Digging in the dirt…the formation of a story

Yesterday I attended the Alexandria Archaeology orientation for the summer sessions. This means that I’m now certified to grab a trowel and help excavate artifacts. As I sat in the air-conditioned, church-basement-like room of the George Washington Masonic Memorial, memories from my undergrad archaeology classes came rushing back.

Beyond the science of archaeology having some very interesting words associated with it (potsherds, flakes, historic record), I think people who dig in the dirt for a living are naturally interesting. Why else would Indiana Jones be so popular, Crystal Skull notwithstanding?

These two points make me sure I’m going to end up writing at least one story this summer about adventures at Shuter’s Hill, where the Alexandria archaeologists have been excavating for 12 years. I just have to excavate a great idea first…