These past two weeks working at Antiochia have taught me a lot about my engagement with archaeology as a whole. Coming into this with really only a course on theory under my belt, I was not sure what to expect when it came to how I would apply that knowledge specifically, and how well I would be able to do the actual physical work that archaeology requires. I knew a lot about the history of archaeological practice, but I was a little bit nervous about my lack of experience in the field otherwise. After having completed a week of working on our unit now, I feel like the knowledge that I had is nicely supplementing the practical skills that I am gaining. Throughout the week it has become easier to do things like identify pottery, or take 5 centimeters off of the top of our unit; however, things like figuring out what steps we need to take next to accomplish our goals, or understanding the underlying purpose of our excavations in the domestic quarter are less apparent. This is where I feel like my more theoretical understanding of archaeology really comes in handy. If I had not done this research and learning, I feel like I may have not realized the importance of excavating this house while others worked on public buildings like the bath, but in many ways I am now able to recognize that this work is just as, if not more, important. There are many baths and public structures still standing and studied in this part of the world, but houses like this tend to be severely understudied. I enjoy the way that we’ve been applying the knowledge that we have learned, allowing every piece of pottery or glass found to inform our conceptions of the site, and I hope that as we find more the work we have already done will continue to build upon that narrative we have in our minds. This in turn helps us understand the site as a whole better, and the extent of Antiochia keeps being widened in my mind as I learn more about the flow and structure of the city.
In another vein, I have also really enjoyed further exploring Turkey and engaging more with the people that live here. The beauty of this country is more and more apparent the more we venture outside of the dig house and the site (which is already extremely beautiful in itself). On Friday we went to Pirate’s Cove for the first time due to the road work happening last week, and it was so picturesque and amazing. Additionally, the Highlander Festival that we attended on Saturday gave me a great inside look at traditional Turkish goods and food. Another really fun part of Saturday was being able to talk (and sometimes haggle) with the people running the stalls at the festival. We were almost certainly the only tourists (or at least the only English-speakers) there, and the experiences we had trying to communicate with the locals in the broken English/Turkish that we respectively knew were very humbling and really amazing. That moment when you can finally understand each other or are able to use technology to talk to one another is so fascinating and it really feels like you are able to connect with that person, despite all of the obstacles in your path.
Thus far I have enjoyed every aspect of being immersed in Turkish culture, whether ancient or modern, and I’m very excited to see what the next half of the trip will bring!