At the start of July 2018, I travelled to Italy to partake in a 4 week excavation at the ancient Roman city of Pompeii located just outside Naples. This was my first archaeological dig and it all happened pretty quickly, I was originally destined to work on a Roman necropolis in Bulgaria before a place became available on the Pompeii team. The project was organised by a UK company named Grampus Heritage and partnered university students with European archaeology firms and was funded under the Erasmus scheme. This meant that my flights, accommodation and food were all provided - an excellent opportunity to improve the accessibility of archaeology. A four week dig with other providers could cost upwards of £2000 especially at the more famous Roman sites like Ostia. Without the Erasmus funding I would not have been abled to partake in what became one of my most memorable experiences. Back in February, the UK government rejected a proposal that required them to negotaite membership of the Erasmus scheme after Brexit. It saddens me that the next generation of youth won't be afforded the same opportunities as I had.
You may be wondering why archaeologists are still excavating Pompeii but the truth is much of it still lies under Vesuvius' volcanic ash that provided a perfect layer of protection to the city. The current superintendent of Pompeii shifted the focus to quality of excavations rather than quantity, getting everything done properly with the right documentation and learning more about the areas already excavated. And thats where I come in. I was part of an international team headed up by the Univeristy of Genoa and an Italian archaeology firm named Etruia Nova. There were students from across the UK including Exeter, Glasgow and Nottingham but also Italian postgrads and a couple of archaeology professionals from Canada and the Netherlands.
Some of the team on the last day on site. Author's Photo.
We worked five days a week 7.30- 4.30, with a half an hour break and an hour for lunch, however towards the end of the project there were days we'd end up staying till 7pm to try and get the work done. It was hard work, you have to be outside for 8 hours a day under the baking Italian sun only made worse by the big protective boots and long trousers. There was no modern structures for a rest area so we set up a HQ point in a large villa complex and it was often here I had my lunch. Although at other times, I'd take my pack lunch and find a nice spot amongst the ruins a particular favourite of mine was the Temple of Isis and Temple of Augustus.
So you're wondering what I actually did? Before the dig, I knew little about what 'excavating' entailed and felt extremely anxious about my lack of knowledge and fear I would be thrown into the deep end. However this was not the case, the Italian team was extremely helpful and friendly even if there was sometimes a language barrier ( Irene, my lead, didn't know the term for pile so called it a 'little Vesuvio' - quite cute actually). Actual excavation included me combing through the soil with a trowel until I reached the next layer (usually identified by discolouring or introduction of new materials). Anything I found would usually be documented, bagged and then taken to another team for processing. These other teams would wash the finds, draw them and file them away. In terms of what we found, there was animal bones, metal nails, fresco fragments (wall paintings) and lots (and I means lots) of pottery. We found around five coins and this by far was the coolest experienced. As a high value find, we mapped the findspot using 3D technology and took the relevant photographs in hope they could be used in a future publication. Sadly the soil had corroded all the coins and they were unidentifiable, they needed to be treated by specialists in the metals lab to return them to their original condition.
Left to Right: Restoring a Fresco; Carbonised Bread; Artist's Paint Pots; The Morning Commute; Fresco at the Villa of Mysteries; Animal Teeth found in my trench. All Author's Photos.
My trench was located Region 7, just off the main road leading to Pompeii's forum, the site was a former shop in 79CE, however we had excavated below this level to find out the archaeology of the site before 62CE when an earthquake hit the site and is identified through the reconstruction of a lot of walls at Pompeii.Dwellings at the site date back to the 6th century BCE and thus Pompeii has a rich history that has never been fully explored. The findings were quite cool, before 62CE this former shop was a public space with a pavement running through it and two wells for drinking water.
In the last few days, the project was getting ready to end which meant we had to backfill our trenches - this was a process in which we had to bury our trench to preserve the archaeology but it made it look like we've never been there. This process allowed visitors back into the space, preserved the layers below and provided a point for archaeologists to pick up from where they left off next excavation season. This was the hardest work, shovelling and carrying 5-8kg of dirt in buckets in each hand for hours on end till all three trenches the team were working on were covered.
Before and after the backfill. Note the amphora handle on the left. Author's Photo.
I had full and free access to Pompeii with my site pass which brought with it many perks. On my first day, I received a tour around the organic remains lab which brought me up close with the famous Roman carbonised bread alongside other carbonised delicacies including olives, almonds and Roman speciality: fish sauce (garum). One amazing artefact was some paint pots that were found in house being renovated when Vesuvius hit, this provided the exact shades that the Romans would have seen in their decorative frescoes (wall painting). There was an opportunity for some to work in the fresco lab, where they would have to clean, label but also help restore fresco paintings - kinda like a big (but extremely hard) jigsaw puzzle. My site pass also got me free entry into Pompeii's sister site Herculaneum and the Naples Archaeological Museum. Even after working five days a week at the site, I found myself spending my weekends exploring Pompeii as a tourist. If you ever go make sure you visit the Villa of Mysteries - its a bit further out but the state of preservation is amazing.
The experience was truly one of a kind and one I won't be in a hurry to forget. However it wasn't easy, the work was repetitive, labour intensive and under the sun; there would be days where you don't find anything of note. Although for me, that feeling that you're uncovering something untouched for nearly 2000 years is pretty world beating.
If anyone wants any further advice or has any questions about archaeology, feel free to contact me and I'll try my best :)