PKAP Manual
We are glad that you are joining us for our upcoming archaeological season. In order for us to function as a community, which is what we will be for several weeks, there are rules and guidelines for project members to follow. While some of these rules may seem harsh or draconian, please understand that they are for the benefit of both the project and project members. These rules are a result of having participated in many different projects and having seen what happens when these rules are not followed.
Preparing for your trip
Before you leave on your flight to Cyprus, we encourage you to read about Cyprus, its sights, and our project to familiarize yourself with some basic information. This will help you more easily adjust to your new surroundings and make you less reliant on others for background information. We recommend the following works:
Project members will be in Cyprus for several weeks and need to plan carefully in order to bring the appropriate items with you. It is important to avoid over packing, in our experience most volunteers tend to bring far too much stuff with them. Airlines strictly limit the amount of luggage that you can carry on overseas flights and since it varies from carrier to carrier, it is important that you check with your specific airline to clearly understand their limits. Most airlines currently allow you to carry 2 checked pieces that weigh no more than 50 pounds each. In addition, you need to save a little space in your luggage, since it may be necessary for you to carry a few items for the project in your checked luggage.
The weather in Cyprus in June and July is hot and sunny. In June the daytime temperatures range from the low to mid 90s Fo/ 30-35 Co and drop down into the mid 60’s Fo/ 18-20 Co in the evenings. There may be occasional cooling breezes in the evening, but you will not need a jacket or sweater. By July, daytime temperatures will be over 100 Fo/38-40 Co. It very seldom rains during our stay on the island, so you will not need to bring an umbrella or a rain jacket. We try to avoid working during the hottest part of the day, but you will still be exposed to lots of sun and must dress accordingly. Please bring a hat (preferably one that protects your ears and the back of your neck), sunglasses, and a good sunscreen. Try to avoid wearing clothing that exposes large amounts of skin to the sun, like tank tops, muscle shirts, or very short shorts.
Be sure to bring work clothes (t-shirts and shorts) that you do not mind getting dirty or even possibly damaged. You will also want to bring a bathing suit since our hotel is only about 100 yards from the beach. Since we occasionally get invited to dinner, to the British base to give a talk, and visit monasteries and churches, you will probably want to bring one “nice” outfit. We suggest: for men - a nice shirt and slacks (no need for coat and tie); and for women - a dress or skirt and blouse. There is not an iron at the hotel, so try to bring clothes that either do not wrinkle easily or it does not matter if they wrinkle, unless you plan to bring a travel iron (see section below on electrical appliances). There is a laundry next to the hotel that provides laundry service and you will also be able to do your laundry by hand, if you wish to do so.
You will need a good pair of walking shoes, good sneakers or light hiking shoes are probably best, for field work. Avoid heavy hiking boots, they tend to be too hot. Since we will be doing a lot of walking, make sure that your walking shoes are already broken-in before you arrive in Cyprus. You might also want to bring a pair of good sandals, not flip-flops, for sightseeing and travel (Birkenstock, Teva, or other sturdy sandals are best).
You will also need a knapsack for fieldwork and trips. Try to find a lightweight one that is comfortable and will remain so even after wearing it for several hours at a time (fieldwork). Since it will be used in the field as well as on trips, try to make sure that it is of sturdy construction and does not tear easy or have flimsy stitching.
Check on your current level of immunization before you leave for Cyprus, especially Tetanus. The CDC maintains a webpage that lists suggested immunizations for travelers to Cyprus, as well as any unusual health situations. Please bring any over-the-counter medicines (aspirin, sunburn control, stomach relief, etc.) with you that you might need. Many of these products are available in Cyprus, but they are much more expensive than in the US. Cypriot pharmacies are also different than those in the US. On one hand, at a Cypriot pharmacy you can purchase drugs than are only available with a prescription in the US, such as antibiotics. On the other hand, some items available over the counter in the US cannot be purchased in Cyprus from a pharmacy. Cypriot Pharmacies are identified by a green cross, not a red one, and there is always one open, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you need a pharmacy after normal hours, there is a list posted on the door of each pharmacy that identifies which pharmacy that will be open after normal business hours. Please see a member of the senior staff if you have any medical problems.
The electrical current in Cyprus is 220V, which is twice the current of the United States (110V). That means that, unless you have a transformer or a dual-current appliance, you will not be able to use your regular US appliances. Many personal electronic appliances (cameras, laptops, and mp3 players) are dual current devices. If you check the back of the device or the power cord, these devices will say 100-240 V. These are safe to use in Cyprus. Basic electrical appliances (hair dryers, electric toothbrushes, or curling irons) will not work in Cyprus and if you plug them into the wall socket, they will melt or catch on fire – trust us, we have seen this happen. It is very dry in Cyprus and your hair and clothes will dry very quickly - you probably do not need a hair dryer. For your appliances that will work on the 220V current, you will still need a converter for the wall socket. Cypriot plugs are identical to plugs used in the UK.
We encourage everyone to bring a camera, preferably a digital camera. We will try to provide everyone who is on the project with a CD containing pictures taken that season, but there will be occasions when you will want to take personal pictures. If you do not have a digital camera, try to bring some type of camera with you. Generally speaking, slow speed film (ASA 100) is probably best. Most people have found it wise to bring twice as much film as you think is necessary. Purchasing additional film in Cyprus is expensive. You can purchase batteries in Cyprus, but we recommend bringing them from the US since they are cheaper and more reliable.
Other items that you will want to bring include:
Most trips to Cyprus include a longish 7-9 hour flight over the Atlantic to London Heathrow or Germany. These flights leave the US around 7:00 PM and arrive in Europe in the early morning hours. The sooner you can get your body on Cypriot time (Eastern Standard Time +7), the better you will feel and the shorter amount of time you will suffer from jetlag. Some experts suggest that you avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, since they make it hard to reset your circadian rhythms to your new time zone. Move your watch forward to the new time zone and try to get your eating, drinking, and sleeping to match – as much as that is possible on the plane.
Some other travel suggestions are:
As you pass through passport control, you will enter into the area where the luggage is unloaded. There are only four luggage carousels so it is easy to find the right one for your flight. While you are waiting for your luggage to appear, go ahead and get a push cart since they are free to use. Do not be alarmed if it takes awhile for your luggage to appear, since it usually takes about 30 minutes or so. If your luggage does not appear, there is a lost luggage stand right next to the last carousel. Talk to the person behind the counter and tell them that you will be staying at the Petrou Brothers Hotel and give them Bill’s, David’s, or Scott’s cell phone number. In the past, when a person’s luggage has failed to arrive with them (only 3 times), it has always shown up the next day and the airline delivers it to the hotel.
After you collect your luggage, walk down the hallway through the customs area. You should head for the doorway that says “Nothing to Declare.” After passing through customs, you will exit that area through an automatic glass door. When you go through the door, there will most likely be a large group of people crowding around the door. Many of them will be waving signs and it will be very confusing. A senior staff member will be in this area to meet you and drive you back to the hotel. If for some reason, there was no one there to meet you, please wait in this general area for them to arrive.
In Cyprus
Over the years, we have found that the following rules serve as a good starting point for interacting with people on the island. Cypriots, as a group, are very friendly and helpful - unlike some of the tourists you will meet.
We are fortunate in that over the last four years we have developed a working relationship with the staff of Petrou Brothers and they are willing to put up with us each summer. In order to ensure that things run smoothly, there are some basic rules we expect everyone to follow in their dealings with the hotel staff.
Be courteous and friendly to the front desk and cleaning staff. If there are any problems with your room, please talk to a senior staff member first. Often, what might be perceived as a failing or problem with a room, is actually just the way things are. While the Petrou Brothers Hotel is clean and safe, it is not like an expensive hotel in the United States. For example, the rooms do not have an iron, a television set, an internet connection, or a hair dryer. The maids do change the towels daily (except for Sunday), and they change the sheets twice a week, usually on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Please do not use the telephone in your room except for emergencies.
There are several important rules concerning the bathroom. First, do not flush anything down the toilet. Toilet paper and other items need to be thrown away in the trashcan next to the toilet. The sewer lines in Cyprus are much narrower, and if toilet paper is flushed down the toilet, it will backup and overflow. Second, please understand that the water for the showers comes from the roof, where it is heated by the sun. This means that during the day, it is very easy to get extremely hot water and very hard to get cold water. The showers also have really low pressure, so it requires a bit more work on your part to rinse.
An important part of any archaeological project is being part of a larger community and getting along with fellow project members. Each of our suites consists of 2 or 3 bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. Everyone will have 1 roommate that shares their bedroom and 3-5 fellow roommates in their larger hotel room. This means that 4-6 people will be sharing one bathroom. Please be aware that there are other people in your room and try to limit your time in the bathroom to the minimum needed. On an archaeological project there are very few times that you will need to dress up. There is no need to shower, apply makeup, or look nice before that day’s work, since you will only get hot, sweaty, and dirty during the course of the day.
In order to function to maximum efficiency, we tend to follow the Cypriot work day. As a result, our eating schedule is:
Our mornings are typically pretty long since when we are working in the field, we need to complete that day’s work before the heat becomes too oppressive, and when we are working with artifacts at the museum it is only open until 2:00. As a result we usually eat lunch between 1:30 and 2:00. Our main rule for lunch is that we do not start it before everyone is back from the field, the museum, or grocery shopping. If your responsibilities end early in the morning, it is much appreciated when you help prepare lunch (cut salad, get stuff out of the fridge, etc.) while you wait for the other project members to finish their work.
One of the things that allows us to operate the project effectively is our ability to control costs. Many projects supplement their funding by charging their volunteers large lodging and food fees. We attempt to keep our costs down and reasonable, but in order to do that, we cook simple fare (grilled sausages, pork chops, hamburgers, pasta dishes, etc.) for dinner. We shop at the grocery store and fruit market everyday and tend to cook what is on sale or less expensive. For example, we seldom eat chicken or turkey because it is not common on the island and is much more expensive than pork. Our cooked dinners last year included: omelets, pork chops, pork kebobs, burritos, crepes, grilled halloumi, Thai dishes, taco salad, pizza, grilled vegetables, and spaghetti.
Breakfast is the responsibility of each person. The project provides cereal and yoghurt for breakfast, but it is up to each person to get up, prepare their own food, and clean their dishes. Most people awake at 7:00 AM, eat breakfast, and are ready to go by 7:30 AM. If you need longer to get ready or eat, then it is your responsibility to get up earlier.
Our lunches usually consist of luncheon meat, typically salami or Lountza, a Greek salad (tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onion, feta cheese, oregano, and olive oil), dips (tahini, hummus, tyrokafteri, tzatziki), cheese, olives, chips, and fresh fruit (grapes, apples, melon, etc.). We can certainly accommodate vegetarians, but are unable to entertain other, more specific requests, like a particular brand of peanut butter or flavor of potato chip. Many food items are much more expensive than in the United States. For example, a 1.5 liter soft drink currently costs about US $3.50. As a result, the project only provides water to drink at lunch and dinner, and milk/coffee/tea at breakfast. If you cannot live without something else, you will need to purchase it yourself at any of the various local peripteros or mini-markets.
The food we purchase at the stores is for common consumption, but only at meal times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). We do not provide food for afternoon or late night snacks, so please do not go into the refrigerators or cabinets and eat what you want. The meals are actually planned out in advance and if you eat what you want, you could ruin lunch or dinner for the rest of the group. If you need snack material (chocolate, cookies, crackers, etc.), you will need to visit the store and purchase them yourself.
Everyone is expected to pitch in and help with food preparation and dish cleaning for lunch and dinner. Typically, there are 2 teams on food detail. One team helps with food prep and the other does dishes and takes out the trash. Everyone is responsible for cleaning their own dishes and cups from breakfast as well as whenever you use dishes/utensils/glasses between or after meals. Please do not pile your dirty dishes in the sink between meals since it can quickly become a mountain of dirty dishes that will make it hard to prepare the next meal or increase the work of the day’s cleaning crew.
There will be times that you will want or need to eat out. The project typically does not provide meals on the weekend, even though you are welcome to the breakfast and lunch material that is available. When you do eat out, we encourage you to sample the local fare, please do not immediately head to McDonalds, KFC, or Pizza Hut. You can eat at those restaurants any time you want to in the US and the Cypriot versions do not always taste the same. There are several different types of eating establishments near the hotel. The least expensive is a taverna or sandwich shop. They have a limited selection, but the food is good and the prices low. Our favorite taverna is Prassino’s, near the medieval fort. It has sandwiches (pork, chicken, mixed, and halloumi), French fries, and drinks. An average meal there costs about 7 euros per person. There are also restaurants that specialize in meze dinners. Meze is where they bring you small portions of many different meals, so that you can sample a little of each. The meze at Melitza’s includes salad, bread, tahini, olives, couscous, calamari, French fries, gigantes, cheftalyia, tavvas, stifado, chicken, halloumi and costs 14 euros plus drinks. There is also a fish meze that includes seafood and typically costs 20-22 euros per person.
Please bear in mind that most soft drinks in restaurants come in small bottles or are fairly expensive. There are also no refills and water is not free. Meals in Cyprus are typically eaten later (dinner around 9:00 PM), and are much longer events than in the US. A typical Cypriot meal will last about 2 hours and is more of a social event than just the opportunity to eat food.
There are many ways to contact family and friends in the United States. You can bring calling cards or prepaid calling cards from the US, use international access numbers, or buy a phone card from the periptero or minimarket. There is a telephone in the hotel that uses the Cypriot phone card and several public phones around the corner. To use these phones, even if you are calling collect, you have to have a Cypriot telephone card to activate the phone. These Cypriot telephone cards can be purchased as inexpensively as 5 euros. Be sure that you do not accidentally purchase a so-easy card since they are used to refill pay-as-you-go cell phones. The telephone in the hotel room is not for calling out since it costs about US $.25 per minute for a local call. The senior staff have cell phones that your family and friends can call in the event of an emergency. These are personal phones, not project phones, so please do not ask to borrow them, even if you were planning on paying for the minutes. You are certainly welcome to purchase a Cypriot cell phone, but they cost about US $150 and up. If you have an international cell phone, you can purchase a Cypriot so-easy telephone account for about US $45.00 and then buy minutes for the phone. A Cypriot cell phone costs about US $0.13 per minute to call the United States, and incoming calls, even from the US, are free.
There are several different ways to use the internet in Cyprus. Unfortunately, there is not internet access in the hotel rooms. There is a computer in the hotel lobby that can be used 24 hours a day for internet access. It costs 1 euro (about US$1.50) per 15 minutes. The drawbacks to using this computer are: there is only 1 computer so you might have to wait in line; it frequently stops working; it only accepts 1 euro coins to pay for the time; and you cannot purchase smaller units of time. Most project members visit internet cafes to check their email and surf the web. The closest is Amalfi, which is about 50 yards from the hotel and, in addition to internet access, serves food and drink. Amalfi has about 20 computers set up and you pay 5 cents per minute of usage. The drawbacks to Amalfi are: they are not open 24 hours a day; and it is often crowded. If you bring your own laptop with a wireless card, you can access wireless internet in the hotel at various points. If you do not have a laptop, please do not ask to borrow any of the project’s computers or those of the senior staff.
Cyprus started using the Euro (€) in Jnuary 2008. One thing to be careful about is that it is easy to spend much more money than you are expecting. It is very easy to start thinking of expenses in euros, which seems low, but in reality the conversion to US$ means it is expensive. For example, a lunch at Goody’s or McDonald’s will cost about 7-8 euros, which seems reasonable and on par with US fast food restaurants, but is actually 9-11 US dollars. Please budget your spending money wisely, and do not spend up all your money because we will not be able to help.
The easiest way to exchange money will be by withdrawing it from your account using an ATM card. There are lots of ATM machines near the hotel and typically ATM withdrawals provide the best exchange rates. Please notify your bank that you will be using your ATM card in Cyprus. If you do not notify them in advance, they will often put a hold on your account after it is used the first time since the use of your ATM card in a foreign country is a red flag that the card or account number might have been stolen. If this happens, you will need to contact them during their normal business hours and this can be difficult to do from overseas.
You can also use traveler’s checks, but the exchange rate is not as good as the ATM machines. If you need to exchange US dollars or cash traveler’s checks, you will need to do this at a Cypriot bank. This will need to be done during banking hours, which are much more limited than in the US – typically 8:30 AM -1:30 PM Monday through Friday. While these are their posted hours, they often open late and close early, since business is much more casual in Cyprus than the US. There are numerous little stores and hotels that advertise that they exchange money, and many imply that they do not charge commission on exchanges. Be aware that their exchange rates are much higher than the banks, sometimes as much as 10%.
MasterCard, Visa, and American Express are accepted at many places, but Discover is not widely accepted. As with your ATM card, it is a good idea to notify your credit card company that you are going to be using the card overseas. There are many places in Cyprus that do not accept credit cards, only cash. While the trend in the US is to use plastic to pay for everything, in Cyprus you cannot use credit cards at the post office, small minimarkets or peripteros, and small tourist shops or stands.
One of the fun things about traveling is bringing souvenirs back to friends and family. There are a few things to keep in mind when you are souvenir shopping. Many souvenirs on Cyprus tend to be like souvenirs at other vacation spots – tacky and expensive. In fact, Cyprus offers many of the same souvenirs you can get in the US – t-shirts, jewelry, key chains, bumper stickers, and posters. If you are interested in something different though, there are icons, carpets, rugs, hand made ceramics, Lefkara lace, and other Cypriot handicrafts that make nice gifts and the senior staff can direct you to the stores that carry these items.
Cypriot stores follow a schedule that is different from
stores in the US, particularly if you live in an area that has stores open 7
days a week, 24 hours a day. In Cyprus, most stores (not restaurants) are open:
| Monday | 8:30-1:00 and 3:00-7:00 |
| Tuesday | 8:30-1:00 and 3:00-7:00 |
| Wednesday | 8:30-1:30 |
| Thursday | 8:30-1:00 and 3:00-7:00 |
| Friday | 8:30-1:00 and 3:00-7:00 |
| Saturday | 9:00-2:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
In addition to operating on a different schedule, most Cypriot stores are casual about the opening and closing times. An 8:30 opening time means sometime between 8:30-8:45 and some businesses close up to half an hour early if they are not busy. The exceptions to this schedule are some souvenir shops along the boardwalk and minimarkets that are open late (up to midnight) and are open on Sundays.
When you leave Cyprus, you will also have a chance to shop for items in the duty free section of the Larnaka airport, but do not count on being able to find specialized items there, they mainly sell alcohol, wine, cigarettes, jewelry, and music. Bear in mind when you are souvenir shopping, that you can sometimes negotiate a better price if you pay cash instead of using a credit card. Also, when choosing gifts and mementos, keep in mind that fragile and breakable purchases will have to travel back to the US in either your checked or carry-on luggage. If you make an expensive purchase, the stores will often mail it back to the US for you at a nominal charge.
United States Customs limits how much stuff you can bring back to the US duty free. In order to reenter the US, you are required to itemize on a US Customs and Border Patrol Declaration Form 6059B all the items you purchased and are carrying with you upon return to the United States. If your goods total more than US$800.00, you will be required to pay taxes on the overage. You are also limited on how much alcohol and tobacco you are allowed to bring back, as well as restricted on types of food you can import.
In Cyprus, cars drive on the left side of the road, the opposite of how it is in the United States. It is very important that when you are crossing a street that you look right, then left, and then right again. Since you have spent your whole life looking to your left when you step into the street, this is a difficult thing to adjust to, but you must be careful. There are several ways to travel around the island. The least expensive, and least reliable is by bus. There are both city buses and buses that travel between cities. While the rates are very reasonable, the buses do not adhere to their fixed schedules and often skip stops for no apparent reason. Another option is a "service taxi" which is a large car or minivan that travels between cities. Most companies make several different runs each day. A service taxi from Larnaka to Nicosia would cost about 12 euros. The disadvantage with service taxis is that you have to travel at fixed times and with other people, some of whom you will not know. There are also regular taxis, which are a good choice for travel between the airport and the hotel, which costs about 10 euros. Taking a regular taxi from Larnaka to Nicosia would cost about 60 euros. The project will have rental cars that we use for taking people to the site, the museum, and on special trips (Paphos, Amathous, the Troodos). Gasoline is even more expensive in Cyprus than in the US; currently a gallon of gas in Cyprus costs about US$5.60. As a result, we try to limit the rental cars’ usage, and certainly for most excursions in Larnaka, we walk.
There are also rental places that rent motorized scooters, 4 wheel all-terrain vehicles, and small dune buggies. Unless you have experience in driving on the left hand side of the road, we feel that it would be best not to rent these vehicles. Cypriot drivers, while fairly safe drivers, are more aggressive and drive faster than most drivers in the United States, and as a result will expect you to react more quickly than you might be able to do piloting an unfamiliar vehicle while following different road rules.
Visiting other archaeological sites
We will be traveling around the island and visiting archaeological sites and museums. Since we are allowed to work on the island due to the good will of the Cyprus Department of Antiquities, it is imperative that we follow all the rules that have been established for these sites. You will be a representative of our project and everything you do reflects on PKAP. Many of the churches and monasteries that we are going to visit will require that men wear long pants and that women wear pants or a long skirt (past the knees) and that their shoulders are covered. Some of the sites do not allow any photography, not just flash photography, and if this is posted, please follow the rule. If you have any question about whether photography is allowed, please ask a senior staff member. When we visit sites, particularly ones that have work ongoing, please be careful and stay on the pathways and avoid standing on baulks and archaeologically sensitive spots.
Cyprus has a rich and vibrant nightlife, particularly since most Cypriots do not eat dinner until 10:00 PM. The Larnaka boardwalk is always active with people wandering around and numerous vendors selling refreshments and souvenirs. Cyprus also celebrates the Kataklysmos, the festival of the flood. During this week, Larnaka is crowded every night as many people travel there from all over the island since it holds the largest celebration on the island. There will be a host of vendors, street games, fireworks, and people – it is very similar to a state or county fair.
While Cyprus is quite safe, there are a few things we would encourage you not to do. There is a traveling tattoo bus that frequently shows up and quickly has a line of people waiting to get a tattoo. While the decision to get a tattoo is your decision as an adult, we feel that getting one in Cyprus from a traveling bus is not the best option, and offers you the possibility of getting ripped off, receiving a poor quality or misspelled tattoo, or a nasty infection. In fact, we discourage you from any services offered by a traveling bus. Another type of nightlife spot we strongly suggest you avoid are cabarets or night clubs. These spots specialize in separating you from your money. After you enter them, you are quickly forced to purchase expensive drinks for yourself and the female staff. People quickly run up a tab of US$300-400 for just a few drinks and the staff (bouncers) will force you to pay, even if you have to visit an ATM to withdraw money. With these warnings in mind, we would like to say that so far nobody has had a problem with these topics and we would like to keep it that way. There are many places for you to go after dinner to watch sports or television, have dessert, and enjoy good conversation.
Cyprus is a safe place that has a very low crime rate, particularly among Cypriots. Tourists commit most of the island's crime and as a result, the Cypriot police watch them closely. The country has a zero-tolerance drug policy and enforces it with much harsher prison sentences than in the US. Echoing this policy, PKAP has a zero-tolerance policy for drugs and if a senior staff member catches a project member with drugs, they will be asked to leave the project immediately. This policy also applies to any behavior that the project's senior staff views as detrimental to the project. The actions and behaviors of project members reflect on the project and the senior staff has been working hard to cultivate good relations with the Cypriot Department of Antiquities, fellow scholars, our support staff in Larnaka, and Cypriots in general.
For your safety we suggest a few basic precautions:
Keep your passport in a safe place
Do not go anywhere with people you do not know
Learn the streets and landmarks near our hotel so that you can find your way around Larnaka easily
Laboratory Work
Part of the team will be working at the Larnaka District Archaeological Museum. There are a few basic rules that apply to everyone working at the museum. We are very fortunate in that the Museum is close to where we stay, stores our artifacts, provides us work space, and that the museum staff is very helpful. Since we are working at the Museum, we are only allowed to work during hours that the Museum is open to the public. This is typically MTWF 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM, and Thursdays 7:30 AM – 6:00. We usually have two work areas: an outdoor space near the sheltered statues where we do artifact washing and drying, ceramic identification, and photography; and an indoor space in one of the storage rooms where we do labeling, cataloguing, drawing, and computer work. It is very important that we keep our work areas very clean and always pick up our trash. The Museum does have a cleaning staff, but it is not their responsibility to clean up after us. Before you leave the museum always make a final walk through and pick up anything that is on the ground. We often share space with other projects, such as the team from Athienou, and so we need to keep our work areas confined to the minimum space needed and avoid the temptation to spread out. At the end of the work day, we need to put everything back and make sure that our work areas are clean and orderly. There is a bathroom and water fountain in the main museum and you are certainly welcome to use them when you need. Also, please take the opportunity to walk through the museum and examine their collections.
Please be courteous to the Museum staff since without their help our work would not be possible. Marinos Avraam, the director of the museum, is a very nice man who will each day come by and ask how you are. He will also ask if you want Greek coffee. If you would like coffee, please say yes. Please, however, do not ask for anything else like water, soft drinks, or food. If you want those, there is a minimarket right across the street from the museum where team members usually purchase snacks and drinks. Also, please do not ask for a refill on the coffee. We realize that he always asks if there is anything you would like, but understand that he is being polite and we would prefer you not to put him out since if you ask for anything else, he will have to purchase it with his own money. He will, from time to time, offer you fresh fruit, like figs or mousmoulas, which were harvested from nearby trees and if you would like to eat these, please feel free to do so.
At the Museum there are a variety of tasks that you will be asked to help with. If there is a particular job that you would like to try, please ask the senior staff and we will try to accommodate your request. Please keep in mind though, that everybody has different skills and that if you are better at some tasks than others, you might do that task more frequently.
Work at the museum often requires the recording of information and you will need to try very hard to write legibly. Sometimes when we go back months and even years later to look at something, it is hard to read what the person wrote unless they took care to write clearly. We would also like you to write certain numbers in a specific fashion.
A few other important points for recording information:
There are several different jobs that you might be asked to help with that deal with the processing of the artifacts.
One job that everyone does is wash the artifacts when they come in from the field. The most important part of this job is not losing any of the artifacts or misplacing the artifacts’ locational information. This information, which records unit number and date, is written on the zip top bag and on a tyvek tag in the bag. First, be sure to separate the glass, metal, and bone fragments from the ceramics and put them aside. Then put all the ceramic and lithic artifacts into a tub filled with water and allow them to soak for a few minutes. Then, using the small scrub brushes and toothbrushes, gently remove the remaining dirt from the sherds. As each one is cleaned, take it from the tub and place it on a plastic garbage bag. Once all the sherds have been cleaned, move the plastic garbage bag to a sunny area to dry. Be sure to put the original plastic bag with the tyvek tag on the garbage bag and anchor it down so that it does not blow away. The wind picks up in the middle of the morning and can sometimes be quite gusty. If we had several units of pottery drying and their tags were to blow away or become mixed up, we would not be able to analyze the artifacts. It is very critical that we never separate the artifacts from their locational information. By the end of the work day, the sherds are dry enough to put back into their bags, but do not seal the top fully since they are still releasing moisture and we want that moisture to escape from the bag.
When our ceramicists have pottery sherds that need to be identified, they often require an assistant or assistants to help speed up the process. This job has three parts. The first part is presorting the pottery. Take a unit’s pottery (making sure that you have all the bags and they are clearly labeled 1 of 1, 2 of 2, 3 of 3, etc.) and dump it/them out onto a plastic garbage bag. First, place any glass, shell, lithic, or metal into separate piles. Then divide the pottery sherds into piles based on their feature - rim, handle, and body sherds. Finally, break these three piles into smaller piles based on similar characteristics, all grooved handles, or all redslipped body sherds, etc. Your ability to see these differences will increase the more you do this. The final step is to put the tyvek tag(s) and the unit bags with the sherds in such a way that they do not blow away.
Another job is serving as a recorder for the ceramicists. We record the ceramic information on standardized forms (see appendix) designed to be quickly and efficiently filled out following a specific format, which can later be easily transferred into computer digital form. The top half of the form has fields for information on archaeological context, including, for instance, the location (both a general and specific reference), unit identification (basket number or survey transect/unit number), the date recovered, the current date, and the analyst’s name. The analyst will then carefully describe, identify, and describe the artifacts using the ChronoType system, first pioneered by the Sydney Cyprus Survey Project, and implemented in several recent survey projects in Greece and Cyprus. This sampling and recording method calls for the collection of every unique artifact (i.e., unique in its physical attributes, including material, fabric, shape, decoration), and assigns each artifact collected to a place in a chronological and descriptive hierarchy – with categories ranging from the very precise (African Red Slip, form 99) to the very imprecise (e.g., medium coarse red body sherd only datable to the “Post-Prehistoric” period).
Descriptions of the different chronotypes will record quantity (number of pieces in the batch), weight (in kilograms), decoration (for pottery: glazed, slipped, rouletted, incised, etc.), and anything special or unusual, such as a pottery sherd being cut for use as a stopper or a weight. The recording of this information is critical for future analysis. Detailed studies of particular wares, especially finewares and amphorae, have been created that allow specific dates and areas of manufacture to be assigned with relative certainty.
The other job helping the ceramicist is writing tags for artifacts that are being pulled for cataloguing. First, write down the number of the artifact which is a combination of the unit number, batch number, and letter designation in the batch. For example a handle from batch 10 of unit 71, would be 71.10.A. If there were 2 handles from this batch, they would be 71.10.A and 71.10.B. This system prevents multiple artifacts from accidentally receiving the same catalogue number. Also on the tag, write down the date and the ceramicist’s initials.
If you have good penmanship, we might ask you to assist with labeling artifacts. It is very important that the artifacts that are to be labeled, are labeled in a clear and legible fashion. When you are labeling sherds, find an inconspicuous spot, usually a break, that is level enough to write on. First, apply a layer of Paraloid B72 to the area where the label will be inked. Use the clear Paraloid for light colored artifacts and the opaque Paraloid for dark artifacts. Allow the Paraloid to dry, about 3-5 minutes, before applying the artifact number. The number is applied using black India ink and a Crow Quill dip pen. Be careful about getting too much ink on the nib since it can blot the number. The artifact number will consist of three sections (unit, batch, and number within the batch). See the section above (Sherd Cataloguing) for more information on how the artifact number is created. Allow the number to dry, about 5-7 minutes. Finally, apply a clear coat of Paraloid B72 over the number to protect it from wear and prevent it from fading. If you make a mistake on the number, it can be removed using fingernail polish remover.
When you are labeling, try to keep from leaving the Paraloid jars open. They evaporate quickly and are expensive to replace. It would be cheaper to use clear fingernail polish instead of Paraloid, but fingernail polish tends to start to turn yellow and crack after 10 years.
One of the important steps in creating our catalogue is preserving a visual image of the artifact for future reference and publication. All of the artifacts that are pulled for cataloguing are photographed after they are labeled. The photographer, using a large mega-pixel digital camera, takes photos of the artifacts that include a centimeter scale, a color scale, and its original tag. As the photographer's assistant you will be asked to help with organizing the artifacts and keeping a photography log.
In addition to photographing artifacts, some of them are scanned. Data forms and notebooks are also scanned at the end of the field season.
All of the artifacts pulled for cataloguing have to have their basic attributes recorded. Each artifact is recorded separately. Start by recording the artifact number on the top of the catalogue form. Double check the number on the artifact and the one you recorded on the form to ensure that they match and that they are written clearly. Next, record the preserved length or width, height, and thickness. For rims and bases, use a rim gauge to determine the vessel's original diameter. Then, use the Munsell Soil Color Chart to determine the artifact's exterior and core colors. A description of the artifact is created using standard nomenclature that can be found in the PKAP Cataloguing Guide.
If you are artistic or have experience illustrating, you might be asked to assist with drawing artifacts, mainly ceramic sherds. The difficulty in drawing ceramic sherds, particularly rims, is in stancing the artifact correctly. Stancing the artifact means drawing the artifact in such a way that its proper angle to the horizon is shown.
Field Work
The field teams will go out to the site early in the morning, usually leaving the hotel around 7:00 AM. When working in the field, we take a break around 10:00/10:30 for a mid morning snack, and work until 1:00. Occasionally, in an effort to finish certain projects, we will go into the field in the late afternoon, around 4:00 PM. Since the sun is always out and bright, please dress appropriately. While the temptation is to wear as little clothing as possible, this will result in a nasty sunburn. Avoid sleeveless shirts, tank tops, muscles shirts and extremely short shorts. Always wear something on your head and use a good sunscreen. Since field teams often walk through scrub brush and other prickly vegetation, a good pair of light-weight hiking boots is suggested. Avoid heavy hiking boots as they can become unbearably hot. Also, be aware that any shoes you wear into the field are going to get very dirty and scuffed up. While sandals are ok for most walking excursions, they are not recommended for field work since they expose too much of your foot to the elements. You will also need a backpack or knapsack for carrying various items into the field. When you go into the field it is very important that you carry at least 2 liters of water with you. You will need to drink much more water than you are used to drinking at home. You will be surprised at how much water you actually drink when go into the field and if you do not feel that you are drinking too much, you probably aren't drinking enough.
Pedestrian survey is a process by where fieldwalkers cover a representative sample of survey grid or plot. Fieldwalkers spaced apart at 10 meter intervals walk a straight path or transect across each unit. As you walk, you count using tally counters all pottery and tile one meter to the right and left of your transect, as well as lithics and other types of artifacts (e.g., glass, mortar, metal objects, coins) that you see in your swath. One member of the field team will also record information regarding aspects of the unit that might affect the recovery of artifacts: evidence of current land use (e.g., olives, wheat, and barren), vegetation cover (e.g., weeds, trees, and phrygana), vegetation height in relation to the field walker (e.g., ankle high, knee high, waist high), and surface visibility (recorded at 10% intervals), among other things.
We use a collection sampling strategy called the ChronoType (CT) system, first pioneered by the Sydney Cyprus Survey Project, and implemented in several recent survey projects in Greece and Cyprus. This sampling and recording method calls for the collection of every unique sherd and assigns each artifact collected to a place in a chronological and descriptive hierarchy – with categories ranging from the very precise – ARS form 99 – to the very imprecise – such as a medium coarse red body sherd that can only be dated to the “Post-Prehistoric” period. In this strategy, a fieldwalker counts all artifacts, but collects only unique objects in his/her transect. What this boils down to, is that you bring back one of each different looking piece of pottery that you see in your transect. You will need to carry artifact bags with you that you will use to carry your collected artifacts in. At the end of the unit, all collected artifacts are placed into one main bag that is then marked with a sharpie in such a way that it uniquely identifies its location. In addition, a tyvek tag is marked with the same information and placed inside the bag. It is very important that this tag is never separated from the bag. If the artifacts are removed from the bag and the tag is lost, then the artifacts have lost their provenance and are useless to us.
Periodically, we will perform a total collection. To do a total collection, we will drive a stake into the ground and attach a predetermined length of rope to it (the length of the rope will depend on the size of collection that is desired). The rope will be stretched out and used to mark a circle around the stake. Then the field team will collect all artifacts that are located in the circle and place them at a collection point outside the circle. Since the goal is total collection, this will be a slow process that involves examining the ground very closely, often on your hands and knees for artifacts, even very small ones.