I chose to take the internship at CAS for several reasons. Last year I learned in my CRM archaeology class that 92% of all trained archaeologists work in the CRM industry. I also learned that, second only to education, experience is what employers desire most from potential employees. CAS was a great opportunity for me to gain experience and find out what it was really like to work in the field of archaeology.
Ultimately I hope to someday achieve my PhD in geology and research the sources of materials found in archaeological sites. Many materials found in archaeological sites (such as obsidian) do not come from a local source. In most cases these foreign materials are the result of trade networks between different groups and cultures. Pursuing a degree in geology will help me to find out where the material originated. After the source material is found I would then use what I learned from my degree in anthropology and my work at CAS to identify local cultures that might have traded with those from afar. In order to properly prepare for that type of work I find it incredible necessary to know how the analysis of archaeological artifacts are carried out and to gain knowledge about how to work and collect samples in the field. Although through the course of this internship I have not had to opportunity to go out into the field I have become intimately familiar with the procedures used in the field. Without such procedures, analysis of the artifacts would not be possible.
CAS has an open and collegial atmosphere, formed out of the relationship between styles of communication and the openness of its built environment. It takes on a warehouse like style with high ceilings, concrete floors, and white walls. This creates a sense of openness almost like nothing is private; your work is everyone else’s work too. All work that does not involve a computer takes place in this main room on one of the five large tables that can seat six or more people. The arrangement of these tables encourages the exchange of ideas between the employees curating the artifacts. The open environment is essential for this kind of work. The exchange of ideas is important because it creates both a working environment and a learning environment as well. The open atmosphere allows those who are working with a new collection to seek knowledge from, ask questions, and share ideas with those who might have more experience and knowledge about a particular subject. Because different collections represent periods of history that are interconnected, the closeness of their work allows them to express their thought and let ideas flow in a casual manner that occurs among equals in a profession.
One of the jobs I do at CAS is the immediate post-field procedures and the taking of inventory. During this step of the analysis artifacts are taken from their field bags, washed, and put into a screen to dry. After they have completely dried they are then taken from the screen and put into new clean plastic bags with a tag stating what is contained in the bag and its provenience. The provenience is the critical information that tells the person conducting the analysis where the artifact was found. Level, depth, excavation unit, and lot number are all part of the provenience. This along with the site number and project name must remain with the artifact at all times during curation. After this is done all the information written on the tag is then recorded on an artifact inventory form. During this time a Specimen Inventory sheet is also written up. The Specimen Inventory Sheet basically assigns a number to each specimen collected. After the inventory has been completed all the information needs to be recorded in the computer. At this time any significant or legible Maker’s Marks (such as those found on some bottles, historic ceramics, or metal ware) is researched and a short history of that Maker’s Mark is added to the CAS data base. Maker’s Marks are important because they can tell us when a bottle was manufactured, and in most cases, where.
Before computers were affordable enough to have in an office all artifact catalogues, reports, photos, and any data pertaining to a site was recorded on paper and placed in a file cabinet. Today, CAS is still struggling to get all of that information recorded electronically alongside the written records. One of my duties at CAS is to scan or manually input all that information into the computer. This involves scanning hundred page reports, uploading photos from a CD (if I am lucky), and compiling multiple types of information into a PDF form so that another lab technician can input all that information into a special program that can hold more modern data such as GIS mapping information. This process is basically a way of backing up records as well as combining old information with new.
At CAS I have learned a number of very important things about archaeology. Overall the most important asset that I have gained from working at CAS is experience. Experience is not something that can be taught in a day’s lesson; it is a quality that can only be picked up from doing the work over and over again with trial and error. This has been the most beneficial part of the internship program. Because I was able to work at CAS over an entire semester I was able to learn things that I would not have if I had only volunteered there for a week. Working at CAS for this semester has given me the confidence to know that I now have the credentials to become a competitive candidate in the job searching world. To students desiring a similar internship to the one at CAS, I advise them to not allow the sometimes tedious nature of the job get in the way of their efficiency and precision. One mislabeled artifact could alter the entire interpretation of the site. In the future I hope to continue working for a CRM company like CAS. I have found that I very much enjoy the work and satisfaction of a cataloguing project well done and I hope to obtain some field work along the way.