Preserving the Past … For the Future … One Dig at a Time
Looking forward to another day at the archaeology dig. Putting on the coffee and getting breakfast. Water containers to be filled with fresh water — it’s going to be HOT today, so need to take extra. Grabbing some food to throw into my pack along with the water. A trip to the barn to check on my animals — fresh water, everyone looks good. Throwing my pack into my vehicle and away I go!
Need to dig carefully — looks like someone broke a clay pot — all in pieces — and each piece needs to be carefully extracted from the soil. The pot will be reconstructed in the lab at a future time. Notes, notes, notes, never ending — this is the important stuff — keeping track of soil changes, artifacts found, any “stains” in the soil that may be the remains of poles holding up ancient structures. Here’s some rock debris — someone chipping away on a precious piece of rock to make a projectile point, scrapper, or other implement. Each piece of rock must be collected and labeled carefully. Some charcoal here — an ancient fire pit, rock-lined — need to photograph and draw a rough sketch. Wonder what they were cooking: deer? rabbit? fish? Maybe some of the potsherds from the broken clay pot can be sent out for protein analysis.
One never knows what is going to be found at a dig — but each little bit tells the story of the past and must be carefully preserved for future generations.
I’m very dirty and very tired and mosquito-eaten — but it’s been a good day and I feel great!
Preserving the Past … For the Future … One Page at a Time
That’s what I did as an archaeologist volunteer — but it’s not so very different from what I do as a Distributed Proofreaders volunteer.
Getting up in the morning and turning on the computer before doing anything else. Putting on the coffee and grabbing some breakfast. Logging into Distributed Proofreaders.
What shall be read today? Sometimes science, sometimes travel, sometimes anthropology, sometimes just choosing something different that I never even considered reading. Every book is important — the 5-page books to the 1,000-page books. The religious books — books of poems — science books — fictional books — travel books — music books — medical books — all interesting and need to be carefully proofed.
Here’s a book on engineering — wonder what sorts of things engineers were working on way back then? Another on an African tribe — a culture different from mine — thinking and doing things according to their needs and wants — wonder what they would think of Western culture? And another book on ocean biology — maybe will read this one for a while. All those Latin names of shells and sea creatures — they require a reader’s full attention. Here’s another book on submarines — somewhat technical — think I’ll read this next. Some math formulae and engineering terms — wonder how submarines have changed from past times to today?
Never know what books will be in the queue to be proofed but every one is important, each book tells a story of the past and must be meticulously proofed, formatted and preserved for future generations.
My back hurts, I need more coffee, my eyes are glazing over — but it’s been a good day and I feel great!
This post was contributed by eyecrochet, a DP volunteer.
The DP Blog wishes all its readers a very happy and healthy New Year!
Hot off the Press 
Oh, what a lovely blog post, eyecrochet–a great way to start the year. Thank you so much. 🙂
Eyecrochet–I crochet, too! ^_^ I’m jealous of your time as a volunteer on archaeological digs, as being an archaeologist was my first career plan when I was about 12 years old.
Thanks for the terrific post–I, too, have read books about all sorts of things, here at DP. You sum up the experience in a quite realistic way.
Sue.
Happy New Year and many thanks to you and all the volunteers.
A really cool comparison. I always enjoy other volunteers’ perspectives on their time at DP. Happy New Year everyone!
Nice! The archaeology bit made me think of my dad. He did that as a hobby – today would have been his 101st birthday.