Marissa Bovie: Archaeological Researcher

Marissa Bovie, a double major in anthropology and Earth science at the University of Maine, traveled to Croatia in 2014 as part of a team to help build a collaborative network of colleagues from different fields in relation to an archaeological study on urban transformation and landscape change along the Adriatic Sea.

This summer, Bovie returned to Croatia as a research assistant with Gregory Zaro, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology, as well as researchers from the University of Zadar, Croatia, and students from both the University of Zadar and UMaine.

The majority of UMaine student participation comes through an archaeological field school and travel course directed by Zaro. Eleven students were enrolled in the course that ran from May 15 to June 11.

The excavation, which is funded by the National Geographic Society, is the next phase in building a long-term program of study concerning human society, environment and climate in the eastern Adriatic region. The initiative to study at the Nadin archaeological site grew out of Zaro’s Fulbright experience at the University of Zadar in 2013.

The project work will generate archaeological data related to urban form, spatial organization, economy, subsistence and environment from the site’s inception in the Iron Age. The project also will work to more precisely delineate the site’s chronology, an essential prerequisite to articulating changes in urban form with broader changes in landscape and environment.

Bovie of Vassalboro, Maine expects to graduate in May 2016.

Describe your trip to Croatia in 2014 and your related research:
I traveled to Croatia in 2014 with Dr. Zaro and with the help of the Center for Undergraduate Research to lay the groundwork for an international, multidisciplinary archaeological project investigating human agency in landscape change over time. This research focuses on the Zadar region of Croatia, along the Adriatic coast.

My role in the project was to assist in the creation of this team and begin preliminary archaeological research. The project will utilize the knowledge from a variety of academic disciplines — from archaeology to geology to paleobotany.

While in Croatia, I met with academic professionals to gain their insight into the project and to connect the different disciplines together into a multidisciplinary team; something crucial for this type of research. I also spent time working with students from the University of Zadar at the field school the university hosts for their archaeology students. This allowed me to gain more experience with the types of objects and artifacts we could encounter in our own research.

What was your favorite part of the trip?
In all, my favorite part of the trip last summer was being able to experience a different culture with such a long history. It was crazy for me to be able to walk down the street and see a church built in the 1100s or to encounter a piece of medieval pottery on the work site and have the other students be nonplused by its age. This span of history is something that is not immediately present in the everyday life of the United States, particularly in cities, and was an experience I don’t think I will ever forget.

What was the most important thing you learned on the trip?
The most important thing I learned over the course of that trip was that things do not go according to plan.

When we originally planned the collaborative portion of our meetings with Croatian academics, we planned to host talks at the beginning and end of the trip, with a presentation and ample time for open dialogue between those in attendance.

However, when we implemented this at the first meeting, it didn’t really provide the outpouring of ideas that we had hoped it would. It would have been easy to feel defeated with that, but we soon found that having individual meetings with those same individuals provided a lot more open discussion and helpful information and ideas for building our research.

Particularly when it comes to working internationally, I found that being flexible with even the best laid plans allows for adjustment for cultural and academic differences and an overall better outcome.

Can you talk about how this year’s trip differs from the last? What made you want to return?
This year I am returning to Croatia in a research capacity. Last summer was all about the setup of this project; setting up the framework that would allow it to succeed. This year we are actually breaking ground and beginning excavation.

We will be digging at a site called Nadin near Zadar, Croatia. The site has been occupied from the Iron Age to Roman colonization and was eventually a Turkish fort. This summer will be my chance to be part of this archaeological dig.

Since it’s looking at human agency in landscape and environmental change, this dig is of particular interest to me as it combines both of my majors, Earth science and anthropology, into one project. I wanted to return to be a part of it and gain experience in the field.

How would you describe Croatia to a Mainer?
The best way to describe Croatia to a Mainer would be sunshine and history. I think it rained maybe two of the days I was there last summer and I was always surrounded by culture and history. I got lucky last year and was living right in the heart of the old town of Zadar. It’s a Mediterranean climate and Zadar is right near the coast, so in all it’s very beautiful.

Why did you choose your majors?
Getting a dual degree in Earth sciences and anthropology may not be the first thing that pops into someone’s head when it comes to picking a major, but for me it just made sense and the programs are more complementary than most people realize.

I’ve always been interested in the world around me as a child and used to like to collect rocks. At the same time, I’ve always been interested in people; in how they are different and what they were like in the past, even the past we don’t have writing for. This dual degree seemed to be the best of both worlds.

Why UMaine?
I chose the University of Maine because it was a school that offered what I knew I was interested in and the flexibility to do both. Not every school has both Earth science and anthropology programs, and not every school has the ability to let you pursue both at the same time. The University of Maine provided me that wonderful opportunity.

Beyond academics, what extracurricular activities occupy your time?
This past year I was a resident assistant here on campus, but I’ve also been part of the Maine Learning Assistant program for both the Mathematics and Earth Science departments. I am also part of Mainely Voices, a coed a cappella group here on campus.

Have you worked closely with a professor or mentor who made your UMaine experience better?
I’ve worked with several individuals that have helped make my experience here better. Dr. Gregory Zaro, with whom I am working on this project in Croatia, has provided me with the chance to be involved with this unique opportunity as an undergraduate. Not many undergrads get the chance to be part of the construction of an archaeological dig from the ground up. Without Dr. Zaro, I wouldn’t have had this amazing opportunity.

My adviser in the Earth Sciences Department, Alice Kelley, also has been someone who has shaped my experience here at the University of Maine. She has always helped by providing advice to get me to where I wanted to go next on my academic journey and pushed me to get involved. She also has been very active in calling various opportunities — both on campus and off — to my attention. I am so very grateful to them both.

What difference has UMaine made in your life and in helping you reach your goals?
The University of Maine has helped me reach my goals by providing opportunities for me to learn new things, to be involved — both academically and nonacademically — and to gain experience in my fields of study. Being here has allowed me to meet academic professionals and people in general that I wouldn’t have met anywhere else and provided a strong community to help me feel supported. All the opportunities at the University of Maine have helped me grow as an individual, and the people here have always encouraged me to reach my full potential.

What are your plans for after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to take a few years off to work before attending graduate school for Earth sciences. I haven’t decided where yet or exactly what I will be focusing on, but I’m looking to get some real-world experience to help put graduate school in perspective.