The white fluffy angular clouds showed hints of blue in the sky. The long green fields of grass peaked in the distance. Bright blue buckets stood straight on the ground filled to the top with dark brown soil. Meanwhile in the distance, students all around the site crouched on their knees, carefully brushing away dirt to reveal cultural material. While others stood next to the pits as they used large gray metal screens to sift through the dirt.

When I think back to my time at the field site in Ireland at Clonoghil Castle, one vivid memory comes to mind: the image of students and field directors working together seamlessly. The image of people coming together is no surprise. The field of archeology brings together a group of diverse individuals from specialists, students, and community members with unique skills and knowledge. There are various ways in which one may work in a team such as, during excavation, co-authoring research papers, working with community members, and analyzing cultural materials together. Truly each person who is part of the team is invaluable. For this reason, it is important to learn how to work and become part of a team as this is a key element in archaeology. Here are some helpful tips on how to work as a team based on my experience at the Irish Heritage School.

To begin, start by dividing the work and responsibilities. At the Irish Heritage school, each person was assigned into a group where they worked in different parts of the excavation. However, even within these groups, tasks were further divided and each person had their own responsibility. Try to establish what responsibilities each person in the team will hold by communicating with each other and ask if they have any preferences as to what task they want to do. Ensure everyone feels comfortable with their assigned role and rotate roles throughout the day. In the end, everyone on the team should have equal responsibility.