I knew coming onto this dig that I was in for a lot of hard work, and an amazing archaeological payoff (how often do you get the opportunity to excavate a World Heritage Site?!). What I didn't really count on was the fitness payoff that came with it. I like to call it going on archaeology boot camp. We were really thrown in the deep end this year, coming into the country in the middle of a heatwave.
My trench is at the top of the cavea, so we get the joy of walking up and down our 2000 year old wonder several times a day. A wonder for the legs! Working in full sun those first two weeks in high humidity made every movement sweat inducing. Then we have the day to day activities in the trench: picking, hoeing, shovelling, pushing the barrow all work different parts of the body. Even troweling back surfaces can give the arms a work out.
Add to this the 'Mediterranean Diet' of tomatoes, cucumber and bread and hummus, and the kilos fall off (if you can manage to avoid the tasty treats at Zorbas Bakery!).
Waking up day in, day out before the roosters can be a chore (especially with the aching muscles from work the day before), but it isn't as hard as it used to be. The days are getting cooler, and sometimes shade and a breeze happen at the same time and everyone lets out a sigh of relief. I can tell that my body is getting used to the new level of work I am putting it through - when we were walking up all the stairs at the Tomb of the Kings I barely felt it at all!
These last days of frenetic work will be interesting both archaeologically and to see if my body will continue to pick up the pace!
Caitlin
My trench is at the top of the cavea, so we get the joy of walking up and down our 2000 year old wonder several times a day. A wonder for the legs! Working in full sun those first two weeks in high humidity made every movement sweat inducing. Then we have the day to day activities in the trench: picking, hoeing, shovelling, pushing the barrow all work different parts of the body. Even troweling back surfaces can give the arms a work out.
Add to this the 'Mediterranean Diet' of tomatoes, cucumber and bread and hummus, and the kilos fall off (if you can manage to avoid the tasty treats at Zorbas Bakery!).
Waking up day in, day out before the roosters can be a chore (especially with the aching muscles from work the day before), but it isn't as hard as it used to be. The days are getting cooler, and sometimes shade and a breeze happen at the same time and everyone lets out a sigh of relief. I can tell that my body is getting used to the new level of work I am putting it through - when we were walking up all the stairs at the Tomb of the Kings I barely felt it at all!
These last days of frenetic work will be interesting both archaeologically and to see if my body will continue to pick up the pace!
Caitlin
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