Archaeology

[Jamster26]

I’ve been looking into this, a future career prospect; as to be honest, I don’t see my current office job, as a long term thing.

Probably abit ambitious, but has anyone had any experience(s) in the field?

I’ve looked into it abit and it all looks really interesting. Just trying to figure out where to start!

[barryk32]

Have you tried The Sheriff of Nottingham?

[Mr Magoo]

I've had alot of experiences in a field, but probably no use to you.

[texan dave II]

I do it as a hobby a few times a year with the local uni great fun
I dont see how anybody can make a enough money at it to live comfortably without teaching in conjunction

[Squidgy]

I dont see how anybody can make a enough money at it to live comfortably without teaching in conjunction

Probably this.

You'd be better off buying a metal detector and wandering around farmer's fields all day.

[LightningBolton]

I remember someone who did archaeology at uni because he wanted to be Indiana Jones.

When he left he couldn't get a job & killed himself.

So go for it.


Only joking, although that is a true story, he was pretty mental anyway.

You'll spend 99.9% of your time scraping dirt & finding little of interest. If you're serious I'd do some volunteering where you can see if you like it & speak to people who actually do it for a living.

Try this first.

http://www.hawkin.com/20670-08179/dinosaur-nest-excavation-kit--

[azreal88]

Hi Jam,

I've worked as an archaeologist.  If you want to do it professionally, rather than volunteer, you'll need to study for a degree (the days of the "gentleman archaeologist" are long gone).  In the meantime, contact local universities and Bolton Museum - you could do worse than send Angela Thomas an email if she still works there - and ask them to send you a list of volunteer opportunities.  Try it out, to get a feel for what it's really like doing archaeology in Britain (getting piss-wet-through, frozen by wind, sore from digging and then pissed in the local) and make sure you talk to people who have volunteered before - I think there are forums for it.

It can be very rewarding, but it's not a career with any real money in it and it really is long years of study just to get to the point where you're barely competent - and then years of field work after that before you're taken seriously.

Another way is to join your local society, there's always one knocking about, and going from there.  There are non-student paid diggers - people who've volunteered for ages and are now seen as worth a small wedge of the tiny budget most digs are run on - so you should try to talk to some and get a real feel for how hard it was for them.

[Squidgy]

I've worked as an archaeologist. 

Blimey, what are the odds of that on a small forum like this?

And seemingly sound advice for a change

[Jamster26]

Thanks allot , Az. I take your advice, and I'll look into abit more. I'll try find Angela Thomas contact details, if she still works there, and see what happens.

[azreal88]

No worries, Jam.  Keep me up-to-date.

[H. Pedersen]

Aren't you going to be hacked off to find your fellow archaeologists think the world is more than 6,000 years old?

;-)

[Jamster26]

Hi Az,

Just to keep you posted:

I sent a few emails out, this weekend. I couldn't located Angela's contact details on the Bolton Museums "Contact List", but I did ask them to let me know if they had a volunteer opportunities.

I also looked into some of the local societies, that you suggested. I have received a few replies.

The most notable is the below. Do you happen to know what "recording memorial inscriptions" entails, and do you think this is worth going along to? Thanks.

//You do not say whether you are studying archaeology at the moment in any way. That would make a difference to your prospects of a career in the subject.
 
However, we are very pleased to welcome you to the group. Just turm up at St Bartholomew's churchyard, Wilmslow, this coming Saturday, at 12 noon and we will show you how we go about recording memorial inscriptions. This is one of the major tasks we have on at the moment. We do very little excavation, but I think it would be helpful for you to talk to the co-director of the group, Dr Hoffmann, who may be able to point you to some opportunities in that direction. I'm not sure what sort of career opportunities you have in mind, but I'm sure you will be aware that excavation is only one of the ways in which archaeology is carried out.
 
I notice that you say you are based in Bury. I believe that there is a local archaeology group in Bury. I'm not sure what they do, but it may also be worth your while to contact them as well.
 
Look forward to meeting you - make sure you wear suitable footwear and clothing for three hours outdoors, and if you ahve a clipboard to assist with writing that would be helpful too.//

[azreal88]

"recording memorial inscriptions" = writing down, or taking rubbings of, what's on tombstones.

[Jamster26]

Thanks. Good job it's not a night thing!

[bangerhard]

"recording memorial inscriptions" = writing down, or taking rubbings of, what's on tombstones.

Isnt that what Dave does with Natasha when they visit grave yards???

On a more serious note, I would take heed of what they say and try to contact the Bury branch,as well, I bet there is even one somewhere in Bolton.

[DaveBWFC]

Isnt that what Dave does with Natasha when they visit grave yards???

That and outdoor sex.

[Paul Comstive]

I'd imagine archeology is much more about sifting through shíte and using a little brush on something that looks interesting but turns out just to be a fossilised dog turd, much more than it is about being chased down tunnels by a huge boulder with a sexy blonde in tow.

[azreal88]

much more than it is about being chased down tunnels by a huge boulder with a sexy blonde in tow.

We tend to save that for the weekends.