Hazel Oddson
This past month flew by so swiftly, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when the experience shifted from all new and unfamiliar to the comfortable ease that I think we all felt by the end. I wish we had more time as a group! Everyone I’ve met during my time on BcGn-15 has been kind, fun, and an invaluable part of the project. I’m so grateful to have many great memories to hold onto from my first archaeological field experience.
As a member of the Bears unit, OA8, I was immediately excited to get to work on the area we were assigned because of how complex it seemed. It had been previously partially excavated, there were crazy boulders to traverse, and many unanswered questions. I knew it might be a challenge, but I anticipated rising to it and did not doubt that my team and I could unravel some of the mystery.
Right off the bat, our operation area proved to be all that I hoped it would be; we struck gold! In the very literal sense, on our second day of excavation, I found a man’s 10k gold signet ring with a red garnet while sieving the first bucket I was handed of the day – I couldn’t believe my eyes, it was such a memorable experience pulling it out of the dirt it was caked in and realizing what I’d found. We assume that the ring dates to around the 1940’s-1950’s, based on the type of ring’s popularity at about that time. My favourite detail about the ring is its inscription on the inside, “All My Love”, really informing that this ring had a lot of emotional value to the wearer at one point, a true token of past human connection, which I adore thinking about. I can now say forever more that I found gold during my first time in the field! How cool is that??
My group and I overcame many challenges. I feel I should highlight the immense collection of maps that we drew after more and more layers were uncovered. So, so many rocks were drawn. Excavating around those rocks also proved to be a task, but we worked around it (literally). Hot days and laborious digging can’t be overlooked, but I think we’re all stronger for it. I can’t wait for where the trowel brings me next!
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