My week started Sunday in a new area (picture above, looking south). I have been given the task along with three other volunteers of finding the northwest corner of the Antonine era (160's AD) stone fort wall. After digging like mad for two and a half days we have been rained out for a half day today. But we have discovered a turf rampart under a thick layer of rubble and just this morning before we had to stop for the day we discovered the tell tale Antonine stone work actually under the present fort wall which is 50 years later in construction. Or at least we think we have it. Hopefully the rain will let up and we can get down a bit deeper to see what is what. We started by having to deturf the area for excavation and have dug as far down as you can see in the picture of Richard and I.
The both of us have shifted a bunch of dirt and I for one have been exhausted at the end of each day but it is worth it as we may have answered a question that has lingered for a number of years at Vindolanda:"What are the dimensions of the first stone fort?" I have another week to go with Andy's crew and I hope to be able to give a good account for the phases of construction. There have not been many finds.
The picture of the two pieces of decorated samian ware have been the two best pottery finds so far. Bunches of animal bones were in the rubble above the turf rampart but not much else. Vicki and Lydia have found some bits of pottery, including some nice rims, and have been plugging away moving lots of stone and rubble. It has definitely been a team effort. And that is what an excavation is all about: team effort. Without everyone working together towards a mutual goal there would be chaos and disaster. Andy and Justin and Beth are great at making themselves clear on the goals and the best ways to accomplish what is needed and in answering the numerous questions by us volunteers. Many are repeat volunteers but there are a number who are new without any archaeology experience who come away from Vindolanda with a new found respect for what it takes to be a digger. And most of them end up being repeat volunteers just like myself and Katie.
1 comment:
Glad to see the sun was shining enough for you to get some work in and take some photos - and while the sun is shining, can I add that some sunscreen would be a good addition to your digger's kit . . .
Wow, it would be really great if you can help to find the fort's boundaries - that and the timbers from Justin's trench are awesome "finds" that while they aren't small pretty things they are important and you can really feel like you have helped contribute to the knowledge of Vindolanda in your time volunteering there.
I hope the rain lets up and doesn't get in the way of any more days of digging. Send it our way, we need all we can get in FL to put out the wildfires.
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