Week three (or four, if you count the interim field trip / excursion week) has come to an end. Here are some more photos of life at this archeological dig.

Dr. Shimon Gibson, one of the directors of the project provides an overview of the work each day.  To signal the start of the work time he uses his signature phrase, “Let’s get cracking!”

Dr. Gibson, having served previously as visiting facility, will be moving to Charlotte to assume a permanent teaching position at UNCC. 

As the workday begins,the team I was part of positions equipment and gets their individual assignments for the day. 

 

About 11am each day, everyone takes a 10-15 minute break to enjoy a frozen popsicle. Since by then the temperature is peaking and everyone has worked hard, the folks  handing out the cold treats get a lot of love. 

There is probably nothing better on a hot summer day than the experience of a cold, sweet, sugary, intensely flavored confection trying to cool a hot, parched, body!

At the end of two days of digging the two teams working the site excavated a total of 62 of these large bags, each one an estimated one ton of dirt and rocks. That means we moved over 30 tons of material for disposal.  A much smaller quantity was sent to the museum for sorting and washing.  No wonder we are worn out each day!