Sounds like this should be the title of a young adult read right or at least of an installment of Encyclopedia Brown. (Does anyone else remember that kid detective?) Well though the length of this post might suggest otherwise, this is just an update of my exciting, fun first archaeological dig. So here goes... stream of consciousness from my head to my journal and now to my blog.
My first dig.
Location: Salisbury Plain, UK
Focus: WWI practice trenches on the MOD Estates
Not sure why I felt the need to list everything so matter of factly. I can't imagine how I might actually forget my first archaeological dig. It was not the most professional operation I am told by other more experienced participants, but it was certainly fun! I write this retrospectively several days later and my first thoughts bring so many smiles. I think whatever the manner of dig I would have found it fun, but the relaxed nature was great in that after the first few days I began to feel confidant that my lack of experience couldn't really ruin our finds. The purpose was to begin to recognize the value/importance training played in the Australian victory at the Battle of Messines. Second year the dig had taken place and though we found so much more than last year I think it would be a stretch to say they actually could draw significant conclusions yet.
Exciting though was the process. De-turfing- which I was not so
great at, digging- I have to say I didn't realize that there was so much digging involved in an archaeological dig [smile]. Then came the fun part- well the fun part for me. We began to find stuff! Not earthworks which were actually what we were looking for (hence "the trench that wasn't"), but lots of artifacts. Puzzle pieces to enlighten us toward what might have been going on at our site. very soon I was dubbed the "Finds Genii". Entranced by dirty potshards circa 1915-1920, bits of glass mostly window glass, but sometimes fragments from a bottle, charcoal and rusty metal. Thats just me, what can I say. Everyone saw a piece of plate or cup, but I already had a back story formulating in my mind of a mother offering a piece of everyday china to her departing son. Material traces of the human story. It was very possible that hands that touched these never returned home. I like to think my puzzling brain and penchant for embracing human stories make me a great archaeologist, though it probably also makes me flawed- seeing stories before the "facts" are disclosed doesn't make me particularly objective. I can't be perfect. [smile]
As the week progressed my trench team- Nick, my tutor, Esther (mentioned here by request), Niamh, and Joff- became increasingly aware that the practice trench we sought to find would not be materializing. We'd found a rubbish tip instead. Still a puzzling feature to Nick and the dig directors Richard and Martin. Late Wednesday through recording Friday- one or all of the them would periodically stand above our hole peering quizzically waiting for an answer to reveal itself. The only thing they ever decided was that there was some sort of layered infill of a probable crater. It was hard for me to get discouraged when we didn't find out everything- I still got to put potsherd puzzles together and use my trowel! Our biggest finds included a rusty bicycle seat, Camp Coffee bottle, HP sauce bottle, and screw post for barbed wire (see photo below of its excavation).
I did feel a twinge of regret on Friday while we backfilled the trench- our hole we had spent so much time making was now just to become a lump in the Bustard field on the MOD Estates. Mostly though I felt tired. It was a long week. My beat up knees, stinging nettles scared bum -yes I sat on a patch near our trench, and scuffed up hands, and my back longing for my mattress. Did I forget to mention we were camping all week? No, well, not only was I dusty and dirty and muddy from digging I couldn't get really really clean for a week. The campsite did have a shower block, but I ask you how clean can you get I ask when the shower spurts water only in 30 second (I counted) bursts and only about 10 seconds of that water that might be called hot. I'm okay with being dirty, outdoorsy, but mostly because it makes me so appreciate being clean. [smile] Sad day when we set up our tents because I learned this was a no-fire campsite. Please someone enlighten me on the fun of camping without s'mores and smelling of camp fire smoke. We did manage to enjoy camp evenings with that honest talk that comes from being together 24/7 and a few pints and the local pub. The first night we even began reading DRACULA together- Gunnar as read because his German accent was the closest we had to Translyvanian. Other nights spent talking of families, childhoods, ghosts ("No, but I expect to."- ask what this means if you like, though I'm afraid it might not be as funny if you weren't there. [smile]) It was fun to get to know my classmates in a new way. Finally I'll briefly mention the cold- because though it was June the nights were freezing! Literally. Josephine and I almost froze to death the first night, but as the week went on it got better. Nick was camping with us. And I can attest to the fact that even professors with PhDs wake up groggily after a night in a tent. [smile]
Overall such a fun week! Sorry for rambling on so long hope you'll forgive or that you at least found it somewhat interesting. I'll add photos tomorrow.
Just, Margaret
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