choose a room other than a bathroom, like your classroom, your kitchen, or even your own room.)

Step 3

Find a big flat surface (like a table or floor) on which to spread out the newspaper or plastic before you go through your trash. Even if you do this activity outside, be sure to put down several sheets of newspaper or plastic. (This will protect the surface and make it easier to clean up!)

girl putting down layers of newspaper on a table
Step 4

Put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands.

girl putting on yellow rubber gloves
Step 5

Take objects out of the trash one by one and place them on the newspaper.

adult holding garbage bag open while girl with rubber glove pulls out an item
girl with rubber gloves placing various kinds of trash laid out in a row on top of newspaper
2 lines of various trash laid out on table
Step 6

Notice what things are on top or on the surface, what's in the middle, and what's at the bottom of the can. Place the objects that you take out first at the top of your protective surface. Then put the next layer of trash below it, following the order of the trash in the can. The layers of trash can tell you which things are recent and which things have been there longer.

See what was dug up!

various items of trash arrange in 3 rows with labels top layer, middle layer, and bottom layer

TOP LAYER:
Coffee Bean Bag, plate with eggshells and piece of muffin, banana peel, milk box, plastic spoon, plastic cup that had yogurt and granola in it

MIDDLE LAYER:
Cat food can, paper plate, napkin, cheese doodle bag, ripped up mail, wrapping paper, chinese food menu, instant noodles package, plastic bag, candy bar wrapper, donut box

BOTTOM LAYER:
Bird food package, baby bottle nipple, ticket stubs, sugar substitute packet, golf magazine, airline luggage tag, ripped up mail, broken pencil, soap wrapper, candy box, old lunch box, toothbrush box, post-it note, makeup compact, half-full drink bottle

Step 7

After you separate the layers of trash from the top to the bottom, make a checklist of the items you found and where they were in the can.

girl writing down items in a list on a pad of paper
num8

Before you dispose of the trash, answer the questions under Think About It.

num9

After you answer the questions, throw the trash away and wash your hands thoroughly.

Think About It: What Does Your Trash Say?

Now, think about the stuff you found as if you didn't know the family who threw out trash:

Get the TRASH CHECKLIST PDF!

Trade Your Trash

Now trade some trash with a friend. (Don't do this without getting permission from everyone's parents first!) Answer the same questions as above. What did the trash belonging to your friend's family tell you about the way they live? How was it like yours? How was it different?

Credits

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Credits:

All photos: courtesy of AMNH