Mary Jachetti – shares a ‘Day of Archaeology’ (07/25/13)

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Mixed Whimsey assemblage

Mary Jachetti
Lab Technician
URS Burlington, New Jersey, USA

Average Day in the Office

Today, I am picking a flotation sample that came from the Dyottville Glass Works site (36PH037), a glass factory site that was run under several different owners from 1771-1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). The most notable of the glass works owners was the late Dr. Dyott, an apothecary, who ran a Utopian-like society for his glass workers. The flotation sample, like many other samples from the site, is almost completely glass. An almost straight sample of glass is unusual in float, with seeds and rocks being the usual. The glass ranges from small, flat or slightly curved fragments of window or vessel glass or manufacturing debris (various sized and shaped glass fragments created by the manufacturing of glass vessels), to semi complete vessels and whimsy fragments such as Jacob’s ladders and flip flops.

On an average day for a lab technician, any of the following could occur: checking- in incoming artifacts, washing and bagging; mending, marking, or gluing a large feature or a completed project; floating soil samples or picking float; researching a specific artifact or patent; cataloging; or helping prepare a display for a public outreach event or private client showing. Occasionally, we rotate out into the field or help with work overloads in different departments. I have assisted with some minor GIS work as well as historical research. The day does not always begin or end at the office or in front of the computer. Some days, lunch is spent learning about pottery types or special artifacts in a seminar session or the afternoon is spent educating visitors, either at the office or at a public outreach event. The job changes and evolves. It may not be as glamorous and glitzy as my roommates and fiancé think that the day of an archeologist should be, but I love my job and I’m glad that I’m always doing something different and learning something new.


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