Matrix and 20/20 vision...I wish...

I spent 3.5 hours at the Fort yesterday doing what is referred to as matrixing. Basically, they give you a giant bag of dirt taken from a specific layer at the dig site. This bag you then dump, little by little, into a tiny box and begin the slow process of sifting through it with tweezers for micro artifacts. (For a more thorough, educational explanation click here). Sounds like it could be pretty boring but its actually not. At least for me it wasn't. I found glass, seeds, tiny pieces of ceramics and what had to be the tiniest little red bead I had ever seen. Literally as small as the head of a pin. All in all, it was a pretty interesting experience. It reminded me of looking for beach glass only on a much, much smaller scale.

However, as this was my second trip to the fort, I noticed a repeat issue that arose. The two times I have gone there, I have left with sore eyes and a massive headache. Of course to me this is pretty concerning. Part of being an archaeologist is using your eyes to find tiny things. The first time I went I was analyzing fragments and artifacts. This time it was sifting through dirt for micro artifacts. Here's why this is concerning. I have bad eyesight. As in, the last time I went to the eye doctor he told me I was in fact, legally blind (20/400). A visual for you to see the difference between 20/20 and 20/400...

This is correctable vision though with glasses and contacts. I worry that it is my bad eyesight that is causing the problems and that this may hinder my ability to work in this field. That doesn't mean I couldn't be an Anthropologist, per say, I just couldn't be an Archaeologist.

So here's my plan. I will go to the fort again during the next two weeks. If the problem persists then my only option is to contact my eye doctor again and get his opinion on whether or not the issue really is what I think it is. If that's the case, I may need to refocus my efforts. To me that's not too big of a deal however because I am also interested in ethno-history and Cultural Anthropology so I can always go down those routes. As it stands, my eyes still hurt today (nearly 24 hours later). Would it suck to have to back out of the archaeology track? Heck yes! But who knows, maybe the eye doctor will have information on how I can strengthen my eyes so that the strain isn't so bad.

Here's lookin at you kid...

Rachel B.