Let's Talk! With Stefan Milosavljevich

Shipwrecks. Buried treasure. King Tut’s tomb. Author Stefan Milosavljevich explores these topics and more in Tales of Ancient Worlds: Adventures in Archaeology. TFK Kid Reporter David Murtagh digs in.

For kids who might not have studied archaeology in school, what is it?

Archaeology is the study of all the stuff we leave behind. If we’re trying to reconstruct history, we have two sources of information. One is the stuff that people wrote down. The other is all the stuff we make, or drop, even our own bodies, or the waste we get rid of.

What’s your favorite period of history?

I do really love the Stone Age. I think it’s so interesting to go back to our earliest time.

What inspired you to write this book?

I wanted to share the biggest passion in my life. When I was your age, I was surrounded by history. You know King John from Robin Hood? He was buried in my hometown. Those sorts of things just always connected me with history.

Have scientific advances changed how archaeologists work?

Technology has changed archaeology so much. Now archaeologists can get a sample of dirt and test it for human DNA. When we test a tooth for human DNA, we actually destroy the tooth. That was our one shot at trying to understand the past. But with dirt, there’s loads of it.

What advice do you have for kids interested in archaeology?

Stay curious and keep your eyes open for opportunities in your area.

Writing a book is tough. What was the silver lining for you?

When people like you read and enjoy the book, that’s the silver lining.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.