AMA
I've worked on mass graves AMA
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:19
I helped excavate mass graves in a post conflict country...
Ask away! 
NameChangeCuddleBums · 18/09/2018 21:27
What is your job? How did you feel at the time and now?
NameChangeCuddleBums · 18/09/2018 21:29
Did you work help any remains be returned to their families?
bluetrampolines · 18/09/2018 21:29
Wow. It hadn't occurred to me that was even a job. I feel so naive.
When is a situation deemed so bad they resort to mass graves.
MeltingSnowflake · 18/09/2018 21:30
How do you deal with the trauma of what you have seen?
MaisyPops · 18/09/2018 21:30
I agree blue. It never crossed my mind that would be a job.
OP how do you keep emotionally detached when excavating?
MummytoCSJH · 18/09/2018 21:31
I'm hoping to study anthropology and archaeology in the future so I can do the same. How did you get into the role? Were there parts of the job that you thought you had prepared for but that shocked you during?
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:33
We lived abroad for five years due to my husband's job. Because of my degrees/past experience I was able to help out.
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:34
I look back and think wow tbh. I feel extremely privileged to have helped the victims to get justice and their families to have some kind of closure
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:36
I remember one grave was half the size of a football pitch. Nothing can prepare you for that sight and the smell. But what kept me going was what I was doing to help those victims.
TheEmmaDilemma · 18/09/2018 21:38
Are you Temperance Brennan? 
Such an interesting job. How did you get into it? Was it something you fell into, or always wanted to do?
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:38
When a body was excavated and 'lifted' we had to go through pockets to find personal effects. There were so many who had photos in their wallets or id cards. Seeing the person who they were before this happened was very surreal
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:40
Temperance!
I studied archaeology for my degree then forensic anthropology at masters
tessiegirl · 18/09/2018 21:41
I was extremely lucky that my husband is also in that line of work so I could help out and gain more experience
CookPassBabtridge · 18/09/2018 23:24
Fascinating thread OP! What country/countries have you done this in?
tessiegirl · 19/09/2018 00:47
Eastern Europe.
My husband has also worked in Iraq, Africa, South America...
bluetrampolines · 19/09/2018 11:08
Does it make you morbid with regards to human nature and life?
Ghostontoast · 19/09/2018 11:15
Were you in West Africa OP. Did you DH work for the UN?
My sister sadly had to deal with such issues.
ShirleyPhallus · 19/09/2018 11:21
Wow, I also had no idea there was such a job
How did you get in to it? What other jobs would you do / have you done?
ItscalledaVulva · 19/09/2018 11:31
What happened to the remains once you had removed them from the mass grave?
Who funds this work, is it national government or UN?
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