Kaylyn Scourbys and I arrived in Gazipaşa on July 13th––we went to work the next day. As I suspected, the Mediterranean is beautiful. The view from the Acropolis is spectacular. One can observe the beaches below and marvel at the cyan and cerulean waters. Behind me, the sprawling hills and banana plantations. I understand why people built on the Acropolis––no one can surprise you.
Surprisingly, I do not mind the heat––much. The mornings hover around 75 degrees Fahrenheit, but the afternoons are about 10-15 degrees hotter, not including the humidity. While I notice the temperature change, I ignore it, like the boiling frog apologue. That is not to say I am not uncomfortably hot, as I sweat two liters each day. I drink an equivalent amount to prevent dehydration. I feel like a pack animal with all of my water bottles. I would rather have more than I need than not enough.
My unit, ACNS 6B, is a fascinating plot. We’ve found many artifacts in the first week, including the following: Roman glass, two semi-intact ceramic vessels, charcoal, nails, miscellaneous animal teeth, and one coin. We fill about three “find bags” of pottery every day. The unit sits on a slope, so we suspect items slid down the hill, likely over decades of rainfall. We do not have a clear idea of our unit’s former uses yet. Perhaps it is a dining room considering the numerous shards of ceramic dinnerware scattered throughout. We’re keeping an eye out for a burn layer. We know that previously excavated units exhibited burn layers, so it would not be an unusual observation. The soil, however, is yellow right now. We will continue to keep an eye out for soil changes.
The miscellaneous animal teeth consist of ovine and swine types. We’ve nicknamed the unknown ovine “Casper, the friendly goat.” I found both chunks of swine teeth. Both were molars set inside the mandible. Swine teeth are eerily similar to human teeth as both species are omnivores. I need to name my piggy friend. I’ll have it for next week.
Monday, July 24, 2023