The topsoil is now virtually complete- there was only a couple more metres to go when I left site at lunchtime. Obviously, there is still a lot of cleaning to be done, but its clear that there are a number of significant features emerging. The thing that immediately struck me was the apparent lack of layers of cobbles/stones that characterised the interior of the fort in Trench A. It does seem that we are coming down straight onto late Roman features, with less evidence for sub-/post-Roman activity. However, this may all change once we've given it a good clean. More generally, the line of Dere Street is clearly visible and a number of stretches of stone wall-lines are already apparent (as was expected). One of the first jobs for the students next week will be to give this area a thorough clean to let us begin to define the area in more detail.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
First thoughts
The topsoil is now virtually complete- there was only a couple more metres to go when I left site at lunchtime. Obviously, there is still a lot of cleaning to be done, but its clear that there are a number of significant features emerging. The thing that immediately struck me was the apparent lack of layers of cobbles/stones that characterised the interior of the fort in Trench A. It does seem that we are coming down straight onto late Roman features, with less evidence for sub-/post-Roman activity. However, this may all change once we've given it a good clean. More generally, the line of Dere Street is clearly visible and a number of stretches of stone wall-lines are already apparent (as was expected). One of the first jobs for the students next week will be to give this area a thorough clean to let us begin to define the area in more detail.
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Lordi! This is exciting!
ReplyDeleteinteresting stuff. There have been some spectacular developments over at the contempory site dig at Vindolanda...most of the via praetori has come up intact..with one tonne paving stones! www.wedigvindolanda.com is the volunteer digger run site. T.Wolter
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