Fieldwork
(J2)
VC15

This is an unedited sequence of fieldwork activity taken looking north in Unit J6. The excavation unit is near the monumental staircase, not visible in this sequence.

It is an instructive, if complex, sequence for the archaeological researcher for, while the activity is seemingly diffuse and random, it actually is part of the day's total program of activities. As is to be expected, activities overlap; the researcher using this film and others on the website is encouraged to be aggressive in handling the visual material; passive viewing is not appropriate.

In order to follow through in turn with each of the several projects that are being carried forward here, the researcher will necessarily have to re-wind the film a number of times, jockeying forward and back, replay a number of times, paying attention to details of the action in each sequence.

This is something like observing a moving organism under the microscope-it simply is impossible to pay attention to all aspects of the image at once. It is important to train the eye to follow discrete activities, seeing them as just that-strands of actions that are related within the excavation, but not necessarily by task.

Here, there are four distinct activities. Each should be followed through from beginning-to-end, by playing the sequence over a number of times and tracking each activity separately. Each requires a different type of tool.

These activities are:

                      · cleaning a wall (small pick)
                      · clearing a square (shovels)
                      · deploying the tent (two sections, not continuous)
                      · dirt removal (conveyor belt)