Considering how dearly archaeologists cherish their well-worn trowels…
Could breaking or, perish the thought, losing your favourite trowel follow a similar pattern to the five stages of grief (otherwise known as the Kübler-Ross model)? In search of enlightenment, serial trowel loser Brendon Wilkins retraced his steps, starting with…
1. Denial
What are you on about? Of course I haven’t lost it. No I put it down next to… erm… Trench 6. Yep that’s right, the one they’re back filling right now. Or it’s in the Site Hut on the table. Definitely on the table. Definitely maybe on the table. Or next to… no. I can’t have back filled another one. Law of averages says I can’t have buried another one…
2. Anger
FOR ****’S SAKE THAT’S THE SECOND ******* TROWEL THIS ******* WEEK!!!! WHO STOLE IT!? SOMEBODY DID. MUST HAVE. *******’S. MORTIMER ******* WHEELER NEVER PUT UP WITH THIS ******* ******* IT’S JUST SO ******* UNPROFESSIONAL!!!
3. Bargaining
Hiya. Do you mind if I have a quick look at your trowel? It’s just that mine had a tiny scratch on the handle a bit like… Yep, just like that, though obviously, it didn’t have your name on the handle like this one. Did you just find it? Are you sure? Did you just write your name on it? Are you sure? Are you sure you’re sure?
4. Depression
I can’t believe this is happening. To me. Again. It’s just not fair. Why do bad things happen to good people? And keep happening. Twice a week on average. I don’t know why I bother. I don’t know why anyone bothers. I hate archaeology. It’s just so… hopeless.
5. Acceptance
OK. So it’s happened again. I accept that now. It’s my destiny to lose trowels. But if nobody had ever lost anything, there’d be nothing for archaeologists to find. So really, losing stuff is a good thing. A great thing even. I’m part of an honourable and noble tradition. Trowels are ten a penny anyway, and that one had a well dodgy handle. So let’s celebrate! Pub anyone?
Now, where did I put my wallet?
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Written by Brendon Wilkins
As Founder and Co-CEO of DigVentures, Brendon brings together two decades of commercial archaeology experience with his expertise in digital innovation for archaeological fieldwork, public participation, and social impact evaluation. With a consistent research and publication record, his PhD (‘Digging the Crowd: the future of archaeology in the digital and collaborative economy’) explores new business and social impact models that position citizen science as a response to economic and climatic challenges facing humanity. Brendon steers the ship of DV’s fieldwork, evaluation and ‘Deep Time’, our crowdscience platform training citizens to search Earth Observation Data for cultural and natural heritage. Brendon’s signature laugh lights up every room, especially when he sneaks onto the turntables for a cheeky DJ set!
Comments (7)
In the style of Elizabeth Kubar Ross. Love it Brendon.
I lost my very favorite one it had been on EVERY SINGLE dig abroad and here; in a field covered in long grass between the trench and the van…tramped up and down looking for a whole weeks worth of lunches and never found it. GUTTED!!
Heartbreaking! One day some metal detectorists will find it. Maybe we need to open up a lost-and-found trowel exchange.
That was brilliant. I’ve lostv2 trowels in 2 years but luckily still have my fave one.
Alas, Brendon…it’s in the pub!
Unca Johnny
I lost the very first trowel I used back in the 1970’s. I bought a new one and I have had that one ever since.
I “lost” my 35+ yo Marshalltown last summer. While carefully cleaning the 3,359th sidewall to profile, my beloved trowel snapped at the neck, rolled into the depths and gasped its last.
Why, I cried, why? Thus begins the journey through trowelapothy, and I hope Ican survive.