BA in Archaeology, 2020
Questions & Answers by Grady Gillet
- What inspired you to pursue a career in archaeology?
To be honest, I’ve never been sure what exact combination of factors led me to pursue archaeology. Whatever they may be, I do know that my grandpa was a big part of it. He lived in a beautiful house on the Outer Banks in North Carolina for all my life, and he had a deep love for maritime history. His bookshelves were filled with two types: World War 2 histories, and the history and archaeology of the Classical world. Reading through all of those books about the ancient Minoans and Romans definitely had an impact on me.
- Is there a piece of advice or conversation you’ve had with a professor that has stuck with you throughout your career?
Bob Cargill once told me that the easiest and most effective way to succeed in a Masters program and in the workplace is “to just show up, every time.” It’s pretty simple advice, but I think it truly is helpful. Most of us are as brilliant, innovative, or unorthodox as we would like to believe. And we don’t have to be. Just show up and do your best, and you’ll see results.
- What has been the most challenging aspect of pursuing archaeology, either academically or professionally, and how have you navigated it?
I thought studying archaeology, in undergrad and grad school, was a blast. Perhaps a bit dull at times if you had a bad lecturer, but overall exhilarating. Working in professional archaeology is different. The spectrum of experience is huge: the highs are very high, and the lows are very low. I’d say the most challenging part for me has been the frequent travel. I’m on the road for various projects around the Southeast for about 60-70% of my time. The key to managing it and getting the most out of it is finding habits and frameworks that will help you explore and make the most out of wherever you are. If I’m in Florida near some natural caverns, my co-workers and I will plan a day trip to tour the caverns. If Saint Patrick’s day is coming up, we will get together and plan a pub crawl. There’s lots of time in the car, which is the perfect time to schedule long phone calls with friends and really catch up. This has actually helped me become closer to several friends.
- Looking back, how has your perspective on archaeology evolved from when you first started studying it to where you are now?
In my first year or two of studying archaeology, I tended to believe everything I read or consumed that looked remotely scientific. Now, having done it at a high level academically and professionally for 4 years, I know that things always need to be taken with a grain of salt. I’ve made mistakes in my interpretations of archaeological data and sites, and I’ve seen other people do it. Even our best field work and the most inspired analysis of data will only ever represent a small piece of a big puzzle. And that’s exciting! Humans are complex creatures, and we have to be comfortable knowing there will always be uncertainty in our study of past peoples.
- Is there anything else unique to you that you’re willing to share (especially fieldwork experiences)?
My professors always told me that archaeology is a small profession, but that didn’t really sink in until I started my MA and then transitioned into CRM work. I’m always bumping into people who did fieldwork at the same sites I did, or who studied/worked with a colleague or former professor, etc etc. It’s always fun to play the game and see how many connections it takes until you ‘know’ someone else!
Fieldwork in CRM is a wild wild ride. I’m going to shamelessly promote my newsletter for a moment, because I’ve just sent out two editions describing some of the finds and experiences I’ve had at my company, TerraX. I think they describe some of the adventures I’ve had pretty well.
