It’s difficult to pick just one thing that I want to see on-site, as I really want to see all of it. That being said, I think the thing that intrigued me the most in the readings was the explanation surrounding the honorific inscriptions that decorate some of the public buildings and monuments. I’ve always been interested in epigraphy; the seemingly innate human need to make a mark and be remembered is endlessly fascinating to me. I mean, whose first inclination when they see wet cement isn’t to try and write something in it? It feels like it’s hard-wired into our DNA. However, even more than that, I am interested in the euergetism that prompted the creation of those inscriptions. Clive Foss’ explanation particularly stuck with me: “In return for benefactions or constructions paid from their own pockets, [the elite] received honorific inscriptions or statues in a system that essentially put the burden of maintaining civic life on those who could best afford it.” (71). Euergetism is one of the things that fascinates me the most about the ancient world because it seems so rational yet so foreign. It would be great to see the elites of society actually contributing to the public in a way that does not directly benefit them monetarily. Obviously, even back then, pure altruism was not their motivation; they were exchanging economic currency for social currency. Still, it positively impacted the community, so I would love to see those inscriptions in person.
As for what I want to do in Gazipaşa before the dig starts, I’m afraid my answer is kind of boring: I just want to acclimate to the heat as much as possible. I’m a person who thrives in cold weather and is generally heat intolerant, so I think the weather is going to be a big hurdle for me, especially when coupled with doing manual labor on the dig site. My current goal is not to succumb to heat exhaustion on the first day, so I’m hoping that taking a day to get used to the heat instead of hiding wherever I can find air conditioning will help with that.
Despite my fear of the weather, I am very excited to get started! 🙂