INAUGURAL STEINMETZ FELLOWSHIP FOR VETERANS REPORT
We are pleased to announce that Charlie Steinmetz has agreed to match (up to $5,000) all current-year contributions for veteran or military personnel dig scholarships.
Last year we had 23 applications for a single veterans scholarship. We are grateful for Steinmetz’s challenge gift, and we hope to be able to offer more scholarships in 2020.
Brianne Thoen, 2019 Steinmetz Fellowship Recipient
Thanks to the generous support of the Steinmetz Fellowship for Active/Reserve Military or Veterans, I spent a good portion of my summer (10 July–10 August) participating in the eleventh excavation season of Prastio Mesorotsos, a multi-period site in the Pafos district of Cyprus. Situated in the Dhiarizos Valley, the site sits at a crossroads between the lowlands and uplands and between west Cyprus and the rest of the island, showing evidence of near continuous occupation from the Pre-pottery Neolithic to the mid-20th century. Prastio’s prime valley location and proximity to abundant natural resources likely account for its extraordinary longevity.
This season, four areas were investigated, exposing prehistoric remains from the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Early and Middle Bronze Ages, including: interior space of a presumed Chalcolithic building featuring a well-preserved plaster hearth and plaster floor; the remains of a round domestic structure with a pit hearth; and elements of material culture such as a unique picrolite stone disc pendant.
While this was my third season with the project, this summer I was invited back as a trainee supervisor. Though only a trainee, I was still responsible for identifying stratigraphy, safe removal of finds, creating accurate scaled plans, and making sure the students in my area did not destroy anything. (Thankfully this was not an issue as the two students I was tasked with overseeing were absolutely fantastic.)
As someone who is not formally trained as an archaeologist (my BA is in Art History, while my MA is in Humanities), coming back in a supervisory capacity was perhaps one of the most stressful things I have done. And yes, that includes my year-long deployment in Iraq.
When my faculty advisor first told me about this project in 2016, I applied on a whim. I did not expect to be accepted because I had absolutely no archaeological experience (save for one Intro to Archaeology class). I am so glad I tried something outside of my comfort zone, because not only am I gaining invaluable experience, but working at Prastio has helped me find the topic for my master’s thesis.
Even though the work is extremely taxing, and heat and humidity is my least favorite weather, I could not imagine any other way to spend my summers. I am very grateful to ñ and Charles Steinmetz for making it possible for me to participate in this excavation.
Brianne Thoen is a student at the University of Houston, Clear Lake.
Want to help more students and early career archaeologists get into the field? Donate to the cause today by selecting “Excavation Scholarships” as your gift purpose!
If you want your gift to count towards the Steinmetz challenge, please send us an email after you make a gift.