22 year old Superhero Archeologist Student from Bristol/Hereford.

Question 1. In the current economic climate, what made you decide to undertake an archaeology degree?

After an unsettled and not entirely happy undergraduate experience, I took a unit in Church Archaeology with Mark Horton in the third year of my BA Theology and Religious Studies course, and found that I was excited about learning again for the first time since starting university. So I had a choice: either leave with a BA in Theology and Religious Studies, during the worst economic crisis since Thatcher, and spend a year or more doing shit jobs I'd hate for no money; or carry on to do an MA in Archaeology, doing something I love, and end up with a better degree for it.

Question 2. Currently, what do you perceive to be the most significant archaeological find that you have made and why is this?

No specific find, but the most significant archaeological project I've worked on was the excavation on Turbo Island, Stokes Croft, in Bristol; a small patch of land reputed to be variously the site of a bombed-out house, a 'speakers corner', a pirate gallows, a , although more importantly a local street-drinkers hangout, seemingly for as long as anyone can remember. I think it was an important step in opening up archaeological and heritage practices to people who are marginalised by 'top-down' heritage institutions and invariably treated at best as charity-cases, and at worst as undesirable nuisances and 'lost causes'. I think seeing Smiler, Ritchie and Disco Dave on the cover of British Archaeology was worth the three days of clawing needles and White Ace bottlecaps out of the shit-smelling mud in the pissing rain.

Question 3. What/ where do you see yourself to be in ten years time?

I don't know. Probably in a hospital. Maybe in a hole (preferably digging, rather than being dug).

Question 4. An archaeology student’s degree is multi-disciplinary, sociable and academically challenging. During your time as an archaeology student what has been the most memorable moment within or out of the lecture theatre?

That's very personal. I can't give an honest answer here. There's a photograph though. People who know me can see it. You'll just have to work out which one it is.

Question 5. What are you currently doing? (Excavating, working, holidaying etc.)

Currently? I'm answering a questionnaire. I'm pretending to be a First World War soldier in the letter I'm writing. I'm listening to 'Reasons to be Beautiful' by Hole. I'm eating blueberries. I should be writing a dissertation.

Question 6. What are your thoughts and feelings about commercial archaeology?

Not really sure what this means. A job's a job. Some jobs are better than others, and commercial archaeology definitely has at least the potential to be a lot more enjoyable than most other work I can think of. But given the choice we'd probably all be doing research work instead.

Question 7. Has your perception of archaeology on TV changed since you undertook your degree? (E.g. Time team, meet the ancestors, Bonekickers).

I've been working with Mark Horton for the past year: my perception of most everything has changed, but Bonekickers is now my Bible.

Name

Liam James Saxon Powell