Info on dig work outside Ireland?

dr gonzo

Apologies in advance if this has been asked before(I hope i didnt ask it before, that would be awkward) but does anyone know the best way to find dig work outside Ireland?

Im in UCD, only first year but myself and two mates are trying to find out if its possible to work on a dig site over the summer, and if its possible has anyone done this? Whats the way they generally work?

Thanks in advance, any info would be brilliant because i'm not sure where to start.

gravensteen

Digging abroad is the most fun I've ever had. I went through UCD too, and I've spent most of the last three summers in some other part of the world digging. The best thing about it is that I ended up on sites that I had no interest in when studying (prehistoric sites, generally, because historic is my period) and had alot of fun learning about them practically. It's great for learning digging practice outside of the MOLAS norm, so you can work out for yourself what the best practice is for you.
It's also brilliant for meeting people, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

http://www.pasthorizons.com/ << this is great for fieldschools (probably best if you're a first year)
Also, email the archaeology office in UCD and tell them you're interested in digs abroad.
And keep an eye on the doors and notice boards around the school.
Most digs in europe will be free to participate in, you just have to make your way there and not mind roughing it (sleeping in a tent, in a large dorm, basically being dirty for three weeks).

Nebit

dr gonzo wrote: »

Apologies in advance if this has been asked before(I hope i didnt ask it before, that would be awkward) but does anyone know the best way to find dig work outside Ireland?

Im in UCD, only first year but myself and two mates are trying to find out if its possible to work on a dig site over the summer, and if its possible has anyone done this? Whats the way they generally work?

Thanks in advance, any info would be brilliant because i'm not sure where to start.

Hi there,
im a UCD archaeology student too. iv been on summer digs abroad and im doing one this year too (hopefully), all you need do is contact Dr. Helen Lewis or Dr. Steven Davis. You'll need to be committed however and have resonably good grades in archaeology.

if your a single major, you'll be placed on a dig with the uni in august anyway, if your joint majoring then you'll need to sign up by yourself. But usually you'll get it.

i would recommend you and your friends wait for this module, for it teaches you all you need to know about excavation. Arch:20100 i think is the code. Ask Dr Graeme Warren if you want to know anything about that module.

Hope this was a help to you.;)

gravensteen

A fieldschool would give you a good grounding in excavation techniques too, though. If you didn't want to wait till second year. I know there was one being run at Priniatikos Pyrgos in Crete, in association with UCD, if you asked in the office.

dr gonzo

Thats great info, thanks guys. So you dont think i should go before second year? Would it be no use until i'd done more, would i even be allowed on a site having only done a year?

Nebit

dr gonzo wrote: »

Thats great info, thanks guys. So you dont think i should go before second year? Would it be no use until i'd done more, would i even be allowed on a site having only done a year?

I think you should wait, its also a good module to take to get to know your lectures who are the ones who will help u gain further experiance.

Riamfada

Personally I wouldnt wait. Its best to get experience as early as possible and research digs are the best way to go about it. Site directors on these digs recognise that you are there to learn and explain things as they go along in contrast to commercial digs where you will be assigned a feature and expected to excavate it, draw, sample and take care of the relevant paperwork alone.

By the end of my first research dig as an undergraduate I was drawing, sampling, post processing, excavating and context recording and that was without any previous field experience. Then I aced the fieldwork module .

I worked on both research digs (five of them for UCD on two sites and one on the Discovery Programme) and commercial digs and learned alot more about archaeology than I did on the fieldschool. Take the fieldwork module but if you can financially afford it get in touch with the school of archaeology or email your lecturers and express your interest. I would seriously get involved early. It also gives you a taste for archaeology, I was on digs with people who hated it and only did it once, leaving archaeology afterwards. Its good to know what fieldwork is like outside of the UCD playing fields.It also goes on your CV. Im a dab hand with a total station, geosquizz and gps units after volunteering a little extra time during my undergrad.

If you want any specific information feel free to PM me.

gravensteen

dr gonzo wrote: »

Thats great info, thanks guys. So you dont think i should go before second year? Would it be no use until i'd done more, would i even be allowed on a site having only done a year?

Don't wait! Do it! Do it while you have time (and money, if you do!)!
Fieldschools will train you, and university research digs will be patient. It takes all of four seconds to learn to trowel, and I learned everything else on site from my peers.
It's different too (it's not interrailing or J1-ing), and it allows you to become part of a community in a different area or country.