In the most recent profiling (2013) of those working in archaeology it was found that 46% of staff were female. The number of women in archaeology has been steadily increasing and in some areas women outnumber men considerably. Of the private limited companies the ratio is quite different with only 29% of the employees being women and in field archaeology the split is closer to 40% women (see the report here). The breakdown of those jobs shows that (of the sample) 72% of Directors were male, Project Officers were of an equally male/ female, supervisors were mostly men (87%) and 84% of the project managers were male. In comparison [today] Allen Archaeology employs 16 (of 34) female staff. 50% of our supervisors and Project Archaeologists are female, 1/3 of our Project Officers and 1/4 of our management team are female.
To celebrate the women working at AAL we have asked them why they became archaeologists and what do they love about their jobs!
Fee on site at Nevern Castle in 2013
I got into commercial archaeology almost accidentally. I’ve always loved history and it became pretty obvious during various work experiences that I wasn’t the type of person to do well in an office environment; so when it came to choosing what to do after school I figured archaeology was as good an idea as any (although I admit that I had absolutely no idea how to become a real trowel welding archaeologist…). I went to study Anthropology and Archaeology at Durham, largely because they let me live in the castle, and although I enjoyed the lectures it wasn’t until my second year that I caught the digging bug. By some happy accident I ended up spending three weeks excavating at Nevern Castle in Pembrokeshire and I fell in love. It was hard work but it was almost definatly the highlight of my university experience and I wouldn’t be in this career now if it hadn’t been for that site. I still go back every year to dig there, and I still love every minute of it. After I got back I applied to be a volunteer with a company not far from my home town, but I didn’t hear back from them until over a year later when I got a phone call offering me a job. I started with AAL in September 2013 as a trainee site assistant and almost 2 and a half years later I’m still here, happily standing in the middle of a field, a little bit cold and covered in mud, watching a machine open up some trenches and hoping we find something exciting, I love every minute of it.
Rachel planning at a training dig in Derbyshire in 2010
When I tell people I’m an archaeologist, more often than not, the announcement is met with surprise. Before I worked in commercial archaeology I had thought there were more Lara Croft’s than Indiana Jones’, and commercial archaeology in general there often appears to be more woman than men on site. But any site benefits from having us all there as we all bring different skills to the job and usually it’s nothing to do with gender stereotypes! I enjoy archaeology because it’s a varied job, and a practical way of learning about the past; though I enjoyed being a student, I definitely love digging more! And as a woman in archaeology I have found I am often the muddiest person on site- not very ladylike!
Cat working in the archives at AAL
I have been interested in the past since I was little and gifted with my first horrible histories book- Vicious Vikings. From that day on, I was hooked on history, it was only when I reached university that I considered archaeology as a way to see and physically handle what the documents would tell you about the past. I gained a traineeship as an archaeologist after leaving university and haven’t looked back since. I love the variety, one day I am looking at rarely found type of Roman knife, the next a Victorian craniotomy or even the bog standard Roman ceramic tile.
Maria working in Rutland for AAL in 2011
Like many others, I grew up watching films and TV programmes such as Indiana Jones and Time Team which made history and archaeology seem fun and exciting. History was always one of my favourite subjects. Apart from playing treasure hunting games as a little girl, my career choice as a 19 year old was that of Informatics and IS/IT management. It was really only because I had an extra 10 weeks to fill for my MA Scs. at Gothenburg University that I decided to study a bit of archaeology purely for fun. Little did I know I would stay on to get a second degree. I really loved it! Although I knew a job in archaeology wouldn’t be as lucrative as one in IT, the thought of working within a field that continuously spurred an interest and perhaps get to combine this with travelling, seemed so much more appealing to me.
I landed my first job in Ireland 2006 and joined AAL in 2007 and as they say, the rest is History! I would be lying if I didn’t say the initial spark and excitement for the job didn’t get slightly jaded after a few years in the mud 🙂 but the core interest and fascination of learning something new about past times never really fades.
An early love of mud encouraged Beki to pursue a career in field archaeology
Initially I went to University to study history with archaeology, all bright eyes and bushy tailed with the intention of becoming a history teacher with one of those ‘stable’ jobs. A couple of archaeology lectures later and I was hooked. So here I am, 4 university years and over 3 commercial archaeology years later… still doing it. The reason that I particularly love archaeology is because in that moment, the one where you digging something or pulling an object out of the ground, you are the only person in the world seeing it for hundreds or thousands of years. An incredibly poignant sentiment. It’s also a chance to be outdoors every day, be surrounded by people with just any many quirks and similar interests as you and a chance to do something with a little more meaning.
Natasha excavating at Walton-le-Dale with Lancaster University Archaeology Unit as a fresh faced graduate
I don’t remember ever really wanting to be anything other than an archaeologist…Blame children’s telly (particularly a programme about Skara Brae) and lots of early visits to museums. My Dad has a friend who worked with the Leakey’s so I was introduced to the idea that looking at old stuff could be an actual job pretty early on (though hominids are way too old for me!). I remember being taken to see the excavation of Waltham Abbey and being particularly impressed that there was a grave which was being left untouched because the occupant had died from smallpox. Mostly archaeology suited the fact that I am interested in both the arts and sciences. I did a mix of both for my ‘A’ levels and went to Bradford to study Archaeological Sciences. By the time I graduated, I knew that I wanted to specialise in human remains, but I also knew that I wanted to get some commercial excavation experience. I do enjoy a good matrix. I worked throughout the UK and Ireland and then went back to University to do a Masters in human osteology, paleopathology and funerary archaeology – the course too long for application forms. After that I worked in a mixture of field archaeology and osteology until I settled in London as an osteologist, trained as a manager and later moved to AAL. I’ve been (and am) involved in a huge number of really interesting projects and have worked with and for some really inspirational people. These days I don’t get outside much but I am very lucky to be able to flex my trowelling muscles at the Ness of Brodgar each summer – and finally get to Skara Brae!
Dominika handling a spade during her early days as an archaeologist
When I was 7 years old my mother let me pick a book from the Readers Digest catalogue: I chose one about ancient Egypt, because I like the picture of Tutankhamun’s mask on the front. This was the start! I kept reading any history and archaeology books that I could find in the school library. I chose to go to Aberdeen University and study archaeology, then went on to Birmingham to do a masters in Egyptology. I returned to Scotland after completing my degrees and starting volunteering in the local museum in Perth and at Kinross Heritage Trust until I got my job at AAL and moved to Lincoln!
Emily processing samples with a celt at Silchester field school
Since a child I have always loved archaeology. Visiting castles, museums and places of national heritage has always been a fond pass time of mine. During Sixth Form I developed a keen interest in Classical Archaeology, through studying A- Level Classical Civilisations. I followed my interest into University where I received my degree in Archaeology and Classical studies. At University I had the opportunity to excavate and work at Silchester, the Roman town of Calleva Atrabatum. My time spent there heightened by love of Archaeology and made me pursue it as a career. Since joining commercial archaeology in 2014 I have thoroughly enjoyed working on a variety of different sites spanning across many time periods. Excavating and handling snippets of the pass on a day to day basis is fascinating and quite exciting as you never really know what you will discover next.
Cat on her first dig at Lake Mareotis in Egypt in 2008
I started working in archaeology having completed an undergraduate, masters and PhD at the University of Southampton. I had been interested in archaeology before this, but it was not until I was making decisions about what to study I had really considered it an option (and if I’m being honest I chose it because I wanted to study something that would allow me to travel….). Spending 8 years studying archaeology at university I realised that I couldn’t envision working in another sector. For me it’s the variety the job brings: picking apart different buildings, looking for clues in the landscape or experimenting with new techniques to get more about of what we find that has kept me interested.
Nikki digging this December for AAL
When I told my classics teacher I was going to study archaeology he stared at me right in the eyes and said “are you sure?” I can’t honestly say I was but I found myself in a hole (pun intended) and I haven’t been able to climb out since. I have always enjoyed history and the outdoors archaeology was the perfect answer and still is. The variety of people and places always keeps the job fresh and the communal atmosphere is one that I love. I dig it.
Alice on a Sheffield University training dig at West Halton
Today I was asked why am I an archaeologist? I have been in archaeology in one way or another for a long time so instead I asked myself why am I still an archaeologist? For me it is a chance to explore and discover in an ever changing environment. It allows me to constantly learn and develop as a person whilst spending time with a wide range of exciting personalities. However, I feel the most important thing is I’m doing something I love every day of the week and having fun whilst doing it!
Charlotte’s first day on her first ever training dig in 2011 with The Ardnamurchan Transitions Project
I originally applied for a place at university to study midwifery. I was good at sciences in school and decided that it would be a sensible degree, the NHS would pay for my fees and it had good job opportunities for the future. Two weeks before I was due to get my A-level results I realised that I didn’t want to spend my future working towards achieving something that was sensible. I wanted to spend future doing something that was an adventure, something that I was passionate about. I chose archaeology. I had always loved history and every weekend when I was a child I would ask my Dad to take me on a trip to our local museum so I could spend hours peering into cabinets at all the cool things people had used in the past, I found it fascinating! So in 2010 I applied to study Archaeology at the University of Manchester and I haven’t looked back since. The thing I love the most about being an archaeologist is that archaeology is something that is continuously interpretive and those interpretations are always changing from the beginning to end of the archaeological process, so no matter what part of the process you are involved in, no day is ever the same and I love it!
Cova at work in the archives
I first wanted to be a princess, and then an archaeologist. So my interest in history and archaeology started when I was very young. I always felt fascinated about the past and I was lucky enough that my father encouraged me to extend my interests further. When I went to university, I studied History and it was then that I had the opportunity to take part in archaeological projects, both on site and in the laboratory. After leaving Spain, I took other jobs relating to Art and auctions, but I couldn’t get Archaeology out of my mind, so I decided to go for it and applied for a job as an Archives supervisor in commercial archaeology. I don’t regret it at all, it is a busy job but very fulfilling.