Methods: A Day at the Depot

By Nektaria Alyfanti, 2024.

After the intensive team is finished collecting the archaeological finds and the processing team has completed the first step of sorting, they bring them to their final destination: the depot. This is the place where the last step of the process happens.

Unlike the other teams, our day at the depot starts at 8.30, which is tied to the opening hours of the old archaeological museum of Chalkida. Upon arrival we sign in with the guard and leave our belongings at the entrance.

Working in the depot consists of various tasks, divided among 4 to 5 people. The first task is washing the pottery sherds that arrived the previous day. Then we leave them to dry on the designated drying rack, so that they can be documented the next day.

While some people wash the pottery, others are photographing and sorting the finds. When divided into subgroups, we write down all the information on pottery forms. That way it is easier to keep track of the finds, in case specialists need to take a look at them and analyze them further. We always make sure that the tasks are rotated, so that no one has do repetitive activities.

Other tasks include photographing non-ceramic finds that don’t need to be washed, because they are fragile pieces of evidence; and organizing all the finds into bags and crates.

At the end of the day, members of the intensive team bring in the finds that were collected on that day. This is when we need to fill in an arrival form, which is prepared by the processing team. This form is then signed by the head of the excavation and the attending guard.

When the day ends at 15.00, the last step, which is equally crucial, follows which is digitalizing all the data: uploading photos and naming them accordingly, and filing all the forms in Excel sheets.

Overall, the quantification and analysis of archaeological finds at the depot is a detailed and meticulous process which will help with the end publication. This project has been able to run smoothly thanks to the hard work and dedication of all the teams. All teams depend on each other to be able to deliver and function effectively. Students rotate through all the teams, so they properly get to understand how all teams together allow us to study the complex hinterland of Chalkida