My professor said to always check the spoil pile, and he was right

During a dig near Flagstaff last summer, I was focused on the main trench when my old professor's advice came back to me. I spent an extra hour sifting through the discarded dirt and found a small, intact Anasazi pottery shard that had been missed. Has anyone else had a simple piece of field advice pay off like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

lopez.simon2mo ago

I always thought checking the spoil pile was a waste of time, but your story proves it's worth it lol.

sandrajackson2mo ago

Right? So what was the best thing you ever found in one? I bet there's some wild stories out there. Makes you wonder what else gets tossed out.

john_cooper2mo ago

Yeah I used to think like Simon that it was a waste of time. Then I found a perfectly good, sealed lego set from like five years ago. Just sitting there in a clear bag. Totally changed my mind on checking the piles.