Chelsea Rose

Born and raised in Northern California, Chelsea Rose is an historical archaeologist who lives in Southern Oregon. Consumed with a love of history and archaeology from an early age, Chelsea's passion is researching the Frontier Gold Rushes of the nineteenth century, where her interests include Chinatowns and multi-ethnic mining camps in California and Oregon. Her current research project is focused on a mid-nineteenth century mining camp in Southern Oregon that was established by native Hawaiians — a population that has been little studied in archaeology. Chelsea received her undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon, and is finishing her graduate degree in Cultural Resources Management at Sonoma State University. She is currently an archaeologist with Southern Oregon University's Laboratory of Anthropology. When she's not in school or on an archaeological dig, Chelsea is either traveling or raising chickens, garlic and raspberries on her farm.

Video Profile

Time Team Q&A

Best Find
I love finding clay pipes. I am not sure why, they are not very rare or fancy, but is always exciting to find one. I think it may be because when you find a pipe, you not only found something someone owned and used, but something they put in their mouth. Now that is the kind of personal connection that makes archaeology so cool — 200-year-old spit.

Secret Dig Kit Weapon
I have a little "leaf trowel" I got in Scotland that is my secret weapon. If a pointy trowel and a square trowel had a baby, it would be a leaf trowel — how can that not be awesome?

Favorite Site
I have to say, my favorite site ever was the Time Team America dig at the Fort James site in South Dakota. It was beautiful, the archaeology was interesting and I was constantly surrounded by giggling hoards of Hutterite children. They let me practice my German and I taught them archaeology — it was a wonderful arrangement!

When did you first know you wanted to be an archaeologist?

Egypt
I love Egypt's pyramids and Valley of the Kings,
And every time I say Egypt, my heart begins to sing.
I love the ancient mummies, sleeping in their tomb,
They're so neat, so cool, so great,
I want one in my room.
I love the real Egyptian walk, and the friendly people who stop to talk.
I love the great sphinx, so very old,
And all the stories I've been told.
I hope to discover a new King Tut,
Or find stuff like, who knows what?
I love the old buildings, so old and tall,
And the ancient writing that covers the wall.
Maybe Egypt's not quite what it seems, but who cares, those are my dreams.
by Chelsea Rose, grade 5, age 10

Enough said?