Tel Akko

Tel Akko

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The Most Significant Find of the Day

To the right you can see some important tools of the trade for an archaelogical expedition in a hot climate: boots, sturdy work gloves, hat, bandana, sunscreen, water, and wait... What's sitting on top of the water bottle?

Before I tell you what's balanced on top of my water bottle, I need to give you a little background information. I am assigned to a square in our dig called "PP2," with my peer Eric, another PSR student. We have been working on our square for three days now. The first step was cleaning up loose material and separating the dirt from pieces of broken pottery and other material evidence such as bones and shells. After we cleaned for a day and a half, our professor Aaron Brody made a tentative call that what we were working on was an ancient collapse, and we began excavating: carefully removing dirt from between rocks and articulating the edges. It is fairly slow work because anything can be in there and it's important to keep things intact.

This morning as I was removing some dirt and other material that was over a foot or so below the level of the highest rocks in our square, my hand pick hit something that sounded suspicious. I cleared away the packed dirt carefully, and suddenly a rusty metal loop came into view. It was a bucket handle, the very one you see in the photo.

The bucket handle was not what we were hoping to find, but it proved to be the most significant find in PP2 for the day, as it proved conclusively that we were digging, not in an ancient collapse, but in a rubble pile or fill left by a late 20th century archaeological expedition. Eric and I got to demo the whole square down to the level of the handle, and maybe tomorrow we will find an ancient level underneath. None of the work we have done so far has archaeological significance.

What is quite apparent is that the spiritual practice of non-attachment is crucial for this field, as well as for a peaceful life. As long as we focus on the process and don't get attached to any particular outcome, all is well. If we get attached to a particular outcome, pain of some sort almost certainly follows.

7 comments:

  1. errr ... does the "rubble pile or fill left by a late 20th century archaeological expedition" apply to more than just your (and adjacent) squares? I guess more finds from other squares have to be evaluated to find out?

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  2. sadly, this is part of the business of archaeology. I'm glad to hear you have taken the "high road" in focusing on the process and not the outcome. Yes we all want to find the next big thing, but half of what I love about excavating is the experience of digging itself: the dirt scraping away beneath your trowel, cutting straight baulks. It's weird but I get into an archaeo-zen dream state. Talk about spiritual practice!

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  3. So great to hear how things are going! Hope everyone is doing well. Laura (and the contextual ed. office)

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  4. OH! My goodness ! Don't get discouraged ! I guess it is not exactly what you were told about your square in your dig ! Supposed to be new teritory I guess !

    Love, Mom & Dad Zabel

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  5. Hi RickSPI,

    There were previous digs in the 1970s and 80s in the area we are excavating. Unfortunately there are not full, accurate records of what was done. Some other squares on our dig also have remains from this time period: soda can, plastic, etc. There are also plenty of places where we are finding intact remains from antiquity. Today we found that a section of PP2 seems to have ancient material in situ that matches up with some in adjacent squares. More will be revealed tomorrow...

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  6. "There are also plenty of places where we are finding intact remains from antiquity. ... More will be revealed tomorrow ..." COOL! glad to hear that.

    Please say Hi/give a hug to Kim from me (her husband!) ... I don't know how much chance she is getting to look at this blog! :^)

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  7. The joy of life is opening to the mystery and miracles that are all around us, even in the compacted soil. I love to hear about civilizations and what moved or moves them.. And to hear about my Sweetie is so precious too.

    Golden Love, Santa Cruz, CA USA

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