Õ¬ÄÐÊÓƵ

Four Institute of Archaeology students have just started their placement year with ASE. Let’s find out a little more about them and what they’re looking forward to over the next twelve months. Meet Tasnima, who likes animal bone analysis and ‘shiny things’ – who doesn’t?!

What archaeological experience do you have?

I have worked on a multi-period site (Neolithic, Iron Age and Roman) in West Sussex, where besides excavating ditches and post holes, I gained experience in section drawing, helping to produce drawings of all the features on site. 
I was also fortunate to spend 5 weeks on a 10th-12th century Islamic site in Turkmenistan, where I became familiar with archaeological photography and illustration, finds processing and surveying, and became accustomed to excavating in a desert climate. 

Do you have a favourite period/ artefact type/ archaeological specialism?

I’m yet to find a period I don’t enjoy, but my favourite so far is the Islamic period between the 7th - 15th centuries, and I hope to continue exploring and expanding my knowledge of this area.
I do like ‘shiny things,’ but I haven’t been lucky enough to find any particularly spectacular metal artefacts. I did, however, come across a lovely green glazed oil lamp that was mostly intact, so ceramics may grow on me over time!
My favourite specialism so far is zooarchaeology. Being able to identify fragments of bones and pinpoint their species is quite satisfying, albeit challenging, but I look forward to becoming better at doing so, as identifying animals present on an archaeological site can provide a better insight into the lifestyles of people who occupied the site.

What are you looking forward to about your placement?

I am looking forward to gaining experience in various aspects within a commercial archaeology unit, meeting new people in archaeology, and in working on a range of archaeological sites across the south-east. 

What do you hope to get out of your placement?

I am hoping to advance my fieldwork and post-excavation skills and knowledge and become more confident and efficient in carrying out a range of tasks both in and out of the field, particularly in areas such as lithics and surveying, which I do not yet enjoy!