Today was another returning because it was today that the group visited Anamur, quite possibly my favorite site. Maybe because it is one of the most intact sites, it has a massive necropolis, a significant bath, a theater, multiple pieces of mosaic, and my personal favorite, a glorious acropolis.
Last year it was a game that me and Anna played at every site, can we climb to the top of the acropolis. Anamur was the one place where we failed. This year, however, offered a chance at redemption and success is sweet. Although this particular success included quite a lot of bedrock scaling, rock jumping, swearing, and a significant blood sacrifice as the thorns and other prickly beasties took their road toll. But it was worth it.
The acropolis of Anamur is a little peninsula, bounded on three sides by water, which means that we had a fantastic view, but it also means that it was important enough for there to still be a large number of walls and other ruins still fairly intact. The “I wonders” and “I wishes” were endless. I wish I could see the acropolis at its height. I wonder how much erosion has occurred because the bedrock is so exposed now.
The way back down was just as entertaining. It seemed like every five minutes one of us would stop and start muttering things like “ooh a beam hole!” or “that wall needs articulation, someone give me a trowel” or “oh look, it’s a foundation wall, I can see bedrock.” We got distracted far too easily to say the least. I had experienced this last year, the transition from just working in isolation at our site, to making connections in other sites, but it was especially exciting to see the same thing happen to the two other people with us, both of whom had never experienced archeology before. And it’s only been a week and a half. I think they are progressing far more quickly than I did. But all good things.
Now it’s time to start another week, which for me hopefully means some serious wall articulation. It’s a funny thing when you fall asleep chanting “all I want is a nice clean wall, all I want is a nice clean wall.”
Hmmm….I should probably go to bed now….
Maia