For future participants, I would recommend bringing some clothes that you’re ready to ruin and come expecting to get insanely dirty. Also, though, come ready to make incredible discoveries and new friends. Make sure you pack sunscreen, swimsuits, and water shoes! As for places to go in town, make sure you go to the beach (it’s really pretty at night), the night market, and Tavada Tavuk for good chicken.
I would 100% participate in another excavation, it’s very intensive but rewarding work. I especially enjoy working with others to theorize about the space. Not to mention how cool it is to unearth and hold ancient objects.
It sounds simple but I have learned how to excavate and problem solve archaeologically. The site we worked in had a lot of different conditions at different strata which meant we had a few different approaches to take. By the end of the season, I felt confident in determining the best way to handle each layer. I have also learned how to use context to guide all theories and guesses we make. Additionally, I’ve become an expert at finding and identifying schist.
My most memorable experience is probably cleaning and reading/drawing the coins we found in our unit. I enjoyed looking for matches in the coin book to date them. Seeing an ancient person’s portrait on the coin was such a time-travel moment for me.
This project has definitely pushed me closer to a career in archaeology or lab work. I realized this season how much I enjoy physically handling the objects we found. It’s completely different from trying to analyze a painting that you can only see on your computer screen. Using touch, smell, and sight to classify material is an experience I’ve never had before.
Though I was quite literally “in the trenches” I’d do it again in a heartbeat!