Entering this week, I had no background with archeology, limited knowledge about Turkey, and few expectations about what the physical aspect of this experience would be like. Now, five days into the excavation, my perspectives have completely changed. Physically, I’ve discovered a new ability to push myself and endure the Mediterranean sun, finding a rhythm in the work and ways to maintain a positive mindset throughout the day. Intellectually, I now feel excited by this new world of painstaking, patient analysis of small pieces that leads to a larger finding. This hands-on experience has transformed my view of fieldwork from a limited, abstract point of view to a more in depth understanding of the intricate, rewarding process of discovery.
The biggest shift, though, has been in my perception of Antiochia itself. In my preparation for this internship, I read about the city and understood it to be a valuable link to the past and a place where many important artifacts have been preserved. Once on site, however, it felt like a living entity, slowly revealing its secrets with every layer uncovered. On Thursday, I stood inside one of the shops on Antiochia’s Main Street, assisting in a survey of the structure’s dimensions. In that space, I could close my eyes and almost hear the voices of people bustling about, buying goods and progressing through their day 1,500 years ago. This tangible connection to millennia-old lives is truly profound, and it grows every time I am on site.
Beyond the physical work, the camaraderie among the team has been a highlight, turning challenging moments into shared victories and reminding me that archaeology is as much about human connection as it is about connecting with the past. As Dr. Howe mentioned early in the program, every individual has a unique base of knowledge and set of prior experiences that add value to the team, and I am excited to see what else we create through the fusion of our differing perspectives over the next three weeks.