Dig Blog: “uncertainty only makes the digging more intriguing”
by National Trust for Historic Preservation on October 27th, 2009Editor’s Note: Last week, Senior Communications Associate Dwight Young was on an archaeological dig at Montpelier, a National Trust Historic Site. He sent daily dispatches about the experience, and today shares his final thoughts on his week in the field.
Written by Dwight Young
Home again. My own bed. My own shower. My own coffee maker. My own tube of salve to soothe my aching muscles.
So what did I learn from my week at Montpelier? Here’s a brief list:
1) What I said 33 years ago is still true: Archaeology is hard.
2) Blue jeans and red clay are practically inseparable. I’m told that washing in cold water is the way to go. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be able to spot me in any crowd: I’ll be the one whose pants have pinkish knees.
3) If someone says to you, “Grab a shovel and a mattock and come with me,” don’t ask questions. Just run away.
4) There’s a lot more to Montpelier than I expected. I thought I knew the place pretty well, but I found layers of history and meaning that I never appreciated (or even suspected) before. I want to go back again, and often – preferably without a trowel.
5) I always thought of archaeology as a discipline that deals with facts and final answers, but it’s equally all about mysteries and unanswered questions. The archaeologists I worked with were always saying things like “We don’t know how this thing got here” or “We have no idea what this means.” I eventually came to believe that finality is overrated – and uncertainty only makes the digging more intriguing.
6) “Once we get through this layer of brick rubble, there’s a midden waiting for us.” Before this week, those words wouldn’t have made sense to me. Now, they’re downright inspiring. In fact, I’m thinking of having them carved on my tombstone.
7) If you hear about something that sounds like fun, it probably is – and you should do it. I signed up for the Montpelier gig on an impulse, and I’m very glad I did.
Current plans for next year’s Montpelier Archaeology Expeditions program call for volunteers to help excavate the site of a stable and associated slave quarters. Check it out at www.montpelier.org/archaeologyprograms and think about signing up. Get some red dirt on those knees. Here endeth the commercial message.
Dwight Young joined the staff of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1977. He currently serves as Senior Communications Associate and writes the regular Back Page feature in Preservation magazine.
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October 29th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Dwight thanks for sharing! I found myself looking forward to reading your dig posts each day!