I’m Katie Longley. I currently work for Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) as a Community Archaeologist in Wales and at Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery as a Museum Assistant and Duty Manager. I studied archaeology at Cardiff University and graduated in 2017.
When I was younger, I spent a lot of my time in a 1950s/60s bottle dump out the back of my parent’s house in Wales. I was always fascinated by what I would find; this was mostly pieces of old plates with pretty designs, old ketchup bottles and the odd animal bone. But occasionally, I would come across the holy grail of finds – a fully intact bottle! I used to collect these items, keep them on an island in a stream near our house (not as dramatic as it sounds) and invite my family to view the collection. I’d gaze at these treasures, wondering where they came from, who they belonged to and what stories they held.
At the time, I never thought I’d make a career out of digging, studying what I found and preserving it to look at in the future. But here I am, writing a blog post about how I fell into archaeology!
When I decided to go to university, I didn’t know what I wanted to study. I knew I liked being outside, I liked digging and I liked learning about other cultures. I thought, how can I fit that all into one degree? Archaeology seemed to offer me exactly what I wanted and as I would find out later, so much more.
Through studying archaeology, I was able to explore my other creative interests such as photography and illustration, whilst also studying the Romans in Britain, the Celts and the Egyptians! I was fortunate enough to go on two excavations during my studies. One of which was in southern Italy - that helped fulfil my travel goals! The other was in south Wales at Caerau Hillfort (see the ditch before backfilling in the photo below). Whilst there, I was involved in a local community festival showing the public what we had discovered. We organised an open day and invited the public to site tours and a community picnic. I began to be interested in community archaeology and how I could inspire other people to feel passionate about preserving their heritage.
When I left university, I didn’t have a career plan. In fact, I hadn’t thought about leaving, until I’d already left! Being back in mid Wales, there wasn’t many jobs in archaeology. I started volunteering in my local museum. Through which, I learned of a new position as a community archaeologist at Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust. I applied and was thrilled to be offered the job.
Through my work at CPAT I continue to be passionate about engaging the public in archaeology. We organise open days, lectures and attend local festivals to get the public involved in archaeology. I also assist on some of the commercial work and our volunteer projects. It’s really rewarding to work alongside and collaborate with likeminded people at CPAT, who are passionate about preserving our archaeology for future generations.
On reflection, I think I took quite a traditional route into archaeology that may not be available to everyone. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in archaeology there are many pathways into the profession. Doing your research about what aspect of archaeology you might be interested in and how to get involved is a really good way to start. And if you are reading this, then you’re already in the right place! Websites like The Council for British Archaeology and Chartered Institute for Archaeologists has plenty of useful resources for people looking to start a career in archaeology.
