Following A Bearing With A Compass (In Case You Have Coworkers Who Belittle Those Who Ask For Help)

Using a compass is a critical skill that most people and definitely all archaeologists should possess. If I had a dollar for every time I had a fellow archaeologist cross what were supposed to be parallel transects, I’d have… I dunno, maybe $50. Enough for a lot of fancy beverages at the local Sheetz at the least.

But this is a skill that I have rarely seen new hires already possessing — unless, of course, they were in the Boy/Girl Scouts. Whatever else anyone thinks of those organizations, I think we can all agree that 1) teaching people how to orienteer and 2) delicious cookies that also build business skills are both vital public goods, and we need more of both in the world.

So let’s get down to brass tacks and talk about why an archaeologist (or anyone who goes out into the wilderness) needs to know this, and some step-by-step instructions that you should have been given in field school. Note that this is just to get you from point A to point B with an orientation provided for you. Taking a bearing on an existing landmark is basically doing the steps in reverse.

Some of you probably did get that instruction in your field school, and that’s great. I know I didn’t. I have also seen new archaeologists made fun of for asking how to use a compass, which is exactly the wrong thing to do. It’s not their fault if no one ever taught them, and it doesn’t take long to get the basics. And the basics…