Saw a grad student drop a ceramic fragment at the Moundville dig last season

It was a piece of a Mississippian effigy bowl, and it shattered on a rock. The field director, Dr. Chen, made us stop everything for a full site safety talk. Now I triple-check my grip on every artifact before I move it, and I keep my screen box right at my knees. How do you guys handle fragile finds in the field?

3 comments

3 Comments

derek65626d ago

Used to think those safety talks were just a formality, honestly. Watched a volunteer at a public dig fumble a historic bottle base once, and the way it just... came apart in their hands changed my mind completely. Now I treat every little thing like it's made of glass, because sometimes it literally is. I even set up my own work area like you do, with the screen right there so nothing has to travel far. That sickening crunch sound is all the reminder I need.

morganhill23d agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, that sound stays with you.

grace50826d ago

Totally get that @derek656, that sound is the worst. I started using a soft towel right under my hands for anything fragile, catches slips before they happen.