FIVE THINGS YOU BRING HOME FROM AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION
Sara Soltani, 2017, P.E. MacAllister Heritage Fellowship Recipient
Archaeology, known as one of the world’s dirtiest jobs, can also be one of the most rewarding. From participating in the discoveries that redefine history, to the wonderful experiences that excavations bring, it can truly be an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. After the excavation ends though, what do you bring home other than photos, souvenirs, and memories? For those who are considering participating in an archaeological excavation, or those who are curious about what you gain from an excavation during the three to six-week period, let me share what I’ve learned.
From left to right; Noelle Purcell, Rebecca Larson, and Sara Soltani pose for a group photo after wet sieving. (All photos courtesy of Eric Cline)
When you arrive at your accommodations, you are placed in a room that you share with around one to three other people. Excavations begin at 5 a.m. sharp and continue until you head back for the day at around 1 p.m. for lunch. Upon arriving at the site, you are placed into a locus, or a specific area of excavation, with other participants. Before long, you may become very close with these participants, until they are no longer just fellow participants, but also friends. You all will work through the heat, sweat, and dirt during long and hot days towards a common goal, which creates a real and close friendship.
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- Friendship
From left to right; Analee Nelson and Sara Soltani section a test trench.
Whether or not you study Archaeology, Anthropology, or History, new friendships and connections gained from an archaeological excavation are something you can maintain after the excavation season is complete. For all anthropology-related majors, excavations are a great place to meet new colleagues who will benefit you personally, as well as professionally. Besides the determination and commitment of the staff and participants at the site, nothing would get done without teamwork. Teamwork is the most important factor in making sure that any excavation season is a success. Because of this teamwork, in my experience, relationships formed at an excavation are often some of the strongest and last the longest. Something about a mutual understanding of hard work towards a common goal among all the excavation members compels us to rely on one another and work as a team for the duration of the dig, and that creates a lasting bond.
- Multitasking skills
It isn’t possible to be productive in an excavation without learning to multitask. You might think, ‘why would I possibly need to multitask?’ While digging that trench, have you thought about where your dig partners are while you excavate with a 10-lb pickaxe? They might not hear it coming. Are you looking for ceramics, bone, flint, shell, and metal while scooping up the dirt? Sometimes juggling the day-to-day tasks of a field archaeologist can be underappreciated until you experience them for yourself. After the season, you are able to return home with new skills that can be applied to both your career and your personal life. I’ve learned that one of the most beneficial results of this is the ability to manage deadlines while maintaining an active social life.
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- Fitness
Sara Soltani is collecting the soil for disposal while looking for artifacts.
The hours are long, and the work is intense, but excavations really are as rewarding as they sound. Who wouldn’t love to find artifacts in the ground that haven’t been seen or touched by another human being for thousands of years? Who wouldn’t love to touch a piece of history with their bare hands and see it through its discovery, cleaning, and cataloguing, all while building muscle? Eight-hour excavation days might sound difficult, but you get to work out doing something you love, and reap the benefits. This is obtained by a combination of healthy meals, digging, and a stable support network—you’re all in this together!
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- Coordination
Sectioning. Something every archaeologist knows all too well. How straight can you make your dirt wall? Are you a coordinated person? If you are, your OCD will thank you for it. Properly hacking at a dirt wall takes some practice, but you can always admire your work in the professional excavation photos. Where are your tools? Making a mental map of the location of each tool and loci will prevent injury and make for a speedier excavation day. Guaranteed, your navigation experience will improve as you learn to understand the layout of not only the site, but also of the ancient buildings you’re excavating. Each of these new skills might even improve your categorization of your possessions at home, and help in navigating yourself around new places, in addition to the obvious benefits to your hand-eye coordination.
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- Personal growth
Sara Soltani is picking for bone, flint, shell, and metal.
Excavations teach you a great deal about personal responsibility. This is not just in dealing with the objects, but also in dealing with yourself and those around you. Character building is one of the best qualities an excavation can offer. During the excavation season, no matter how long you stay, you obtain a sense of community, gain leadership skills, and come away with a greater knowledge of both the site and of yourself. So, before you turn down the idea of an excavation, know that no matter what your age or professional experience, every archaeological excavation teaches you something different. Every archaeological excavation is a chance to gain professional and personal experiences that stay with you for a lifetime.
Sara Soltani is a senior studying archaeology at The George Washington University. She excavated at Tel Kabri, located in the western Galilee region of northern Israel, with The George Washington University for three weeks. During that time, she was in charge of managing the wet sieving, bone picking, and cataloguing collected samples, in addition to digging.