First full day of excavations!

All our hard work setting up units yesterday paid off when, today, we got to jump right into our new routine. While we've been forming a lot of new skills and habits all at once, I'm certain everyone will be a pro in no time!


First thing, we spent some time getting all our paperwork and equipment into order. This helps reduce holdups and problems when we start digging, such as when dirty buckets get stacked up and permanently fused together (such as the buckets seen above giving Rick a headache).


Then, the fun part: actually digging in our units! So far no one is past level 01, so we are all still firmly in the plow zone. This is good in terms of acquiring skills, since it is already so disturbed that there is very little risk when people make the minor mistakes that are part of the learning process. 


That's not to say we haven't already found some cool stuff! The Josh-es in Unit 25-02 found a broken drill tip (above left), and Mason and Mallory in Unit 25-10 pulled out a very nice thumbnail scraper (above right, thumb for scale). We have also gotten quite a bit of small pottery sherds, including a fairly substantial piece from Braeden and Hannah's Unit 25-06 that looked to be at least 5-6 cm in diameter.


Looking forward to seeing what you all find tomorrow, and how you continue to hone your excavations skills!

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