Mysteries of the Past

Ken's eyes gleamed like lead shot found in the wet screen. "Jordan, look at this!" he exclaimed as he carefully stepped across the damp, fragrant hay surrounding our unit. I looked into his outstretched hand, curiosity evident in my expression. The sun caught on the artifact, sending delicate rainbows of light scurrying across his palm.

I gasped with amazement as I gingerly retrieved the object and began to study it in closer proximity. It was a small piece of elegantly cut glass, obviously meant for personal adornment. I rolled it back and forth daintily between my fingers, feeling the alluring caress of the past as I imagined what sort of ornamentation it served as during its heyday. The ridges were strong yet subtle, creating a silhouette both graceful and pleasing to the eye.

Even while engrossed in my observations of the glass bauble, I noticed a break in the earthy music of the site as my unit neighbor to the west paused in his troweling. Alex stood up slowly, wiping the sweat from his brow. A glint of green shimmered in his firm hand, piquing my interest. "We have a green cufflink here, set in some sort of metal." Our eyes met as we halted our perusal of our respective finds. Identical expressions of pleasure flooded our faces as I somberly declared, "We must be approaching occupation level!" We carefully placed our artifacts in amber vials and picked up our trowels anew, anticipation renewing our efforts.

Jordan Freeman

Photo credit Cathrine Davis