I guess that I should have started this blog earlier in the academic year. It did cross my mind, but you know thoughts like these, they get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. However, after a few emails from two of my lecturers (David and Ray) about a forthcoming summer excavation, I have been motivated to finally make a start.In brief I am a mature (38!!) history student at University of South Wales, formerly University of Wales Newport. I decided to pack the day job in and go to university after another boring day at the office staring out of the only window onto a dismal car park. Redundancy rumors were rumbling around the corridors and I figured I probably had another 30something years left before I retire, so I thought "I'm off, catch ya later!"
I had always had a passion for history and archaeology, so after completing an Access Diploma I embarked upon a BA History degree at Newport. In all honesty, if it had not been due to personal circumstances (and the fact that I had already fallen madly in love with Caerleon campus), I would have applied elsewhere to study archaeology.
Anyway, I have successfully completed my first year and cannot wait to get started on year two. I have already made a start on my dissertation preparation and frankly I find this limbo period between end of year exams and September start of term to be a bit of a nuisance (that's probably the 20ish years of full time employment talking there). However, all is not lost, the USW summer excavation is nearly upon us. After taking part in a four week summer dig in Trellech in July and August 2012 and briefly volunteering on a commercial dig in December 2012, I was definitely eager to take part in anything that my lecturers at Newport could throw at me. To say I'm excited is an understatement! I'm even looking forward to the aching back, clicking knees, horsefly bites and blisters. I simply cannot wait. I am a complete amateur when it comes to archaeology but I'm a bloody enthusiastic one!
The excavation at Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd is taking place between 19th and 23rd of August, and if I can summon the energy I aim to update this blog with the dig events. In the meantime here are a few pics from my 2012 adventures.
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| Tamar Kravitz, a willing volunteer from Chicago and me! |
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| Happy Clairey :) |
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| Part of a bucket discovered at the bottom of the well excavated in previous year. |
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| Finds processing in the sun. |
