Digging
For 35 years, the asbl "D'George Kayser Altertumsfuerscher" has run an archaeology camp for kids in Giewel, and this August is no different. Children and teenagers are out in the fields with trowels and brushes, excavating the ruins of a Gallo-Roman villa that was in use between the first and fourth centuries.
The site contains a manor house and outbuildings. Previous years uncovered the eastern and western trenches. This year, the young archaeologists are working on the northern side, trying to find three more trenches and map how far the complex extends.
The kids are finding things. One child described pulling a cow femur out of the dirt, still not fully exposed. Others mentioned finding pottery shards, and this year, a complete small pot turned up, which is rare. Usually only fragments survive. They also found fire pits, evidence of where people cooked or worked with heat.
The camp is not just about digging. The kids sleep on-site, eat together, and spend four days living the work. A Dutch association, A.V. Philips van Horne, sends volunteers regularly. Students and foreign associations participate alongside the children. The president of the asbl, Jacques Bonifas, coordinates the excavation.
One kid said the best part was working as a team instead of alone. Another liked finding friends. A third enjoyed the games they play on top of the trenches between digs.
The goal is to bring history closer to young people and motivate them to stay interested in archaeology as they grow older. 35 years of running this camp suggests it is working.
Also notable: Luxembourg is sending 8 swimmers to the European Championships in Paris next week. Among them is 16-year-old Emma Barthel, who just set a national record in the 200m individual medley at the junior Europeans in Munich. She said she is not stressed about being one of the youngest competitors. "I'll just take it as it comes and not put pressure on myself, and it'll be fine." Good attitude.