I Volunteered for This?! Life on an Archaeological Dig
So, for other first-timers, here is a list of not-so-obvious questions to ask when you are thinking of joining a
dig.
1. How much physical discomfort am I willing to tolerate?
This applies to both the living accommodations and the dig site. Conditions on a dig, even “five-star” digs, are physically very demanding.
Our timetable was fairly typical. Up at 4 a.m., out to the van by 5, grabbing a quick cup of something hot and
some bread and jam on the way. Work until about 8:30. A brief break for breakfast al fresco and then back to work until
about 12:30. Most of the time I felt like I was working on a road gang.
Conditions at most digs are relatively primitive—open-air sanitary facilities with no running water. If you are an
outdoors person who is used to a lot of physical activity, you may find the rough life on a dig pleasant. If you are more
of a deskbound city person, like me, be prepared for new and challenging physical and mental experiences.
2. What work will I do on the dig?
First-timers are usually given the jobs where they can do the least damage. Depending on the site, you may sift dirt,
scrub dirt off mosaic floors, move mountains of rocks and dirt a bucket at a time, loosen dirt with a pickax or shovel dirt
and sand. You will get a Ph.D. in dirt by the time you’re through!
There is satisfaction in doing these jobs, but the satisfaction can wear a little thin after a few days. If carrying
buckets of excavated soil for seven hours a day, five days a week is not your idea of a good time, you should talk to the
dig director about how jobs are assigned and rotated. With the best will in the world, I found that I could not carry rock
and sand buckets for more than a few minutes at a time. However, I made the amazing discovery that I was reasonably
competent with a pickax and shovel.
3. Who will be digging with me?
One joy of a dig is meeting people who are enthusiastic about archaeology. This is especially wonderful if your spouse
does not understand your desire to dig in the sand and refuses to participate. My dig included a number of married folks
who had, like me, left their spouses at home, and a nice bond of camaraderie arose among us.
However, the group consisted primarily of college-age students and folks over 65. Although there were a couple of
other “40-something” types like me, sometimes I wished that there were more people closer to my own age. Especially
if you are traveling alone, you may want to check on this aspect beforehand.
4. How are roommates assigned?
You can count on having a roommate if you are traveling alone. Let the dig organizer know if you are a smoker or a nonsmoker. (If volunteers are housed in a hotel, you may be able to request and pay extra for a single room.)
5. What problems occurred on this dig in the past and how were they handled?
Don’t be afraid to ask the dig leader tough questions. How a dig director deals with the many situations that can crop
up during a season tells a great deal about that person’s character and personality, as well as about the type of atmosphere you will find on the dig. Ask about emergencies, personality conflicts and providing for group needs other than
digging.
Also, ask to speak to people who participated in the previous year’s dig. If [