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Rant: Damaged a 2,000 year old pot because I got too excited with my trowel
Was working a dig site near Bath in the UK last summer, clearing a layer near a Roman foundation. Everything was going fine, I was being careful, but I saw this bit of rim poking out and just went too fast. Sliced right through the side of a small cooking vessel before I even realized what I hit. Supervisor was not happy. Felt awful for days. Lesson learned the hard way - slow down when you see the good stuff, even if you think you're close. Anyone else ever mess up a find because you rushed?
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robertb4726d ago
Switched to using a wooden clay scraper instead of my steel trowel for the last few centimeters of any layer. Sounds daft, but I found it forces you to be gentler because the dull edge just won't cut through dirt the same way. Also started working with my elbows resting on my knees more, keeps my hands from jerking if I get excited. After I cracked a Roman roof tile doing the same thing you did, I made myself count to five every time I saw something glint in the soil. It feels silly at first but it really does help you slow down before you hit it. These days I keep a little wedge of softwood in my pocket to scrape with, never had another accident since.
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grace_wright29d ago
You're not alone in this. I once chipped a medieval jug because I was so focused on finding the bottom of it that I forgot the top was still attached to my trowel. My supervisor just stared at the little chunk on the ground for a solid ten seconds before walking away without a word. That silence was way worse than any yelling. Now I treat every bit of pottery like it's made of glass and my trowel is a hammer. The good news is that pot wasn't the only one from that era, so at least you have that going for you.
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