Hi! I’m Giselle, an osteoarchaeologist and fieldwork archaeologist who works on sites across the U.K. (and sometimes even internationally!). It’s a bit difficult to describe a ‘Day in the Life’ as an Archaeologist, because every single day is different — which is amazing! Some days, I’m working in the hot sun digging Romano-British pits, and some days I’m waiting in a car, hoping torrential downpours will lift soon. Some days I’m inside, analysing human remains, and some days I’m filming with different television programmes for the public, spreading the word about all the amazing archaeology sites we have to offer!

So how did this all start? Well, when I was 9 years old I did a dinosaur fossil kids camp and had the best time… I even found a bone! I grew up making jigsaws, reading Sherlock Holmes, loving riddles and puzzles, and spending loads of time outdoors. Considering I loved problem solving so much, I didn’t put the pieces together that I should be an Archaeologist until I took an optional module of osteoarchaeology during my undergraduate degree. I simply loved the class and put extra effort in asking my professors and lecturers if they needed any extra help. It turns out many did, and I began volunteering and eventually working for a few programmes; measuring marine mammal bone for a research paper and repatriating First Nations’ human remains and artefacts.

Fast forward a few summers and I had dug in Poland, Belgium, had obtained a Master’s degree from UCL, and now was working in commercial archaeology in England. This meant that before any construction work began, I was part of a team going in to record and recover the archaeology. I loved the Iron Age spindle whorls and medieval pottery discoveries during the week, but it wasn’t enough for me! I went to conferences, became a part of Operation Nightingale, and volunteered as a Trustee for BABAO. I found myself growing supervisory skills and moved up in my commercial job, switching companies to get tastes of different environments and different landscapes, eventually becoming a fieldwork supervisor and the osteoarchaeology specialist for my company. I continue to volunteer on the weekends and get involved with archaeology every chance I get — I recently dug with my local YAC group in Castleton and helped out with test pitting for Time Team’s Sutton Hoo spectacular. You really never know where an opportunity might lead!

Archaeology is all around us and the possibilities to get involved are truly endless. Reach out to friends, to academics, to commercial companies, and see if there are ways to get involved! Make friends on digs, stay in touch with them, and (I know I’m an Archaeologist when I say this) always be willing to do the dirty work. You never know what you might find glinting on the top of a spoil heap…