Our Stories
How I got into Archaeology: Jerry Austin
“My favourite subject at school was history. I also had an inspiring ancient history teacher.
When I left school I did a variety of jobs, including building labouring. I was lucky in that I always worked with skilled masons on old properties, extensions, and renovations. I learnt a lot about building techniques and materials both ancient and modern. During our lunch breaks we would sit and chat and mentally strip apart the building and imagine how it was constructed and how it evolved over time. Basically, phasing it from its original design to the present. I found this fascinating. As well as learning about and admiring the skills of the ancient builders I also realised they were prone to the odd bodge as well, particularly if it wouldn't be seen!
Later I became an apprentice thatcher, a job I loved. Obviously, this also involved working on older buildings. But I also learnt a lot about the landscape, farming techniques and the environmental impact of humans. For example, the "reed" (straw or water reed) used to thatch with was degrading quicker than it used to in the past. The life span was being reduced due to all the nitrates within the soil. This was the early 90's and led to us importing reed from former eastern countries where chemical farming had been less intensive. It also led to us using a genetically modified reed to counter the degradation.
Producing reed is labour intensive. It must be harvested using traditional machinery (not a combine which cuts the reed up) and left in "stooks" (upright stacks in the field) to dry. Then the leaf is combed off and the grain threshed from the ears.
Part of my job as the apprentice was to gather "gads" to make “liggers and spars” (gads are the hazel or willow lengths which are then split to make the roof fittings, the liggers and spars). Most of the gads were gathered from hedgerows and coppices. What I realised was that there was no waste material in a hedgerow! The hedgerows and coppices were used to grow hazel, willow as well as trees to use for all manner of purposes (hurdles, baskets, charcoal). Trees could be pollarded to use as timber or firewood. They were not just field boundaries!
Unfortunately, due to modern farming techniques these valued uses and resources have been lost.
In the early 90's there was a recession. This led to me being laid off as a thatcher. I decided to apply to go university as a mature student. But what was I to study? It had to be linked to my interest in history, building, thatching, and working outside. When researching I found archaeology ticked all these boxes. It was and has been the right choice for me!”
Why I got into Archaeology: Parris Stubbings
“I have always had a passion for history, for me the defining moment was while at primary school, learning about the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. Around the same time Time Team became big, and I just found myself fascinated by the process not just learning but being actively engaged in discovery. For me the mystery of going from these unconnected discoveries in the ground to full blown answers and theories was amazing.
I continued to learn and explore history throughout my education, taking it for GCSE and A Level. When it came time to decide what I would study for University I found myself once again drawn towards archaeology. The course I picked looked fascinating, and I was excited to continue that journey of discovery and go in depth on themes I hadn’t been able to explore before.
Throughout that first year, I learnt about the theory and history of archaeology, how it became what it is today and what some of the basic theories surrounding it. During these early days I became convinced that academia was for me, and I would eventually find a nice niche, probably within prehistory to make my life’s work.
Then came the field school at the end of the first year, three solid weeks of active engagement, my first real experience of being a field archaeologist. I was convinced at this stage that I wouldn’t enjoy it, I had never been a particularly outdoorsy person, and the thought of working in some of the glorious extremes of British weather was not appealing.
However, I loved every moment, getting hands on for the first time since starting my journey with archaeology, getting to actively take part, learning in person about the processes. It came to life for me, things which has been just ideas, and theories became a reality for the first time. I found myself loving being on the ground, gaining a feel for the little changes you get between contexts, trying to fit it in with what else has been found and start to build up a picture of what has happened. It was those three weeks which was ultimately the reason for how I got into archaeology and pursuing a career in field archaeology.”