Archaeology - ROMANIA Monthly Update - September 2006

Volunteer Archaeological Update - September 2006

This month the diggings in Bordusani have ended. After the closure of the diggings, the site is covered with a layer of plastic sheeting and a layer of Earth to provide protection.

The archaeologist will now begin to work with the material that they have discovered. First of all the pottery is washed and then it is marked. The marking includes several elements which identify features about the pot. Where it was discovered: the section, the square and the layer unit. After this the objects are drawn, usually to scale. The pottery can be reconstructed by attempting to match and fit the pieces together, significant pieces can then be forwarded to the restoration unit.

Aside form the human made artifacts (pottery, tools, buildings, etc) at the site there were discovered a lot of other scientifically significant material, including notably animal bones. From these a specialist can find a lot of information, including: what animals were used by the humans, what kind of species were present, how they differed from the present ones, for what were they used (for example the dog was used for meat and skin), how were they eaten, how were they cocked and so on.

There is also a team which introduces data into a computer data base. It is very important that the information which is discovered through the diggings is catalogued so that it can be easily analyzed later on. If this is not done there will be a lot of unsorted information which accumulates and it will be impossible to gain any scientific conclusion from it, basically the hole digging will be no use.

It was also the month when a crew from national television came to shoot a documentary about the lives of the Neolithic people and the site. They stayed for almost one week and the documentary will be aired in November on one of the national channels.

One Saturday, the archaeological site had an open day. On this day the site was open for all the people which were interested to come to see the archaeology and to ask questions. The local authorities, the press and other guests where present and the discoveries form this year were publicised. Through these kind of events (documentaries on national television, open days, etc) we have the opportunity to promote history and archaeology, to show the real face of our science and to put us face to face with the public.

George Andrei CIOTLAUSI
Archaeology Assistant for Project Abroad Romania

Projects Abroad Archaeology Centre Romania
5th October 2006

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