For six weeks this summer, I participated in an archaeological field school in Mongolia. It was truly a life-changing experience, causing me to realize the importance of archaeology, cultural heritage, and connecting with people around the world. I am sincerely grateful to have received support from the Riggs Hoenecke Undergraduate Student Experience Fund in order to facilitate my participation in this field school.
The first day we visited the excavation site remains vivid in my mind. Our leaders gave us a tour of the top of the steppe, which was dotted with no fewer than twelve looted burials. Burials typically consisted of a deep pit encircled by piles of stones, often with a larger pile on one edge, signaling where the looters had dumped the dirt as they dug. They varied in how recently they had been looted: in some pits, the grass had grown thick, while fresh dirt still covered the bottoms of others. As we walked along the steppe, someone proclaimed they had found a human bone, and it struck me how real these people had been. And how despicable it was that their graves had been dug up, their bones tossed carelessly to the side. At another burial, I found a piece of a human cranium. This was the first of many bones I would find during the excavation—so many that the shock eventually faded—but I remember the anger and sadness I felt picking it up. Archaeology, I realized, had tremendous potential to do good, and I felt more and more affirmed that I had made the right choice in my future career.
With each burial we completed, I grew more confident in my excavation skills. We started each burial by peeling off the layer of grass and moss that grew on the stone circle around the pit, stopping to take a progress picture when the rocks were brushed clean. We normally found a few broken pieces of artifacts on the surface, ranging from scraps of birch bark arrow quivers to carved bone ornaments, and occasionally human bones as well. Then we began on the pit itself, where we unearthed more substantial artifacts, such as bolts of silk, gold buckles, and bronze mirrors. We also found more human remains; some burials even contained mostly complete skeletons.
In Mongolia, I found that I was capable of so much more than I had ever imagined. Not only was I successful in doing archaeological fieldwork, further affirming my love for the subject, but I discovered that I love camping and traveling to distant places. Above all, I enjoyed making friends with the Mongolians we worked with—it was an honor to be able to learn about their culture and history as we excavated alongside them. Of course, I am very appreciative of the support of the Riggs Hoenecke Undergraduate Student Experience Fund for helping me have this amazing experience.