#archaeology31 is a photo challenge created by Kim Biddulph that encourages archaeologists to share photos and stories about their work. The challenge takes place in January on Twitter and Instagram. This post shares a summary of all my posts for 2021’s #archaeology31.
How does #archaeology31 work?
#archaeology31 was created by Kim Biddulph in 2019. This is what inspired her and how she envisioned the challenge:
Inspired by #museum30 created by Gracie Price (@magnifyzoology) that runs in November, I decided to create an #archaeology31 photo challenge on Twitter to brighten up everyone’s January. The idea is for archaeologists to post one photo a day in January, with a specific theme each day…
Kim Biddulph
While Twitter is the primary medium for the challenge, some archaeologists have posted on Instagram and on their personal blogs. Some participants posted other content (e.g., gifs, videos, external links, etc.) for some days instead of a picture.
The daily themes change from year to year. Kim curated the following themes for the 2021 challenge:
My #archaeology31 2021 Photo Challenge Summary
The follow sections detail my answers to each day’s prompt. If you would like to see how other archaeologists answered, check out the following Twitter summary:
Day 1: New
Day 2: Future
Day 3: Creativity
Check out the post: A Photography Lesson in Baltimore
Day 4: Communication
Check out the post: The Archaeology of the Night – What’s That About?
Day 5: Door
Check out the post: The Doors of Oman
Day 6: Move
Day 7: Place
Check out the post: My Grandma’s Green Coconut Chutney
Day 8: Decolonise
Day 9: Circle
Day 10: Memory
Check out the post: An Inside Look into Studying Aksumite Archaeology in Ethiopia
Day 11: Community
Day 12: Point
Day 13: Gender
Check out the post: 25 Pictures of Water Management in Northern Oman
Day 14: Hidden
Check out the post: Archaeobotany vs. Paleoethnobotany vs. Paleobotany
Day 15: Treasure
Day 16: Corner
Check out the post: An Inside Look into Studying Aksumite Archaeology in Ethiopia
Day 17: #FolkloreThursday
Day 18: Discovery
Day 19: Fashion
Day 20: Gift
Day 21: Reinterpret
Day 22: Red
Day 23: Identity
Check out the post: Visiting the Tombs of al-Ayn in Oman
Day 24: Science
Day 25: Respect
Day 26: Culture
Day 27: Storytelling
Check out the post: Architectural Feats in Oman Throughout the Ages
Day 28: Friendship
Day 29: Theory
Check out the post: Ingenuity in the Oasis: Archaeobotanical, Geospatial, and Ethnoarchaeological Investigations of Bronze Age Agrarian Community Choices in the Northern Oman Interior
Day 30: Protest
Day 31: Change
Closing Thoughts
If you have made it to the end of this post, thank you because it was a long one!
This is my 2nd time participating in #archaeology31 and I really enjoyed it again. I am glad I also posted on my Instagram because it was a lot of fun engaging with so many of you there. I am looking forward to participating next year.
Have you heard of #archaeology31? What are your favorite social media hashtag challenges? Let me know in the comments below!
