“When you are sweating, covered in dirt, and exhausted, remember you chose this.”

These were the inspirational words spoken by Project Director Dr. Alex Walthall in his opening motivational speech given the night before our first day of digging. I had worked in the field before and understood what was coming my way: relentless sweating, intense blisters, constant sunburn, and dirt that would not leave your skin, regardless of how many showers you took. However, upon hearing Dr. Walthall’s uplifting words, I knew I would cherish every moment of my time in Aidone.

In July, I was travelling from another project located just outside of Rome. Arriving in Aidone was a welcome change of pace. The bus ride from Catania to Aidone featured rolling hills decorated with the occasional dilapidated stone shepherd’s hut or flock of sheep. Travelling through its interior, Sicily feels quiet and vast, and is unbelievably beautiful.

The town of Aidone is a cobbled, hilltop oasis amongst the expansive farm fields. Though the community is small and closely connected, the locals welcomed us outsiders wholeheartedly. On the first day I was there, as I familiarized myself with the town, locals greeted me with a smile and a cheery “Ciao!” The people of Aidone have welcomed archaeologists into their small town every summer for over 60 years, but I was still worried that my clear unfamiliarity with the town would draw negative attention, as it often does in tourist-dense areas. However, the community was happy to host us, excitedly showing new team members, like myself, the unique aspects of Aidone that create its charm. One such example is Nando’s grocery store, where, upon entry, Nando smiled and proudly announced to us that he was the one who prepared the sandwiches that the excavation team ate for lunch every day.

Mornings in Aidone were peaceful, quiet, and refreshing. Walking through the stone streets before anyone had woken and before the Sicilian heat had set in was a lovely way to begin each day. Every morning, my housemates and I would leave early to make sure we made it to breakfast before the only yogurts that were left were the much-dreaded pineapple flavour. After breakfast, we would load our supplies into the van and head down the almost-too-narrow roads out of Aidone and towards the excavation site of Morgantina. Kendrick Lamar, Ludacris, T-Pain, and The Lonely Island were often our commuting soundtrack, providing the much-needed boost in energy before we started our day.

*The team observing turtles during our excursion to Palermo*

While the dig may have been tiring, it was incredibly rewarding. The Agora Valley 2025 excavation was focused on the architectural features of the site to gain a better understanding of the site’s overall footprint and use. Even though I worked mostly in Trench 160, cleaning up and seeing the progress made on the site as a whole each day was a reminder that I was fortunate enough to be a member of an amazing team. It was not the progress made in one trench that mattered most, but our overall ability to divide and conquer!

The bus ride back into Aidone was always a little quieter and smellier, but there was also a level of excitement as we all thought about what we might get to excavate the following day. Finally, out of the heat of the day and ready to clean off the layers of sweat, dirt, and sunscreen, I would think about Dr. Walthall’s motivational words: “Remember, you chose this.” And I would choose it again and again, because, like my wonderful teammates, I live for the dig!

A Day in Aidone

A Real Archaeologist