Archaeology is a scientific way to learn about the past lifeways of the people who once lived here through the study of artifacts and other material remains. At Strawtown Koteewi Park, professional university-led archaeological excavations have helped researchers better understand the daily life of the Native Americans who once called this park home. Excavation is done with great precision and care: the site is laid out in a grid system tied to a known point of elevation called a datum point, then excavated in smaller units one level at a time. At Strawtown Koteewi Park, excavations were often performed in one by one meter units in ten centimeter levels. Dirt from each unit and level is kept together and screened for artifacts, and recovered artifacts or potential artifacts are bagged and labeled with the site number, unit number, level number, and the number of centimeters below the datum point where they were found. This technique allows archaeologists to recreate the layout of the site and learn as much as possible about its composition.