Historic find for Monash students
Students at the Etruscan excavation site of Pietramarina
Ancient Republican Roman coins were among the historical discoveries made by Monash University archaeology students as part of their excavation training on an Etruscan site not far from Prato, this year.
As part of the Archaeological Fieldwork in Tuscany unit offered at Monash, students were introduced to the archaeology of ancient Etruria and archaic Rome by unit coordinator Dr Andrea Di Castro, and hosted in the Etruscan excavation site of Pietramarina, directed by Dr Maria Chiara Bettini, in collaboration with the Comune of Carmignano and the Soprintendenza Archeologica of the Regione Toscana.
Emily Roycroft, a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts student, spent a month at Monash University’s Prato Centre working on the excavation.
“Although my main area of study in Archaeology is in Ancient Egypt, this unit offered the chance to put into practise real skills that would be transferable to any field of study in Archaeology,” Emily said.
Emily was lucky enough to find a handle of a bucchero vase and a Roman coin during her time at the site and believes the items reveal new information about the past. Together with other students and archaeologists Emily also found various materials considered to be significant in reconstructing the life of this ancient site.
“The objects found can help us to understand the original purpose of the area we were excavating, what type of people lived there and what their daily activities were. We can perhaps learn more about the greater building complex and the periods in which it was used,” Emily said.
The artefacts found at the site are now under restoration and on display at the Etruscan Museum in Artimino.
Emily’s work at the excavation complements her Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts studies in Archaeology, specifically studying Ancient Egypt and Evolutionary Biology, which includes a combination of Genetics and Zoology, in the Science component of her degree.
Combining the best of all three factors; location, work experience and study relevance, Emily rates her time on the dig highly.
“As a result of being involved in this unit, I’ve experienced what working on an archaeological excavation is actually like. I also learnt the fundamentals of excavation techniques, such as how and when to use which tools, as well as how to effectively record and preserve materials for further study,” Emily said.