GROWING COURAGE AS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST

WHEN I WORKED AS AN ARCHAEOLOGIST I GREW MY COURAGE BY EXPLORING AND SURVEYING UNCHARTED TERRITORIES. I USED A COMPASS AND NO GPS TO LOCATE WHERE I WAS TO SURVEY FOR SITES. IN THE FOREST SERVICE, BLM, AND AS A STATE PARK ARCHAEOLOGIST I WORKED ALONE AND ENJOYED BEING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. I SUPERVISED A NUMBER OF CREWS IN NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA, ARIZONA, AND CALIFORNIA. I WORKED OUTDOORS AND NEVER CONSIDERED MY WORK TOO UNUSUAL. BUT WHEN I TALKED TO OTHERS THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ! THERE WERE QUITE A VARIETY OF PEOPLE WHO I WORKED WITH AND MANY HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN THE WILDERNESS, WHILE OTHERS HAD BEEN IN THE ARMY. IT WAS MOST DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH REMOTE CREWS AS I WAS NOT IN THE FIELD WITH THEM AND STILL TRIED TO DIRECT THEIR SURVEYS. MANY TIMES THE FOLKS GOT LOST!

WHEN I WAS YOUNG I REMEMBER WORKING IN OHIO TO DO SURVEYS IN CORN FIELDS. I LEARNED HOW TO USE A THEODOLITE AND COMPASS. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND ACRES OF CORN FIELDS AS WE SURVEYED PRIVATE FARMS IN OHIO. I THINK WE CARRIED WHISTLES AS WELL!

DURING MY UNDERGRADUATE DAYS I LEANED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO SURVEY OUTDOORS, INCLUDING CARRYING ENOUGH WATER TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY AND HOW TO LOCATE WHERE YOU ARE USING A COMPASS AND TOPOGRAPHIC MAP. I WAS ENGAGED DURING THE SUMMER IN EXCAVATIONS WORKING WITH CREWS UNCOVERING A PREHISTORIC HOPEWELL VILLAGE AS WELL AS A MASTODON SITE. MY FATHER ENROLLED MY BROTHER AND I IN A MUSEUM ALL SUMMER LONG. IT INCLUDED HARD LABOR IN DIGGING SOME OF THESE SITES. MY ARCHAEOLOGY CLUB IN OHIO WAS INVOLVED SURVEYING PRIVATE FARMS AND I WAS TAUGHT HOW TO MAP A SITE AND RECORD ARTIFACTS. WE USUALLY WALKED FAIRLY SLOWLY SO AS TO RECOGNIZE ANY ARTIFACTS.

MY GRADUATE WORK BUILT COURAGE AS I SPOKE TO MY CLASSES ABOUT MY RESEARCH. I ALSO TRAVELED TO MEXICO BY MYSELF AND THAT WAS FAIRLY RISKY AS THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME AS AN AMERICAN. THEY STOLE MY PASSPORT ON ONE BUS AS WELL AS SOME MONEY - I HAD LITTLE TO STEAL.. IN MY CLASS THERE I EXCAVATED A SITE THAT WAS GOING TO BE A RESORT FOR THE TOURISTS NEAR CUAUTLA AND LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT MESOAMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGY AND THE MEXICAN CULTURE!