Natural History

Remember what I mentioned about networking and getting to know the fellow employees? Well today I had the chance to sit down for a little while and chat with Sali, the curator of natural history at the museum. As a history scholar we don't often get the opportunity to see the natural history aspect of things. Throughout my conversation with Sali I was wishing that I had paid more attention in my college bio 100 class, nuts.

If you've ever had a desire to be like Indiana Jones then this post is for you. Sali detailed her work as an archaeologist and some of the exciting digs that she has been on. For example, she did some excavations on San Clemente Island in Southern California. Ever heard of it? It is actually an island that is owned by the government and where the Navy Seals train. While there, her and her team found pre-history human remains that date back to 9,000 BC! Sounds pretty exciting.

A la CSI or Bones Sali specializes in pathology of human bones. What is interesting about her work is how much information she can gather from analyzing a piece of bone that is thousands of years old. Based on the pathologies, archaeologists can discern which muscles the people used, what activities they engaged in, what they ate etc. All that from a bone, pretty incredible! When I remarked that her work is a lot like the stuff you see on tv, she laughed and said that those tv shows do it all wrong. They make the tests and procedures look glamorous and quick. She said that the things they so on those shows would take a real archaeologist countless hours.

As we discussed her work with human bones as well as her work in the museum, it made me realize that I have not see any human remains in a museum before (well except for a museum I visited in Spain). Apparently there is a law in the United States that prohibits public museums from displayed human remains. Particularly in regards to Nevada, the Native American communities have asked that any bones found are not put on display out of respect.

After hearing stories of secret government islands, fossils thousands of years old, and complex pathology testing, I'll admit the idea of becoming an archaeologist crossed my mind a time or too. One thing to consider, however, with such an occupation - you have to go where the work is, not visa versa. Every occupation has its pros and cons. So if you have the determined dream of living in a double story Victorian mansion in upstate New York complete with four children and a dog, you may want to consider trading in your fedora hat and whip and opt for something a smidge less nomadic.