Before this project, my only experience with archaeology were the Indiana Jones movies and I had only a vague idea of what real archaeology entailed. This program taught me that attention to detail is vital to successful archaeology. We detailed every soil change, every piece of pottery, and even interesting looking rocks. It was tough to adjust to this approach at first, but after a month I understand the rational. Archaeology is a form of destruction. The ancient soil is removed and it can never be analyzed gain. But it’s destruction that is minutely detailed, and I came to understand and appreciate the necessity for this detail. We show respect for ancient cultures with a detailed and careful approach.
I also now understand what sweating really means. I’ve lived in Oklahoma, probably one of the hotter states in the US, but I’ve never experienced heat like Turkey. The combination of high temperatures and humidity mean that we were all dripping as soon as we started work. I’ll miss many things about Turkey, but the constant sweating will not be one of them.
My most memorable experience from this trip was the night that our group went to a local festival celebrating a young boy’s circumcision. It took place in the small village near our dig site. It was a community event, where most of the village seemed to have turned out. There was an amazing dinner and dancing late into the night. We learned the traditional Turkish dance, and while we may not have been good, we were certainly enthusiastic. This was not an event where we simply showed up as spectators; we had to be invited by Rami, our foreman at the dig site. It was touching that we received an invitation to such a private community event, and I think that speaks to the friendships most of us formed with the Turks with whom we worked this summer. These festivals celebrating circumcision are becoming increasingly rare, so it was a privilege not only to witness but to participate in the event.
One of the first things that struck me about Gazipasa was the amount of construction. New apartment building sites were everywhere. According to Professor Howe, the town’s population has doubled since last summer. And this growth is not limited to Gazipasa. Turkey has a steadily growing population and a strong economy. Turkey does much of its own manufacturing instead of relying on imports. This strategy creates jobs, which is important with the growing population. While the turmoil in Iraq may threaten the Turkish economy, Turkey seems to be a growing country with a bright future. This month changed my perspective on Turkey, it’s place in the world, and it’s potential as a country.
It’s difficult to give advice to students considering archaeology. It’s such a unique experience and so different from any St. Olaf study abroad tour. No amount of reading will truly prepare you for the trip and that’s a good thing. Without the unexpected, this project would not have been the adventure that it was. The one piece of advice I do have for incoming archaeologists regards the right attitude and perspective on the work. You will be digging up the cultural history of a people who are very connected to their past. Your goal should be to help tell the story of the ancient peoples of Antiochia. Any other view would be selfish. We are not Turkish citizens, do not possess the same connection to land or the ancient peoples. Incoming students need this perspective to truly understand the importance of their work.
Sometime in my life, I would like to do another archaeological dig. I had no real experience with Ancient Studies before the trip, and I have no plans to change my major at this point. It was such an amazing experience however, that I will definitely keep archaeology in mind for my years after college. It was quite a feeling, finding something that was last touched over a thousand years ago and it’s a feeling I would like to have again.