Life in the Trenches: It Ain't All Golden Masks and Crystal Skulls

Archaeology is a beguiling occupation. Who
wouldn't be attracted to finding cool, old stuff
buried in the ground? It appeals to the child in us
all.

But archaeology isn’t all gold masks, crystal
skulls and temples. Often it’s chert flakes on a
lake shore, burials in the forgotten corner of a
field, or pioneer dwellings in the woods.
Sometimes it just isn’t all that glamorous.
The reality is that for every well-known
archaeologist - the kind you might see doing
exciting things on TV - there are legions of less
high-profile characters working in the
background. Their work may not be quite as
sexy or result in paradigm-changing
discoveries, but it is important and valuable.

The following chapters are snap-shots of
archaeology from more than forty years of work
in both Britain and Canada. Rather than
spending too much time on the scientific and
technical, Nick has focussed on stories which
convey the life of a working archaeologist ......
well, his working life anyway.