Having a bird poop on my shirt during introductions in front of the professional Barcelona archeologists was not how I expected the beginning of my day to go. But I quickly stepped back, washed off, and was soon off to the site to explore! I climbed a fence with my professor, met a new girl from Brown University named Marsella, and met Tony our head archaeologist who told me how to excavate correctly and efficiently like a real archaeologist.
I will admit, I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing at first. Despite learning about archaeology with my peers, learning about the history, and listening to many knowledgeable speakers, I realized it wasn’t until you get out into the field that you have the full real feeling of being an archaeologist. We use brushes, pickaxes, black tubs for dirt, wheel barrows to move supplies, and most importantly, our hands, arms, legs, and breaking backs to excavate while outside in the beating hot down sun. There were also lots of mosquitos which we were warned about. I do have 15+ new bug bites. But despite all of this I have really been able to bond with my peers, explore a new city, and try some delicious gelato places!
The beach is also one of the best places to go. The water is beautiful and refreshing and the saltiness hits your tongue almost immediately. Everyone is so friendly and wants to get to know you or talk to you. Every moment is engaging and I genuinely think it’s crazy that we are excavating a cemetery dating back to the Roman Empire and Christian Antiquity!
Here are some random things I’ve learned:
- Some of the items found date back to 1 & 2 AD
- The objects are from all over the world
- You excavate in layers (so that you can identify what time period an object is from)
- Patience is key and bring more water than you think is necessary
- Take breaks
- Goats teeth without the head or body is kind of disturbing (we found some while cleaning the objects we found)
- Never be afraid to ask for help
- Always be adaptable and embrace new experiences
- Being an archaeologist means moving around a lot and exploring new places
- There is always something to learn
Thank you for reading my blog post for the day!
Sincerely,
Francesca (Franny 🙂
Incredible opportunity Franny for you and your UP team. I look forward to hearing from all of you how this experience may impact your future careers after UP. Thanks for doing this blog so we can learn vicariously through your experiences!