There aren’t many similarities between Indiana Jones and me, and that’s probably a good thing. His experiences with archaeology are much different than my own. Even though I work in a pit, I haven’t had any snakes yet. Although I do wear a hat, it’s not nearly as cool as his. I definitely get way dirtier than he does. I’m not chased by giant rocks, I just struggle to toss them out of the pit. And instead of finding gold and precious artefacts, I’ve got a lot of dirt and rocks.
While my experience with archaeology isn’t necessarily glamorous, it’s extremely exciting and fulfilling. At the end of every day I can see my progress and see what we’ve accomplished together. It’s a collaborative effort, one where everyone brings something to the pit. Archaeology spans so many disciplines. It’s not just digging, it’s a knowledge of geology and ecology. It requires an understanding of history and the ability to think outside the pit. Archaeology is more than finding cool things, it’s an ongoing process where every discovery is essential.
Dory’s motto, “just keep swimming” is now “just keep digging” in my mind. Maybe not all answers, but most lie beneath our feet. The only way to find them is to dig deeper and explore the possibilities. We must do our very best to tell the story of those before us. Overall, archaeology is an continuous process of exploring and interpreting what we find. It’s trying to understand what came before us, in more ways than one. It’s trying to comprehend the complex relationships between the natural world and those who inhabit it, as well as the marks they each leave upon the other. Archaeology is full of wonder and possibility. It tells the story of the past to the people of the future, and for that it is infinitely valuable.