Riley Stockton
Somehow, it is already the month of July; the sun is getting hotter, and the time left in Cyprus is getting rapidly shorter. I was given the opportunity to return to Cyprus and work on a student research project with a Ruby-Lankford grant, and in doing so, I have become more familiar with on-site digging, the work done at Terra Ombra, and the lovely city of Larnaca. So much has already been taught and learned in this short time, and I am excited for the rest of the season to better understand the work done here at Vigla!
This year, I have spent a lot more of my time at Terra Ombra, where I have had the opportunity to expand on what I learned about pottery the previous year. Specifically, I have learned a lot more about the process pottery undergoes after being unearthed by the various young archaeologists at Vigla over the years. With the expertise and guidance of co-director Dr. Melanie Godsey, I have begun to help read pottery and look at basket-handle amphorae for more in-depth research.
If you are like me at the beginning of this season, you might be wondering what I mean by “read pottery.” Reading pottery involves going through pottery of a selected context, sorting the pottery sherds, and entering them into a database to gain the ability to easily find information about a specific type of pottery or unit. This work has really helped to familiarize me with pottery more and has allowed me to make more confident inferences about the material. Now, I am learning how to determine the function of a vessel or the period it comes from based on differences, such as the clay or paint. The task was intimidating at first, but each time I go back, I feel more acquainted with the different pottery types thanks to Melanie.
Outside of the time I spend at Terra Ombra or on site, I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting some of my favorite places from last summer, going to the beach, and exploring new parts of the city too (I would like to shout out Laila for the coffee shop recommendations from her blog post last year). It has been amazing to explore Cyprus with a new group, and I am excited to see what is in store for the next half of the season!
