Expert: Ralph Salier - 1/27/2011

Question
I'm a student in the eighth grade doing a project about interviewing a professional on my chosen career. I want to ask you how you got into your job today, I also want to know your pay, your hours, the traveling you do, and if is  an enjoyable career a well.

Answer
Hi Rudy,

I became interested in Archaeology at a very early age (7) when I found my very first arrow head on the family farm.  I worked on my very first professionally run archaeological site when I was 10. I took courses at a local university during the summers in archaeology and by the time I graduated from High School, I had 16 credits in Archaeology!  

I went to university to study Archaeology and once I graduated, found work as an archaeologist.  I also got my Masters Degree in Anthropology.  This allowed me to get better jobs in the field.  I was told that I should have gotten a PhD (Doctorate) in the field but I did not have the time because I was working all the t ime.  The jobs I had would last any where from a few weeks to a few months and then had to find new work.  It was hard. Then I went to work for a consultant and while I still traveled, I was working for the same company.

Today I have my own consultancy and travel all over the US and Europe and some times to other places but I have been doing this kind of work now for over 40 years!  I've never made much money but since I love my work, I get compensated in other ways.

My hours are very long in the spring, summer and fall and some times very little work in the winter months.  But during the normal field season (Mid April to Mid October, I may be in the field as much as 15 or 16 hours ( from sun up to sun down).  I do a lot of consulting work these days and I am paid well for that kind of work. So during the winter I do a lot more consulting.

I have several areas of expertise. One is in ground stone tools, another is in wear use patterns on stone and finally how our Native Peoples developed new technologies.   Did you know that they knew how to heat treat some kinds of stone to make it harder and more durable?  Another thing they discovered was how to make water proof ceramics.  

I hope I answered all of your questions.  If you have more, please ask.