Odile Rouard

How did you become interested in archaeology?

I have loved mythology (especially Greek and Norse!) since I was a child and as I grew up, mythology led me to history and archaeology. Archaeology, like mythology, is also telling stories. It’s the story of our past.

Tell us about one of your most interesting discoveries?

When I was in France, I worked on a Merovingian cemetery (the equivalent to the Saxon period here). All the skeletons we found were buried with grave goods: swords, knives, jewellery. It made me think how important these people must have been, and how their family loved and cared for them!

What’s your favourite part about being an archaeologist?

Every day is different, and we never know what we are going to find! It’s so exciting to start digging a feature and to find pottery, animal bone, even coins sometimes! The thrill of discovering something that has been buried for hundreds, sometimes thousands of years is definitely my favourite part!

What is your favourite place or object?

My favourite place? I would say Greece, although I have not been lucky enough to work there yet.

My favourite object? I love the Sutton Hoo helmet. Have you seen it at the British Museum? It’s so detailed and so striking. I can’t imagine how amazing it would be to discover such a beautiful object!

(Photo credit: www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/)

What is your advice to kids who want to be archaeologists?

Archaeology is such a varied discipline: whether you like to dig, write, draw, do photography, you will get to do it all if you become an archaeologist! It never gets boring! And you get to spend a lot of time outdoors too. No sitting in a stuffy office!