I loved working in the field. If I would ever consider a career change to archaeology, I would not choose lab work. I would definitely choose to dig in the dirt. Despite the heat, the bugs, the rodents, and the weather, I really loved getting my hands dirty and finding things with my own two hands. Particularly, I loved contributing the archaeological record (even though my time here has taught me that Archaeology is about 25 percent fact and 75% inference…or guesswork…or maybe intuitive leaps…I’m not sure which, but it is a lot more subjective than I had originally anticipated.). Yesterday, we spent the first half in the lab cataloguing pot sherds (which I totally sucked at. I don’t have the patience to classify those tiny little bits. Find them…YES! Classify them, no thanks.). The second part of the day was AWESOME. I was back out in the field despite the sunburn that seared the left arm in a blaze of pink, digging like a mad woman and loving every minute of it. Shanna, the lead archaeology, put my on trench duty at the Great Kiva. My task was to find stratum 5, which basically meant I was to find the ancient “floor” where the walls had collapsed. It’s easy to spot as it is a pinkish red color with flecks of white (calcium carbonate). I hit it a lot earlier than she anticipated and wound up uncovering stratum 5 in nearly the whole trench section I was working on. She was so excited that she came over to work side by side with me to finish up. I also uncovered what Shanna believes is part of a burned beam to the structure. If so, they will uncover the rest and do a dendrochronolgy analysis on the beam to date the site…so my help actually may influence the archaeological record of the Dillard site. I’m famous!
LOL not really, but as Becky says, I’m a legend in my own mind and that’s good enough for me.
Becky, by the way, is a member of the Ute tribe and is an AMAZING artist. I believe I posted her website before, but I will again because she took me and my Hoganmates (Marjie—my hero, remember? I’m pretty sure she has a red
I have done so much in the past couple of weeks that my head will probably still be reeling by the time I get back to North Carolina…that is if I don’t move into the Hogan here forever...
Okay, I'm finishing this post this morning because I wrote most of this last night before going to sleep and I'm going to decide I will NOT move into the Hogan forever. My crazy awesome roommates (LOL) played a joke on me last night after I'd gone to sleep :) For some reason they think I'm the nicest person on earth so they put it to the test last night while Alisha taped it haha. It won't sound as funny in words so I'll try to get a copy of the video and share with those who want to see it. After the joke the party moved to our Hogan and I got very little sleep haha. Hogans do not have locks ;) I'm seeing the value in a lock now. (Jk, Marjie and Jan! I love you guys!) As Marjie says we'll just have to stick together like the crazy 3 Hoganeers we are :)
Today is a light day (I hope!)...we shall see!!!
That's so awesome that you got to experience what being an archeologist feels like. I think that would be really fun to dig stuff up, but (like you said) I wouldn't really enjoy the heat, bugs, or rodents. The websites showing the artwork of your friends is really amazing, especially Karen Kristin's sky work. It's so beautiful and it looks so real!
ReplyDelete@ Britny: heat, bugs, rodents...not fun, but not as bad as you might think. Did you check out both sites? Beautiful stuff (way out of my budget range, but still Beautiful!)
ReplyDeleteBesides being an archaeologist and seeing the artwork from the different tribes, I think it would also be very cool to see the artwork as it is being made, and spend a day with the tribe to find out first hand how they lived their lives. Instead of reading from a textbook.. :)
ReplyDeletewow! i would panic if i was close to a bug or rodent. I would like to go and see the sky work in person someday, that would be great.
ReplyDelete@ mark: I agree with you. The hands on is way more valuable than reading from a textbook. Sadly I have yet to figure out a way to teleport my classes to these amazing places. Perhaps someday...(:
ReplyDelete@ Maria: bugs and rodents aren't my favorite either but it wasn't all that bad really
oh wow, this was rather interesting. I wouldn't be able to work with bugs or the heat, the rodents wouldn't personally bother me (as long as i wasn't bitten, haha).
ReplyDeleteas for the artwork, both of them must have a great amount of patience. I love art, but I do honor anyone else with the talent.