Over the last 8 days, I’ve learned that chucking a rock of a cliff as far as you possibly can is a very satisfying (although slightly terrifying) experience. I’d like to think I’m getting stronger with every bucket of rocks and dirt. At least, I hope I am, because I’ve made a lot of trips. With every pass it gets easier to tell the difference between pottery and rock. It’s fascinating to find little bits of a pot, or really anything, that was last used so long ago. An important thing I recently learned is how little I care about dirt, especially when I’m completely covered in it. I also find I’m not afraid of the creepy crawly friends that share our site with us. I have a greater amazement for the plants and animals that live here (and everywhere), as well as the rocks and natural formations. Nature is awesome.
Archaeology started off as clearing and cleaning the site. That was pretty fun, but more tiring. With a now open site, we have transitioned into clearing and cleaning within a specified area—one with many, many rocks. So far, my experience with excavation has been enjoyable yet challenging. Each rock presents new possibilities. What creature lies beneath that rock? Which swipe of dirt will unearth a new sherd of pottery? Which rock is just a rock and not a groundbreaking historical discovery? I’m continuously amazed at the extent of Antiochia. There are so many different locations and excavation sites, it’s impossible not to be fascinated. When I first came here, I thought our site was cool. I’m not sure how, but this place keeps getting cooler. With every new discovery and all of the action, there’s always something to learn. I love that despite it being an ancient site, it’s very alive in those who are working on it. We’re all so invested in our work and so intrigued by every little thing that it makes for a positive and interesting experience every day.
While where I’m working might be a bottomless pit, it’s a pit of opportunity. We have no clue what we’re going to find. We take it one rock at a time, facing whatever’s underneath it, and if it happens to be a giant tarantula we smash it with a rock. And thinking more about it, this pit might just serve as a metaphor for life. We keep digging, avoiding the obstacles and trying to find out what we can. It’s fascinating every step of the way, it’s terrifying, it’s wonderful—and it’s really, really fun.