Day One: Sunday, February 4th
Day Two: Saturday, February 24th
Credit Where Credit Is Due
My second dig day I was assigned a square with an area that was to be prepared to jacket. As I worked around to clear the surrounding underside, I discovered an alligator femur, it is assumed. I was extremely excited with this find because I had been staring at a gomphothere wrist bone begging to be removed from its place in the area I was not to touch. As I let the alligator bone dry, I continued my digging around the area to be jacketed. One of the dig leads came over and told me that I could remove the wrist bone, for it seemed out of place and would be more helpful removed. So excited about this I got to work. I removed it successfully and was very proud, as you can see from the pictures. About an hour before time to leave, I was not given the go ahead to remove my alligator bone. I was extremely disappointed that someone else would have THIER name on MY find. Then I realized, I was my own worst enemy. Thus I decided to blog about how bad I feel for taking someone’s find. While I had an amazing learning experience removing the wrist bone, some unknown person had done most of the hard work for me. Not only that, but I also got to remove my alligator bone. With mixed emotions Ieft the site, but will always be grateful for the unknown person who helped me had the perfect dig day.
Day Three: Saturday, March 17th
My turtle day! If you’ve been out to the dig site you know turtles are very common. People typically don’t enjoy finding another turtle. I am a little different. I found two turtles. One upside down, the other whole that I was able to prep for a jacket. I was very proud of my work, and was disappointed to cover it back up with dirt when it was time to put a cover on it. I uncovered two beautiful specimens. Then I found a very cool vertebrae. I’m not sure what kind, but most definitely a fish.
Another amazing part of the day, was that I was the only student volunteer. I learned so much from the people who volunteered and the supervisors. I could not wait to return the next day.
Final Day: Sunday, March 18th
An unexpected end for my digs. Dirt. With an extra side of dirt. Until something different happened! I found some part of bone. However, I cannot recall which one. But I do remember it was a mammal, but no one knew what kind.
I also know..it is apparently not a knee cap and I know nothing about skeletons. I continued to move dirt while the possible UF graduate student beside me uncovered camel AND rhino bones. Inches from me. Determined to find something I continued. More dirt. Then rain. Pouring rain. 4:07pm. I start to pack up, upset with my last dig.
Then I saw what appeared to be a small fragment of bone. As I started to uncover it..it was much larger than I expected. I called down Dr. Bloch. He presumed it was a rib and asked if I wanted to add it to my bag. Of course I said yes! As we uncovered more I was only oozing with excitement. Then he found one end that did not resemble a rib. Then Dr. Bloch decided we would leave it in the ground.
When I asked Dr. Bloch what I may have found, he said a vertebra of a gomphothere. This is what I had been waiting to find! However, he told me my name would not be on it. But I am content with this being how I finished my digs even if it wasn’t what I had expected.
