Today was a studio day, so while I worked on some fascinating artifacts, there isn't too much to write about. I'll take the opportunity, however, to answer a question that I receive a lot...even from professionals:
Why not just photograph everything, rather than drawing them?
The short answer is: we do photograph everything. However, there are many, many times when a single photograph (or even a series of photographs) simply can't capture all of the details of an object. For example, the Saladoid ceramic fragment below is amazingly detailed with decorative, incised lines. There are areas that have worn away so much that a photo can't capture it. Obviously the photo is not of the professional quality that we would use, and the drawing on the right is not yet finished, but you get the point.
Another bonus to illustrating objects like this is that I have to spend hours scouring every millimeter of it in order to render it properly. In doing so, it's not unusual for me to notice faded inscription lines or other features that someone on-site or a photographer might simply miss.
More studio work in the morning tomorrow, then heading to the site after lunch.