Archaeological Ramblings

Posted by Añejo Joe from 59.charlotte-06-07rs.nc.dial-access.att.net on May 14, 2001 at 18:06:27:

Well, I just got back from my archaeological expedition and that was quite an experience. I feel a bit more like Sallah than Indy. I had never imagined that all the sand was removed 1 cm at a time! And that each 5 cm layer had to perfectly level before going to the next level. My first job was sharpening shovels. Then I carried buckets of sand, screened the sand, dug the sand. I measured depth with the stadia, and recorded records. I learned something about site features. And I learned a lot about the artifacts we were trying to find. There were lectures at night directly related to the site. And plenty of good food. In all, I feel that this experience was worth about a year of college. There is no substitute for field experience. I wish I had been a little better prepared academically. The only "Indy" item I found useful was the ever popular MK VII bag. Shorts, tee shirt, and a cap worked best. I tried a Tilly, but the brim got in the way. A fedora would have been ruined. It would have looked like Indy's after the tank scene. The dig lasts 3 more weeks. I am going back to see what was found at the lowest levels. This is the most fun I can remember having (except maybe for that time with the cheerleader, and that was a long time ago). I can't believe people actually make a living doing this, but the professionals who were in charge of the dig say that they do well.

Follow Ups:

You got fed?! Michaelson 11:38:33 5/15/2001 (1)
- Re: You got fed?! Añejo Joe 23:05:07 5/15/2001 (0)
Did that cheerleader have "Love You" on her eyelids? Inbanana 22:16:40 5/14/2001 (4)
- Re: Not on her eyelids Añejo Joe 00:38:43 5/15/2001 (0)
- Guinea pig tastes like pork? Fall Guy 22:25:47 5/14/2001 (2)
  - It wasn't exactly "more food than these people eat in a week" Inby 22:54:00 5/14/2001 (0)
  - Picky eater? bud-arc 22:36:37 5/14/2001 (0)
"Plenty of good food"? Where do I sign up? graml 19:02:08 5/14/2001 (6)
- Oh man! Stalagmites! Fall Guy 19:16:41 5/14/2001 (5)
  - You could always adopt the pirate look... graml 19:22:52 5/14/2001 (4)
    - Finally someone who knows the difference! Fall Guy 19:29:12 5/14/2001 (3)
      - Are we talking about stalactites or stalagmites here? bud-arc 21:53:57 5/14/2001 (2)
        
        It's easy to remember, really... Fall Guy 22:19:40 5/14/2001 (1)
        
        There was this silly way I learned to remember... bud-arc 22:34:49 5/14/2001 (0)

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: Well, I just got back from my archaeological expedition and that was quite an experience.  I feel a bit more like Sallah than Indy.  I had never imagined that all the sand was removed 1 cm at a time! And that each 5 cm layer had to perfectly level before going to the next level. My first job was sharpening shovels. Then I carried buckets of sand, screened the sand, dug the sand.  I measured depth with the stadia, and recorded records.  I learned something about site features.  And I learned a lot about the artifacts we were trying to find.  There were lectures at night directly related to the site. And plenty of good food.   In all, I feel that this experience was worth about a year of college.  There is no substitute for field experience.  I wish I had been a little better prepared academically.  The only "Indy" item I found useful was the ever popular MK VII bag.  Shorts, tee shirt, and a cap worked best.  I tried a Tilly, but the brim got in the way.  A fedora would have been ruined.  It would have looked like Indy's after the tank scene.  The dig lasts 3 more weeks.  I am going back to see what was found at the lowest levels.  This is the most fun I can remember having (except maybe for that time with the cheerleader, and that was a long time ago).  I can't believe people actually make a living doing this, but the professionals who were in charge of the dig say that they do well.

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