So far, I have learned to physically pace myself when working at the site so that I have energy for the second half of the workday (and drink chai). I was unaware that my peers and I would be able to work this hard for so long and persist to get the work done, and there is a part of me that wishes I had trained harder before coming here. As for my interests, I have found it easy to keep myself excited and curious about what we may uncover next, even though sometimes it feels like we’re just moving soil and rocks. It is helpful that this type of learning is experiential, so that while it is a lot of physical labor, we’re learning about soil changes and how to differentiate ceramic from rock, among other things.
Before working at the site, I didn’t understand the extent to which archaeology demanded physical labor. My idea of archaeology was that it was primarily detail-oriented, and I wasn’t aware of how much of a site would have to be excavated from so much wall fall, soil build up, etc.. It is fascinating to know that what is being uncovered at Antiochia was once so far underground. The first day of out archeological work, I was second guessing how much we would actually be discovering under the soil but I now understand how and why archeologists scan each layer of soil for clues to the larger picture of life at Antiochia. I was surprised how much pottery would be strewn about each unit and how variable the pieces are. Upon seeing Antiochia for the first time, it was difficult to envision how it was a city and how people maneuvered from place to place while being to far up the mountain. Yet, by gaining an understanding of how the city was laid out from the tour and how people lived by studying ACNS, it is easier to recognize the lifestyles of the people who lived there. One of the things that I was most surprised about was how they kept a “trash pile” of bones and pottery or whatever else they didn’t need between bedrock and the floor. It is astonishing to understand how adaptable and resourceful the ancient people were.
These first days of excavation have created the most riveting experience of my life. I feel so lucky to be given the chance to work with the site firsthand and to collaborate and find community with the local people. This is my first time out of the country and I have felt naïve and ignorant at points but continue to stay curious and open to the experiential opportunities that I am offered.