Interview with an
ARCHAEOLOGIST
Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Novotny
Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Occupation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maya Archaeologist
Where do you live?
Mount Vernon, Ohio.
Why did you decide to become an archaeologist?
Because I have always been interested in history. Archaeology uses material culture (all the stuff that humans create and use) to explore how people lived in the past. This is especially important because historical texts don't always tell us everything about a culture. For example, the ancient Maya used hieroglyphic writing to describe their kings and politics but not how normal people, including women and children, lived.
Did you always want to be an archaeologist?
Yes! When I was a kid, I was really interested in ancient Egypt and King Tut; my mom made me a birthday cake shaped like King Tut's burial mask! But I didn't know how to become one until I went to college.
What is the best part of the job?
Doing fieldwork in places like Mexico and Belize. You get to experience another culture and share the excitement of learning about the past.
What skills does a good archaeologist need to have?
A good archaeologist needs to pay close attention to details so they don't miss anything.
Tell us a little about your work on Maya sites.
Right now I am working at a site in northwestern Belize called Gallon Jug. I am learning about what it was like to live in a household during the Late Classic period (AD 600–900). Last summer, we discovered several game boards carved into a plaster floor, so I am learning about games that the ancient Maya played and how those games may be connected to household rituals.
What is your most memorable moment doing Maya archaeology?
There are so many! Any time I find a human burial is memorable because I know that I am looking at a person who probably built and lived in the house that I am excavating. It's very humbling to feel that connection.
Also, last summer a huge tree fell directly on top of the house that we were excavating, which was scary! You have to be careful in the jungle.
What is it like working in the jungle?
Working in the jungle is very hot, and
you need to drink a lot of water. There
are lots of trees and ants, which are
annoying, but there are also monkeys
who live in the trees and will hang out
and watch us excavate!
What aspects of Maya culture most fascinate you?
The home life of the ancient Maya. Maya houses are so interesting because they did everything there—from cooking things like tamales, chicha (maize beer), and chocolate drinks, to crafting ceramic vessels or beads. They even conducted rituals at home and buried family members beneath house floors.
What do you hope to discover about the history of the Maya through your work?
I hope to learn many things, like how Maya people expressed their identities through the things they made and used and whether the people living at Gallon Jug were in contact with other Maya people living in nearby cities. I’d also like to support the Maya people occupying the area today, learning about their cultural heritage. That way, it won’t be just American archaeologists working at Maya sites.
What happens to the things that you find?
All the artifacts from my excavations become the property of the Belizean state and are kept in a storage facility there. However, if we want to do a special analysis of an artifact, the government gives us permission to take small pieces back to the United States.
What do you do when you're not working on an archaeological site?
For most of the year, I teach about archaeology and anthropology at Kenyon College. I also enjoy hiking with my dog, Huck, and my husband, Tomás, cooking for my family, gardening, and knitting hats for my new baby, Oscar.
What piece of advice do you have for a young aspiring archaeologist?
If you want to be an archaeologist, keep reading about history and go visit archaeological sites and museums in your town.