As the week draws to a close, I think that archeology in Turkey has turned out to be a lot more than it at first appears. Preconceptions and syllabuses are simply not enough to describe the detail, strategy, and sweat that goes into our excavations on the acropolis. From taking exact elevations, forming and improving your personal methods, and simply enjoying the humid 100 degree weather, it rarely disappoints. For me, having always enjoyed the Mediterranean climate, the physical work is more pleasant than it appears, and is a good change from St. Olaf’s Minnesota winters.
Also interesting is our ‘side activities’, including washing pottery, drawing scale models of said pottery, and in the future some field trips. Getting hands on with shards of centuries old bowls and amphorae puts into perspective both how much humanity has changed, but at the same time how much is still the same as it was in ancient times.
Overall, I hope in the coming weeks to see even more of what Turkey and Antiochia ad Cragum have to offer.