Lilli Janotte

I decided to study archaeology when I was in school. After my A-levels I lived and worked in Rwanda for one year and after returning home to Germany I began to study Egyptology and the archaeology of Sudan. What I still love most about archaeology is that the discipline combines a huge variety of subjects. This means I can get involved in practical work, such as excavations and surveys, but I also have the opportunity to work on the data collected during fieldwork and consider the theoretical side of archaeological research.

After graduating in human osteology and funerary archaeology and during my second campaign on Mograt Island, I got involved in the excavation of the cemetery close to al-Karmel. I did not only excavate burials with the Sudanese-German team but was also in charge of studying the human remains we found. I documented the bone material, analysed the sex and determined the age of death of the individuals. Further, I looked for signs of trauma (physical wounds) and disease.

Back in Germany, I found a job in development cooperation of which I very much enjoy the international and intercultural work setting – something that has already been important to me when working in archaeological teams. Am I missing fieldwork and research? I most certainly do!