(guest post by Emily Schaljo)
I arrived at INA’s Bodrum Research Center on the 17th of July, and took a ferry to Datça on the same day. For the first couple of days I helped Lana and Tyler with preparations for the season. This included cleaning out the shed at the dig house and organizing pottery crates from previous years, learning how to set up the total station and take points with it, visiting the site, and going to Rhodes to get research visas. It was great getting to learn how to do total station work, and being able to practice it in the field. The trip to Rhodes took a little longer than expected, because our research visas could not be prepared in a single day. This inspired an impromptu overnight in Rhodes for Tyler, James and me. Despite the fact that we were not prepared for staying the night, we got the chance to see Rhodes, do some souvenir shopping, and eat some Greek food.
Excavation work started shortly after we got back to Datça. I became a part of Lana’s team along with Molly, and Itay in L1. About a week after we began digging in L1T5.A, the rest of our team arrived in Datça, and we added Peter to our group, as well as Sarah and Megan C. after they finished their work in L4. We have now opened up T5 B, L and M. We are finding so much interesting material, including a lot of pottery from T5.A, and some bones and teeth from T5.L. I have taken on registration duties for the pottery from L1, L2, and L4, which has given me the opportunity to see the diagnostic finds and learn about the different types of pottery we are finding on site. I am really enjoying my work and all of the opportunities to learn about the different aspects of an archaeological project.
Emily, Peter, Molly, and Sarah at work in L1, silhouetted by the morning sun.
