Apart from one or two days last week, we have not had scorching days–low to mid-nineties a couple of days, but the hottest days are coming next week. Fortunately we work under a sun shield. But it does get hot!

One of the respites from the hot weather is the task of pottery washing. The Armenian Museum nearby has graciously made some of their space available to the dig team to process the finds from each day. It’s sheltered from the sun (mostly) and you work sitting down. Team members are rotated through the assignment over a two week period. 

After the finds are sorted and catalogued, the pottery is taken to a washing station where people gently wash the pottery to remove dust and dirt. Often the value of a shard is not obvious until it is cleaned. 

Washing reveals details, colors, and (best of all) any inscriptions or writing. That can help date the pottery and provide valuable information for mapping the site in both space and time.

Best of all, it’s a cooler spot on an otherwise hot day.