Historical adventurers like Howard Carter and Hiram Bingham III inspire popular culture representations of archaeology, but their real roles were different from the adventurous depictions.
Archaeologists are typically salaried employees, not independent treasure hunters, and their discoveries are often claimed by governments or site owners.
Despite modest salaries, the field is projected to grow by 4.2% in the next decade, with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence aiding in research and analysis.