tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47228421746727737472024-03-13T17:08:32.893+00:00Discovering Dorchester through ArchaeologyWendy Morrison - Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04844752314578858364noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-57762627483893976862018-07-11T21:59:00.002+01:002018-07-11T21:59:59.395+01:00We're not exhausted yet - Open Day (Saturday 12 - 5 pm) <div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">We are getting closer to the end of things: the World Cup is inching to its finale, the heatwave is slowly cooling, and (sadly) we only have a week and a half left in Dorchester. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">The lack of time and the growing sense of ends and of limits does not however mean that there is any break or ebbing of the number of finds that are coming out of the ground. For example, in the first three hours of the day, over 25 small finds (objects of metal, worked bone, and stamped pottery) have been recovered and recorded. Town sites are meant to contain a good number of finds, and yet, even after ten years, this aspect to Dorchester is not showing any sign of being exhausted of objects. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">In terms of those key finds, those which are most cooed and coveted, we have had a strap-end, a lump of plaster with a painted flower/star, another with a leafy decoration, and two contextualised coins of the Emperor Hadrian. In addition, last week our metal-detectorist Shaun (who works our spoilheap picking up metal that has been dug up and accidentally discarded by us) picked out an extra special find which seemed to come from soil under the Roman road. I will keep mum about it to try and entice you to the Open Day (this Saturday, 15 - 5pm, Dorchester Allotments), I am certain though that it is the find of the season. However, it certainly is one of those finds which brings the past closer at the same time as it makes it more intriguing. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">So, as I have mentioned it, let's repeat - we have our tenth and last Open Day occurring this Saturday (14/7/18) and it promises to be our best yet. We have a whole host of activities tailored to children, a whole number of our best finds returning to be looked over, and a whole set of excited archaeologists ready to tell you all about the site. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">Please come along!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;">(as ever, pictures to follow)</span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-91891891241858995092018-07-05T11:09:00.001+01:002018-07-05T11:09:49.890+01:00"Feelin' hot hot hot"<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">It is coming to the end of the week here and our last set of undergraduates are on their ways out. They have dug hard (the record for the number of barrows 'run' in one day fell twice), and we have progressed in most parts of the site. There have been a number of beautiful finds: a copper ligula from a toiletry or medical set, a bone pin, and an antler knife handle have all rather caught the eye - see the photos that will follow. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">However, as ever with archaeology, it is not the finds that really make an impression but the features themselves. For, underneath the middle road slot, we have come across a line of stake holes (or 'voids') set into the ground and stretching from north to south. They are linearly scattered into the northern road slot too and once made up the wall from some kind of early building. Near this area we also had a Claudian as, a copy of the type with the Minerva reverse, and this find places the feature slap bang in the middle of the 1st century CE. It therefore looks like we are beginning to uncover and untangle material that might provide parallels and nuances to the 1960s and 1970s excavations that took place in this picturesque village. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">Working with this feature we might begin to provide some answers to some of our original questions - what were the origins of Roman Dorchester? And, was there a military phase here? </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 13.2px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";">All exciting and all still very hot (the heat wave continues)!</span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-35884715221387912982018-06-29T14:22:00.001+01:002018-06-29T14:22:51.136+01:00We are going potty for our pottery<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The archaeology, in mimicry of the general weather, is beginning to get hot in Dorchester. The usual and typical large amounts of pottery and nails are spilling from a whole host of new and old features. And, most importantly and significantly, we are starting to see a rising proportion of material that is 1st century CE in date. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yesterday was an especially good day for finds. Around four pieces of stamped pottery came out (three of samian and the other on an Oxfordshire reduced ware). And, on one of the former (a dish from South Gaul), there was a graffito: a scratched inscription of a name and an X from 2000 years ago. Obviously, it has caused a huge amount of excitement and is (so far) our star attraction. Today brought a renewed number of 'special' small finds including a deep blue shard of Roman glass from a vessel, an antler knife handle, and a huge piece of iron slag.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Other than that - we have more pits coming through and a new gravel spread under the road. Dorchester keeps on giving. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".SFUIText";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Check out our instagram (you do not need an account to access it) to see some of our photos!</span></span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-86710997283153220422018-06-25T11:58:00.000+01:002018-06-25T12:26:22.042+01:00All fun in the sunOn Sunday we were joined for the last time by a team of university students originating from a whole host of institutions spotted across the globe. And, inevitably, we used their youthfulness to set to with our heaviest tools on the remaining clods of earth and soil that lie over the tarp and the archaeology. The sun is shining hot, the grass is tinder dry, and the carrion-eating red kites are circling us; but we are getting through the required work at a rattling pace.<br />
<br />
Soon, I hope, we will be able to show you pictures of actual archaeology. For now, though, I leave you with some pictures of toil and soil. Please wish us your best as it gets steadily hotter!<br />
<br />
Thomas<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrKe28t9DbzmZdLsDqq5w6Q0bFRu_kyE1YMT-oCh43gxqDxropbG9_XnqOtArwGSFOeDHrkFM_R7WrksCwQB3aBGSW-QP5GgnpLEJBazHaRbwQcC5DhyVUIPydDFmrYtUQ6LSljUpDh2k/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrKe28t9DbzmZdLsDqq5w6Q0bFRu_kyE1YMT-oCh43gxqDxropbG9_XnqOtArwGSFOeDHrkFM_R7WrksCwQB3aBGSW-QP5GgnpLEJBazHaRbwQcC5DhyVUIPydDFmrYtUQ6LSljUpDh2k/s1600/image1.jpeg" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkYaQfwQDyBrBAh2J4QZVwdggbpSRzKM59WYixmYWRKi7MFDywGlOF-EVKJGA9eYKSJNZOlrjr8zkcAfI5-RocNYhq1wesa0MRmu_MjmB0DUbkUX2wSDTFNlS0xLHMj6QVEUuY4gVTXSa/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghkYaQfwQDyBrBAh2J4QZVwdggbpSRzKM59WYixmYWRKi7MFDywGlOF-EVKJGA9eYKSJNZOlrjr8zkcAfI5-RocNYhq1wesa0MRmu_MjmB0DUbkUX2wSDTFNlS0xLHMj6QVEUuY4gVTXSa/s1600/image2.jpeg" /></a><img src="blob:https://www.blogger.com/ba2b9ed2-49b8-4780-b383-1a6867e7d90b" /></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-68118995045707537772018-06-18T21:40:00.002+01:002018-06-18T21:40:40.547+01:00Have we been missed?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
What with the football and all the political turmoil you
might be forgiven for thinking that Dorchester did not have its fair share of
drama this year. However, we have (also) kicked off – the Discovering
Dorchester Project is up and running for its final year! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please see below some of the pictures below of our poppy
strewn field. There is not too much to report at this stage, this is very much
the time of watching our site slowly begin to reveal itself beneath the soil we
put back in last season (as those of you who have been following us for years
will know). But, what I can say is that the weather was fine and we are mainly
concerned at the moment with working out the edges of our trench. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We are quite close to the centre of Dorchester on Thames, among
the allotments, and would welcome visitors at any time. Please come to say
hello if you are in the area! <o:p></o:p></div>
<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVA0clIKG53JIsZnFyz3nZ78PhAZhZHR0qLfDhKi78CcdpW1gZ5_oF0iUjVoYaAw1LnBo7TxJKXzH2Pv6D7MblrCrSf5RYrUoH9kOE66UJBm3LIZnppGTvdZlyJMcYWELcXH3o4t0F4wD/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVA0clIKG53JIsZnFyz3nZ78PhAZhZHR0qLfDhKi78CcdpW1gZ5_oF0iUjVoYaAw1LnBo7TxJKXzH2Pv6D7MblrCrSf5RYrUoH9kOE66UJBm3LIZnppGTvdZlyJMcYWELcXH3o4t0F4wD/s320/image1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34zOYXKvxoLZKXblGZq8lotOBr5ebBha7Xbj2ZANeEHbTVVpq63o23VR0iM5A7F1rNns0Ixf984pnfJXGsqiR1HV3HsuRYvAvrpginFEFgBNLy4oZTWR0rv3qhl-7wCMUTH6yNirc7FIF/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34zOYXKvxoLZKXblGZq8lotOBr5ebBha7Xbj2ZANeEHbTVVpq63o23VR0iM5A7F1rNns0Ixf984pnfJXGsqiR1HV3HsuRYvAvrpginFEFgBNLy4oZTWR0rv3qhl-7wCMUTH6yNirc7FIF/s320/image2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-53920063495020058732018-01-22T09:23:00.002+00:002018-01-22T09:23:58.598+00:00Discovering Dorchester is open for registration for the 2018 season<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Hello all,
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Even
though I’s gazing out at another rainy, grey day, but I am pleased to announce
that the Dorchester on Thames excavation is now open again for registration!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">This is
the last year of the Discovering Dorchester project and we would love to have
as many new and old faces there as possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">We need to
work out the tricky stratigraphy around our pit complexes in the north of the
site and burrow our way through those greyish green silts that emerged below
the Roman road – so there is still a lot to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The dates
this year are 24<sup>th</sup> June – 6<sup>th</sup> July for the undergraduate
field school, and 8<sup>th</sup> – 13<sup>th</sup> and 15<sup>th</sup> – 20<sup>th</sup>
July for Weeks A and B (respectively) of the Public/Continuing Education dig. I
hope that some of you can make these times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">There is a
slight change this year. Could I direct all your queries and interested emails
to the dig’s official email: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="mailto:discoveringdorchester@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">discoveringdorchester@gmail.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="mailto:discoveringdorchester@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Whether
you are an undergraduate looking for an excavation or wanting to get ‘in’ on
one of the public fieldschool weeks, if you email then I will be more than
happy to send you over the relevant documentation, <u>including the information
packs</u>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">For now,
though, see below a picture of the excavation from the air taken during the course
of last season.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Hope you
have a wonderful week and I look forward to hearing from some of you,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Thomas
(Assistant Director)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOb4KV6jWUWpRySQQuxjZjyVIAVNO6KiGO65noyDNyiHm9zCgE1SNP-HyaB5Lj0oPuiuTP15IGe6846-wPncQcFliFJBfSwluK8mCf0Um1euaQ-r4LO2Z3jGVTnay5ZIWLRVXypvsWJeB/s1600/DJI_0002_Moment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOb4KV6jWUWpRySQQuxjZjyVIAVNO6KiGO65noyDNyiHm9zCgE1SNP-HyaB5Lj0oPuiuTP15IGe6846-wPncQcFliFJBfSwluK8mCf0Um1euaQ-r4LO2Z3jGVTnay5ZIWLRVXypvsWJeB/s400/DJI_0002_Moment.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-64934339771702351882017-07-13T22:04:00.001+01:002017-07-13T22:04:23.864+01:00Week 3 update - and a reminder that our Open Day is drawing near<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">So, with
the undergraduates having left on Friday, the site in these last two weeks is
being dug by a mix of Continuing Education students, local volunteers, and
other interested persons. However, the changeover in personnel has neither led
to a slackening in the pace of the work nor in the number of finds being
discovered. Indeed, since the last post, there has been a great deal that has
happened. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Peter’s team, who were previously
occupied with the truncated (and difficult-to-see) early Roman deposits have
now switched their attention to a pit (yes, another one) which has appeared
almost in the middle of the Dorchester site. This pit produced some thick
charcoal-heavy soil deposits and also has a very steeply sloping side. But, the
appearance of this feature means that we now have a total of three to four
large pits under excavation running north-south through the middle of the
excavation. This is all rather peculiar, especially as the (probable) 2<sup>nd</sup>
to 3<sup>rd</sup> century CE use of these rubbish dumps would have made getting
from the road to the building (situated next to and under the western bulk)
rather tricky. Certainly, the route might have involved wandering
through slowly growing piles of refuse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Moving away from that image, Peter’s
team have struck lucky with a productive ditch that is yielding not only a
large number of small finds (objects of metal and, unusual ones, of pottery
that require ‘shooting in’ with the total station), but also quite a few nearly complete pottery vessels. These are really quite exciting finds and we hope that we might be able to get a few more before the end of the season. Shifting our gaze now though, just beyond and north of this western part of the site is situated Sam’s team
who have been engaged with a range of different tasks. These included
chasing the edges of their own large pit (another recent discovery), sifting through the complicated
stratigraphy just south of it, and, finally, attempting to locate the other
side of Peter’s new feature. The sifting has resulted in the possible finding
of a further pit(!), even if the boundaries of this one are not at all clear at
this moment. Additionally, Sam’s team have dug out a coin of the Emperor Trajan
(one dated to after his conquest of Dacia, so c.102CE), and a knee brooch
during the last week. These finds (both of which are startlingly green) have
certainly given everyone some eye-candy to enjoy looking at, and I hope to get some good lighting (and the opportunity) to put these up on the blog soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> Sophie’s team continued in the
ovular feature (with Vix taking over from her on Sunday the 9th), and have now
got a fair way down. To recap, they have expanded their focus to try and
excavate all of this feature down to the level reached by last year’s quadrant through
this feature. Once this is done we can sink a one metre by one metre sondage
into the centre of the pit so that we can locate the bottom (something that has
eluded us for three years). Notable highlights in terms of finds from this productive pit in the last
week include a complete latch-lifter (an artefact that is relatively rare to
get out so complete), a bone pin, and a context that consisted
of endless numbers of nails. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> All the excitement and activity
generated by these three groups is, however, trumped by what is coming up in
the road. Our cob wall that started to emerge in last year’s season was joined
by both another one and then (under it) by a beam slot. Such features suggest that there might have been a Roman structure standing next to the road (even if we can find no surviving floor), and a building is something that we have been hoping to
discover for quite a few years. And yet, this significant find was not the only
one that emerged from the road (Felicia’s part of the trench). For, very close
to the last surviving remnant of our SFB (or 5<sup>th</sup> to 6<sup>th</sup>
century Anglo-Saxon sunken-feature building), appeared 20 stake holes. The
function of these is still unclear, but they make an interesting (if slightly
strange) addition to the archaeological landscape near to the road. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">All rather perplexing at Dorchester (isn't it always!), but I hope some of you can join us for the Open Day this </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Saturday (15</span><sup style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
July) at 12pm - 5pm, and have a go at trying to crack some of the conundrums that face us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Thomas <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2va08I__JgX0-edF0oJjn-WsKQHIoVbNxVm2-fCpATNSC2HYkDO_h1u7C9nEWR3kAzzA_0F7NfSJmmfI4DS2Yr6vBtWA4shG_VAefiEcqpetCD-7vOk6ZBYG5jenP8Bb5OCSJ4wLie_2/s1600/19239750_10155154553101077_833894296_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2va08I__JgX0-edF0oJjn-WsKQHIoVbNxVm2-fCpATNSC2HYkDO_h1u7C9nEWR3kAzzA_0F7NfSJmmfI4DS2Yr6vBtWA4shG_VAefiEcqpetCD-7vOk6ZBYG5jenP8Bb5OCSJ4wLie_2/s320/19239750_10155154553101077_833894296_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another one of our lovely samian (nearly complete) vessels ((c) Claire Winfield)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jKUQVjYU8jbVW_lMvuSYcJlEH7WMtQtvU9sMkjrtsn7OzIZH2bbNebMyeG-K8Cs2rjNOTGETtrYNCtOIP-gCQvgraNHx-k8XBPxsYJzpYF_hEjGXPcexoM_z-rJTKeKwihN45eSXr5SE/s1600/19858756_10155154553016077_1473622571_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jKUQVjYU8jbVW_lMvuSYcJlEH7WMtQtvU9sMkjrtsn7OzIZH2bbNebMyeG-K8Cs2rjNOTGETtrYNCtOIP-gCQvgraNHx-k8XBPxsYJzpYF_hEjGXPcexoM_z-rJTKeKwihN45eSXr5SE/s320/19858756_10155154553016077_1473622571_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging under the banks of clouds ((c) Claire Winfield)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2T29WRtnltL0wMeoG8TzdHCfqPkk1S8gdCQtc5Dg_hBt1qwJIMTElw_Rg0WE4tp5lJIhteaerxmC1zUT0fWkf4VGdAG7HvIOlbTevi3BGICtPcF41q8TdCPhZGIk1eWn-W1AuOlFi4m2/s1600/19866448_10155154567951077_1567078466_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2T29WRtnltL0wMeoG8TzdHCfqPkk1S8gdCQtc5Dg_hBt1qwJIMTElw_Rg0WE4tp5lJIhteaerxmC1zUT0fWkf4VGdAG7HvIOlbTevi3BGICtPcF41q8TdCPhZGIk1eWn-W1AuOlFi4m2/s320/19866448_10155154567951077_1567078466_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The upper part of an Oxford ware flagon gets a clean</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-24879114053570458852017-07-04T15:24:00.001+01:002017-07-04T15:24:30.042+01:00Progress!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The dig is really starting
to get moving with features being discovered and finds pouring forth. In the
south-west of the site, Peter’s team are investigating a series of pits and
gullies near the footing of our Roman building and around the (previously excavated)
well. Although a lot of these features are truncated, others have produced a
wide range of early Roman finds. The most remarkable of these was a rather
large and rather beautiful bone pin which was discovered today (and many congratulations
must go to the finder Sholto for not breaking it as it came out of the soil!). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> We are enlarging our slots into the very large ovular pit
(which is currently being overseen by Sophie), the pit that we ran our first
slots into during the 2015 season. This means that we can chase a greater portion
of this pit’s edge, and it also will, eventually, give us a greater opportunity
to untangle the function of this large mass of finds and differently shaded
soil. An important and exciting discovery from here was a well preserved
sestertius of Lucius Aelius from 137CE. This leading Hadrianic statesman was
even named as the successor to his emperor Hadrian and became governor of
Pannonia (in modern Hungry), as our coin evidences. However, he dropped dead on
the 1<sup>st</sup> January 138CE without ever ascending to the purple, so this
coin is exciting due to the fact that it came from such a temporally limited
production run (and obviously also because it is contextualised directly in a
feature). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> The ovular feature sits just east of Peter’s portion, but
just north of there lies a new blob-like feature that Sam’s group are engaged
in tackling. Similar to ovular pit in both size and the interesting
colourations of the archaeological deposits, we have hopes that this feature
will be as intriguing as its more heavily excavated neighbour. Indeed, having
two of these large pits might be beneficial, in that discovering the original
function of one could unlock the primary function of the other. However, contrasting
these two features is also possible, for, in Sam’s area last year, was found a
row of bovine body parts. These were stratigraphically above, and therefore
later in time, than that pit, and we did not find anything similar over the
ovular feature back in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> And, of course, we still have our Roman road – which
would have been one of the main streets in Roman Dorchester. Felicia’s team
have been putting in a commendable effort in shifting through the many layers
of this surface. In addition, they have just uncovered a number of very
differently coloured deposits lying further down. There are orangish soils and
blackish soils appearing there, and these will need to be planned (or drawn)
before we can continue down to see if they are dumps onto the road, or actually
fills which are peaking through from below it.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thomas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPM8u348n8OgjknLyNu6dJIEOKa_n68npQFgFTa__bsNRf1JoIkg_A3cCdYDImYCzazJ8c3j6pUDBSqZuuzAR6HQzu-9YExVD0Emv30zgtaUHczbmfq-KmscPdW9cT24O1Z6cTz08xNU7/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihPM8u348n8OgjknLyNu6dJIEOKa_n68npQFgFTa__bsNRf1JoIkg_A3cCdYDImYCzazJ8c3j6pUDBSqZuuzAR6HQzu-9YExVD0Emv30zgtaUHczbmfq-KmscPdW9cT24O1Z6cTz08xNU7/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our first small finds this year: a bone gaming piece (left) and copper alloy ring (right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMtm9qXwo0tkfBffgDif-7vJXlRmbXn8CdDD-oCAQEl6eTCOwjrayuv-7FipgaI9xmbhQIaQ2V3kgmFJXv7MjEz2voElQUdsCFW0HwMsgum4sLjjUXNl4mulqZkZ26NpLkBJw5yK613Yv/s1600/IMG_3187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglMtm9qXwo0tkfBffgDif-7vJXlRmbXn8CdDD-oCAQEl6eTCOwjrayuv-7FipgaI9xmbhQIaQ2V3kgmFJXv7MjEz2voElQUdsCFW0HwMsgum4sLjjUXNl4mulqZkZ26NpLkBJw5yK613Yv/s1600/IMG_3187.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The site with all tarp lifted (and not a digger in sight!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUadkizB9sU16-q4fwgIi5FSuO_ia2gL90VrRC7ZtaXD8f0pvgDtLDcYtMxE-bP4FiTfG7QHTSz0rX_bmtgBB8d4ieSLktGwTz_K2g4Nrbl1SWPtCbrds8gStXYS8zd9r-99d6kUaOf2f/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUadkizB9sU16-q4fwgIi5FSuO_ia2gL90VrRC7ZtaXD8f0pvgDtLDcYtMxE-bP4FiTfG7QHTSz0rX_bmtgBB8d4ieSLktGwTz_K2g4Nrbl1SWPtCbrds8gStXYS8zd9r-99d6kUaOf2f/s1600/IMG_3190.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The coin of Lucius Aelius from the ovular feature</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-0N9dofl5xCWAxgwqNie9fXXMSqUwDRoJAwtBD6jk5rnvA9hbTh3gkHtU8pnY3Q4g_YFUbLxawIo0ZVSpf6zvxtTTu5-Hb0HfiPgzWTGK2kko5n_leftM6WIiE6v5A-wjwicRu2R0MLp/s1600/IMG_3238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ-0N9dofl5xCWAxgwqNie9fXXMSqUwDRoJAwtBD6jk5rnvA9hbTh3gkHtU8pnY3Q4g_YFUbLxawIo0ZVSpf6zvxtTTu5-Hb0HfiPgzWTGK2kko5n_leftM6WIiE6v5A-wjwicRu2R0MLp/s1600/IMG_3238.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stamped samian</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPotNwYEetuxAp3Y2jfzQqUPW9Znl4zKrsWXKNe772ljGPhbK56J7CmaEB2v2o2HMPWnDESoOX_UTIHezULPbVhmhq1y4Ug9huFhNDnHeHVV766lgqi8tsDK5PUyaxSzOK9_FJWGfcfhgm/s1600/IMG_3244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPotNwYEetuxAp3Y2jfzQqUPW9Znl4zKrsWXKNe772ljGPhbK56J7CmaEB2v2o2HMPWnDESoOX_UTIHezULPbVhmhq1y4Ug9huFhNDnHeHVV766lgqi8tsDK5PUyaxSzOK9_FJWGfcfhgm/s1600/IMG_3244.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A number of other finds - typical of what we are encountering in the soil at the moment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-64153171005743580842017-06-27T17:49:00.004+01:002017-06-27T20:10:23.053+01:00We're under way!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Hello – we
have been quiet on the blogging front for a little while, but now have much to report.
As our site in the centre of Dorchester is covered with soil (backfill) at the
end of each season, we have to make sure that we have most of it lifted before
the first set of students arrive. Therefore, last week I spent four days with
digger and dumper attempting to get as much soil as possible out of the 20 by
30m trench (see the photos below for before-and-after shots). Although this
took almost four days, I was able to roughly locate most of our buried features,
and it also allowed me to appreciate the huge amounts of soil we had lifted in
previous seasons. Indeed, the views from the top of our spoilheap after last
week were simply splendid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> However, having welcomed the first
set of students to the dig on Saturday, we turned (on Sunday) to mattock,
shovel, and wheelbarrow so as to lift the rest of the backfill off the
tarpaulin. There was a tremendous amount of effort put in by the students (who
came from universities as far apart as Michigan State in the US to St Andrews
in the UK), and a special mention must go to Theo who managed to wheel-up to
the top of our pile of spoil 106 wheelbarrows in a period of c.6.30hrs. Such
was their collective effort that I am happily able to report that today
(Tuesday) we have now got most of the overlying soil up and out of the trench
and onto the spoilheap (which is even larger as a result). The job is to now
lift the tarpaulin, revealing our long-covered features, and clean them up with
trowel so that we can start excavating the archaeology underneath. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Lifting backfill means that we
should encounter few to no finds because most will have been removed in
previous seasons. However, our metal-detectorist (Shaun), did go over our spoilheap
yesterday (Monday) and found 14 Roman 4<sup>th</sup> century coins (including
one of the Emperor Gratian). These were out of context (as they were found
within the spoil), and yet they do help support the picture we are developing
of our site as an area of increased activity in the later years of the Roman
occupation of Britain. I hope to report on more finds as they start to pour
forth in the coming days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> Finally, I am very happy to inform
you all that we have a new Instagram account, so, if you are an Instagramer, a
filterer, or just looking for a nice daily picture, check it out. Our account
should be open so all can view (but if you yourself have Instagram please give
us a follow!). If you type into your browser ‘https://www.instagram.com/dorchesterdig/’, it
should direct you to the right spot. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Over and
out,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Thomas </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3lffXPw-f3JWWUFeNUE6ziqRaTRyvOIIYERfgpthtyiJnr2y_AtBXWrpGDJVTLaP_9G-XcevWLBn8p2lJqT_MNVJQRgNpuZinMgQHNGbrrEw6WllN8cIFQJrMnsHWYvyHJkbCXmp-hFe/s1600/IMG_5365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3lffXPw-f3JWWUFeNUE6ziqRaTRyvOIIYERfgpthtyiJnr2y_AtBXWrpGDJVTLaP_9G-XcevWLBn8p2lJqT_MNVJQRgNpuZinMgQHNGbrrEw6WllN8cIFQJrMnsHWYvyHJkbCXmp-hFe/s320/IMG_5365.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before dig</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQrkWYriEEXsW5rEZs_gf97RpFTuIpeW64Phz2v5RfRCBu61pJSTGX5PGZ-hlReyoeBiy5dK2Gni2UvC-ABPrsGQn-ui4vQk8sWTI2zoA8cjflf81mzfWKkpuTSTKHmBJll3n5MQgm9Hm/s1600/IMG_5370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioQrkWYriEEXsW5rEZs_gf97RpFTuIpeW64Phz2v5RfRCBu61pJSTGX5PGZ-hlReyoeBiy5dK2Gni2UvC-ABPrsGQn-ui4vQk8sWTI2zoA8cjflf81mzfWKkpuTSTKHmBJll3n5MQgm9Hm/s320/IMG_5370.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After machining </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib57uvGtMV5CjRWFDkxtzijbN-IaxYrD75fCA_6O5unXV-5w6hoLTNnViK8BMRmpAOkcA1nWSm6x35acLtzd4ZhuUZmqe5Aeu2EX3KuaQzfVbkVZRDn_fnjFMXUEBEZU0qrspMarDVrX85/s1600/IMG_5373.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib57uvGtMV5CjRWFDkxtzijbN-IaxYrD75fCA_6O5unXV-5w6hoLTNnViK8BMRmpAOkcA1nWSm6x35acLtzd4ZhuUZmqe5Aeu2EX3KuaQzfVbkVZRDn_fnjFMXUEBEZU0qrspMarDVrX85/s320/IMG_5373.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backfill mostly removed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Thomas Matthews Boehmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04985616122336870753noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-29020540690605069402017-05-09T23:24:00.001+01:002017-05-10T14:10:07.239+01:00Spring Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
It's been a little while since we last posted anything, so some updates!<br />
<br />
Registrations for the coming season have been going along well, and we have now filled up all the spaces for the Undergraduate Fieldschool. There are still a handful of spots left for each week of the Public Fieldschools, so if you want to join us, do get in contact soon to bag your spot!<br />
<br />
The dates for the Public Fieldschools are Sunday 9th July - Friday 14th July, and Sunday 16th July - Friday 21st July; to get more information, contact edward.peveler@arch.ox.ac.uk<br />
<br />
______________________________________<br />
<br />
<br />
This coming summer the project will be going through a bit of a change, as Ed will be stepping aside somewhat (to finish his PhD thesis...hooray), and so the project has gained a new Assistant Director, a familiar face to many: Thomas Matthews Boehmer. He's written a little bit about himself below, for those that don't know him yet.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Hello! – I'm Thomas, and will become co-assistant director at the Dorchester on Thames dig this year (taking over as sole assistant director for the 2018 season). I’m extremely excited to be taking on this role, and to help the project develop in its last two years.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">I have been digging in and around Oxford since the age of thirteen, and have been involved as a supervisor at Dorchester for the previous two seasons, having first dug there (with Ed as my supervisor) in 2012. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">I'm currently studying at Cambridge for an MPhil in Archaeology, having studied for my undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Classical Archaeology at Warwick. My particular interests lie in the transitions from the British Late Iron Age to the Roman period, and so the potential results of these coming two seasons at Dorchester are really intriguing. This is a site that can really help build our understanding of these critical phases in the history of the British Isles.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Much of the set-up of the dig will be carrying on as usual with undergraduates working on the dig in the first two weeks, followed by local volunteers and mature students in the final fortnight. However, I am developing a couple of new dimensions this year:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">- Firstly, I want to ensure we have a far more reflective record of the work on the site, beyond the formulaic recording of the context sheets, finds records etc. We are going to be giving workbooks to each team in the trench, so that individual excavators can record their own ideas and thoughts, reflections and speculations about what is going on in the area in which they are working. Whether that's comments on the weather, doodles of artefacts, or just general musings on the progress of the day, this kind of information is actually going to be really important for understanding how the archaeological process took place on our site.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">- Secondly, a bit more fun. We will be starting an Instagram account, because who doesn't love filters and hashtags... so watch this space!</span></span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
______________________________________<br />
<br />
There will be another update coming soon, this time from Sheila Raven, our Post-Ex supervisor, to let us in on what her and her team have been getting up to squirreled away in the basement of the Institute of Archaeology, playing with our lovely finds....<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-78806901447896485282017-01-05T16:25:00.002+00:002017-01-05T16:34:03.185+00:002017 Applications Open<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A Happy and Healthy New Year everyone!<br />
<br />
As a part of making it happy, why not join us for our 2017 season of excavations in Dorchester?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejozGL2WFOGr7kMQMQ35aYfLYuU7BAZHL_1bKKt9Ld-XCxvT03FgK24UT-KJ7J8rnsK8h5YVcCGRoiopn_m6z83SIK4EbBewFCa72HDLLw3Msnlnne5zd5YUhav-uuR0YOJswFI2NbpY/s1600/IMG_2426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejozGL2WFOGr7kMQMQ35aYfLYuU7BAZHL_1bKKt9Ld-XCxvT03FgK24UT-KJ7J8rnsK8h5YVcCGRoiopn_m6z83SIK4EbBewFCa72HDLLw3Msnlnne5zd5YUhav-uuR0YOJswFI2NbpY/s320/IMG_2426.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
Applications are now open to participate in either our undergraduate fieldschool (Sunday 25th June - Friday 7th July), or in one (or both!) of our public fieldschools (Sunday 9th July - Friday 14th July, and Sunday 16th July - Friday 21st July). There will be practical teaching, seminars, and most importantly of all, lots of excavating to further unpick the puzzle that is the Roman town of Dorchester on Thames.<br />
<br />
To learn more, and for the application forms, please contact edward.peveler@arch.ox.ac.uk. </div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-39492297648629596852016-10-11T14:47:00.001+01:002016-10-11T15:01:56.989+01:00A 360 view of the trench<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ian Cartwright, the School of Archaeology's photographer, has created this wonderful 360 degree panorama of the site which you can play with. Check it out below! (Put it into fullscreen mode for the best view.) You can also click on his Profile to have a look through some of the other amazing 360s he has taken, around the world, for projects at the School of Archaeology. You'll even come across some showing previous seasons at Dorchester; see if you can spot the differences!<br />
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" bgcolor="#000000" frameborder="0" height="400" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://www.360cities.net/embed_iframe/dorchester-on-thames-dorchester-excavation-season-2016" target="_blank" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="575"></iframe><br />
<a href="https://www.360cities.net/image/dorchester-on-thames-dorchester-excavation-season-2016" title="Panorama photos of Dorchester-on-Thames DORCHESTER EXCAVATION SEASON 2016 on 360cities.net">Dorchester-on-Thames DORCHESTER EXCAVATION SEASON 2016</a>
</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-60360640332514805572016-07-27T21:37:00.000+01:002016-07-28T06:49:49.319+01:00All troweled out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We made it. Despite the 30 pus degree temperatures, we've managed to push on to the end of the week, and indeed the end of the season. It's been another good one, and I think we've had plenty of students go away wanting more.<br />
<br />
So what happened in the last part of the week? With a dig such as ours, with a long off-season and just four weeks excavating, one of the key tasks at the end of each season is making sure that we leave the site, and the records, in a state which means we can pick up again next year where we left off, and so that we don't lose any accumulated knowledge between years. This has meant our supervisors and students have been busy making sure all the context sheets, drawings, and photographs have been finished, and we have been focusing our digging efforts on removing ay upstanding baulks of soil, which, once fully recorded, only hinder the backfill removal process next year! Despite this though the finds have kept coming, and just a few minutes before the end of play on Friday a final brooch appeared (so we've not yet had time to identify it!... something Nauheim derivativey...).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFSeSqwk4FWa4G1bteRenNXow7Tpu7eniqzKpHltetKwvyQablbXlyYPqo2UD62EQmvJf4erV31hLACravvO_pqHPrAp25bZ5B9npREBCDz7w9PzLKxjXO9TgtmG51i2xcFygXYCU8jM/s1600/IMG_0455%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFSeSqwk4FWa4G1bteRenNXow7Tpu7eniqzKpHltetKwvyQablbXlyYPqo2UD62EQmvJf4erV31hLACravvO_pqHPrAp25bZ5B9npREBCDz7w9PzLKxjXO9TgtmG51i2xcFygXYCU8jM/s320/IMG_0455%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
In addition to the digging and recording we have also continued to process the bulk finds, with just a couple of crates leftover for the local community pot washers to work through over the winter. On top of this, under the supervision of Sheila Raven and Anne Spencer, our students have also been learning how we catalogue our many thousands of Roman nails (a task many would find daunting!).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKyov9TcwwuINFrncueSNiESOHn0HSEHFYL3IST3fBNv4YIdUeomTi8IjeHcU9Jxg78mq5XHq0s_aZZcbDp7a4nPg3Ad1vOqGN6nTdRHy0cXhxy0qjB9wsBNE8l3Ktbos2p_zFqSRJyY/s1600/IMG_0454%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKyov9TcwwuINFrncueSNiESOHn0HSEHFYL3IST3fBNv4YIdUeomTi8IjeHcU9Jxg78mq5XHq0s_aZZcbDp7a4nPg3Ad1vOqGN6nTdRHy0cXhxy0qjB9wsBNE8l3Ktbos2p_zFqSRJyY/s320/IMG_0454%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmwHQU90FlYbNBi8TbZBVpBiMLJLlJB7n8RsPcksd5GLMJwpauWlh-_X89BXcPLtpfBEh2E9ktCvshm79yhHTqosZwkNKNwBJGwktzj-H0jlw5UbO7YH_CwEpa3NOuNIs6IboHPASTsA/s1600/IMG_0456%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvmwHQU90FlYbNBi8TbZBVpBiMLJLlJB7n8RsPcksd5GLMJwpauWlh-_X89BXcPLtpfBEh2E9ktCvshm79yhHTqosZwkNKNwBJGwktzj-H0jlw5UbO7YH_CwEpa3NOuNIs6IboHPASTsA/s320/IMG_0456%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Sheila Raven giving the students a talk about her post-excavation work for the project</i></div>
<br />
It seems fitting to sum up some of the main achievements of the year. Across the site we've been heading downwards at a good pace, as we attempt to uncover and record the full sequence of archaeology throughout the site.<br />
<br />
In most of the western part of the trench we have reached the natural subsoil. The features and deposits in these earliest layers are datable to the very early Roman period, with a few tantalising hints of earlier activity in the vicinity from coins and early brooches. In this part of the trench we haven't been able to identify evidence of the postulated early Roman fort, a suggestion of earlier academics researching the town, and portions of which should be evident in the trench if Prof. Frere's conclusions are correct. However, we'll be holding off on a categorical verdict on this subject until we've excavated the whole trench!<br />
<br />
In the northern part of the site we have been picking up some very interesting features, as we finally start to get to grips with the apparently broadly open area which lies in between the road and the building enclosure to the west. And it certainly appears that this area would not have been as open as first thought, with the line of a roughly east-west aligned post-built structure appearing, as well as possible cob-walling evidence. These features would probably date to the late 2nd or 3rd centuries.<br />
<br />
As we start to come down onto the earlier features of this part of the trench, we're getting a bit nervous, as the signs seems to point towards one or more very large pits, which could be slightly problematic to excavate... we perhaps went slightly into the top fill of this on the last day when excavating a small pit, finding a seemingly endless supply of cattle scapulae... A big job for next year!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t-iDxItqS-0gEQJV0NkWCVa8yInQU1V3wfLzeJvvSGHCheDwVveaokXl1yn-Uq2KqqDMjh40eZvlsjIT1R6HYAYZ08ibiOVMHumCKKhTHvxRRZbGhDvmSBm55qRc8_7XK6KYAQGiJ0M/s1600/IMG_0462%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7t-iDxItqS-0gEQJV0NkWCVa8yInQU1V3wfLzeJvvSGHCheDwVveaokXl1yn-Uq2KqqDMjh40eZvlsjIT1R6HYAYZ08ibiOVMHumCKKhTHvxRRZbGhDvmSBm55qRc8_7XK6KYAQGiJ0M/s320/IMG_0462%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
Talking of large pits, we already have one. In the southern part of the trench we have our sub-circular feature which at the start of the season we thought might bottom out soon, at just under a metre deep... it's still going down though after four more weeks of work! The fill continues to produce vast quantities of material, including many hundreds of iron nails plus loads of cattle horn cores and scapulae, but also some nice hairpins, a couple of whetstone fragments, and some other bits of metalwork. The edges appear to be near vertical, and in fact undercut themselves where the pit has been dug down through the loess subsoil into the looser alluvial gravels beneath. Certainly a lot more work to be done in here, and hopefully next year we might finally have an answer as to what this thing was for!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrUXDSiZzEPjIXH8UoABb_BHz_lPtYGwo8RR9jwM_KC3tUaTHr5Xb5GmthyphenhyphenZ0v0AePm-aoeRFsEtTwgrLfsTjKLrw4EF9N6o2Yb6qJw_KAlzDu7Roq6nE2rgId7Fu5CEusvb4hVko7m0/s1600/IMG_0460%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVrUXDSiZzEPjIXH8UoABb_BHz_lPtYGwo8RR9jwM_KC3tUaTHr5Xb5GmthyphenhyphenZ0v0AePm-aoeRFsEtTwgrLfsTjKLrw4EF9N6o2Yb6qJw_KAlzDu7Roq6nE2rgId7Fu5CEusvb4hVko7m0/s320/IMG_0460%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally, in the eastern part of the trench, we have found more and more suggestions that there might perhaps have been a cob wall along the edge of the road. Again we are starting to identify some really subtle signs of this type of construction, and we are excited to return next year to follow this, and all our other questions, up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC97WAYSQpDcOlgs9t9JThpG6Vby0GjXaUKgCWY-zRoSJ_K6fM1_VeNPwhHD9GJaivO2PNa-K1QLIxLHlks-gtFbPWZ0b6jdQVdIXXW9Q92NC0lelUEm98azPXW_-sgJmDK5AI0z34BOI/s1600/IMG_0469%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC97WAYSQpDcOlgs9t9JThpG6Vby0GjXaUKgCWY-zRoSJ_K6fM1_VeNPwhHD9GJaivO2PNa-K1QLIxLHlks-gtFbPWZ0b6jdQVdIXXW9Q92NC0lelUEm98azPXW_-sgJmDK5AI0z34BOI/s320/IMG_0469%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Our site director Paul Booth giving the last wrap-up site tour of the season</i></div>
<br />
So, to sum Dorchester 2016 up in numbers:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Over 2500 points measured with the total station.</li>
<li>Over 1600 small finds (mostly nails...)</li>
<li>Nearly 400 pub meals eaten (we won't count the pints of beer)</li>
<li>Hundreds of new contexts identified and recorded</li>
<li>Over 100 cattle scapulae</li>
<li>Over 80 students trained</li>
<li>5 brooches</li>
<li>4 pairs of Roman tweezers</li>
<li>2 Republican silver denarii</li>
<li>1 Roman inkwell</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
And now over 1000 cubic metres of soil is being returned to the trench!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcVPXmQPwPxP2DpHldHrD9h1d1YS_lpmR-oB04shkvm2OHKmvmoO1cKSEiQkVHcjYLzg70-SrGOqF5Eik6_-iiaKblFlEKt1DF0aRjtl_vYntJEAGCaitY9K6aInX9lV-Wo5OvTaR3uA/s1600/IMG_0480%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgcVPXmQPwPxP2DpHldHrD9h1d1YS_lpmR-oB04shkvm2OHKmvmoO1cKSEiQkVHcjYLzg70-SrGOqF5Eik6_-iiaKblFlEKt1DF0aRjtl_vYntJEAGCaitY9K6aInX9lV-Wo5OvTaR3uA/s320/IMG_0480%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Thank you to all who participated in the Discovering Dorchester 2016 Fieldschools. You all worked fantastically hard, and were a pleasure to have on site.<br />
<br />
Thank you also to our fieldwork team, made up of Paul Booth, Edward Peveler, Thomas Matthews Boehmer, Maggie Burr, Sam Johansen, Steve Crabb, Peter Forward, Rachael Daniel, and Jess Dunham. Patrick Cuthbertson managed our geomatics, and Anni Byard our finds. John Gibbs and Alan Davis were essential for keeping the logistical wheels of the site turning.<br />
<br />
Additional thank yous need to be made to all our speakers for the lecture series, and to the staff at Oxford Archaeology, the Fleur de Lys pub, Ian and Angela Reid, the Dorchester Parish Council, and finally to the local residents of Dorchester, who are always so welcoming and interested.<br />
<br />
We'll see you next year!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0wlsVC2mkWrppc3Gi8tH2uNEGZSVtcpRITDYVTf9YRjkzegLG4loObDfZ70IClni8reH0rXjipFYhhCc5gjLDQkSSNYN13oodHvt8OELosCuBgwbJISrV6hMjTGRye9ZpCq3cJcKPz8/s1600/IMG_2426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0wlsVC2mkWrppc3Gi8tH2uNEGZSVtcpRITDYVTf9YRjkzegLG4loObDfZ70IClni8reH0rXjipFYhhCc5gjLDQkSSNYN13oodHvt8OELosCuBgwbJISrV6hMjTGRye9ZpCq3cJcKPz8/s320/IMG_2426.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-49392960858356832232016-07-19T19:42:00.001+01:002016-07-19T19:42:39.110+01:00What happened to our British summer?!?!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
We're currently labouring away under an absolutely clear blue sky. Not even the hint of a cloud to be sighted in any direction. And we are forecast to hit 32 degrees this afternoon... sun hats, sun cream, and plenty of water all round!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTSaJvKHpbTNWdPudvJv9ewGcCBBR5RL5G_D3WWd9DQhLtDFQrwRlZFyye7adq9Ih2tDrZQeF-Ja8DoFZUv9Re70fN0UmDGxz-Hi3_hRTO7nxWBpC6dk7sRspPXifgKpb6btn8T98aQ4/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTSaJvKHpbTNWdPudvJv9ewGcCBBR5RL5G_D3WWd9DQhLtDFQrwRlZFyye7adq9Ih2tDrZQeF-Ja8DoFZUv9Re70fN0UmDGxz-Hi3_hRTO7nxWBpC6dk7sRspPXifgKpb6btn8T98aQ4/s320/IMG_0447.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>A scorcher...</i></div>
<br />
<br />
First things first though, a round-up of our Open Day last Saturday. We had gorgeous weather for it, although thankfully not as hot as this, and we had a wonderful day talking to members of the public about our site and finds. More than 150 people came on site tours (and special thanks to one of our supervisors, Thomas Matthews Boehmer, for putting in an incredible shift of showing people around the trench), whilst others examined our finds displays, browsed the Oxford Archaeology book volumes we had for sale, and examined the results of the recent geophysics carried out on the Dyke Hills by William Wintle. In addition to this our "Young Archaeologists' Trench" was full all afternoon with keen young things searching for finds, and lots of people had a go at pot-washing. Anni Byard, the Oxfordshire Finds Liaison Officer, was also busy with her Portable Antiquities Scheme stall all day.<br />
<br />
Thank you to everyone who came along - we hope you enjoyed it!<br />
<br />
<br />
Young archaeologists became a bit of a theme for the week, as on Sunday morning we hosted a visit from 25 or so 8-16 year olds who were members of the <a href="http://www.yac-uk.org/clubs/oxfordshire" target="_blank">Oxfordshire Young Archaeologists' Club</a>. They spent about an hour and a half with us on site, learning more about the ancient past of the local landscape, seeing their very first real life dig, and getting the chance to handle and learn more about Roman pottery. Our decorated and stamped pieces of terra sigillata attracted particular interest, and we quite liked the interpretation of an image of two running horses as in fact depicting an evil flying monkey...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Around all this the archaeology has been continuing, as we race towards the end of this season!<br />
<br />
In the western end of the trench Steve's team have continued to seek and destroy (after recording, obviously) the very early features cut into the top of the natural subsoil. This has yielded, besides the 1st century brooches earlier in the season, two coins this week which appear to be of Iron Age date. Of course these would still most likely be residual into the Roman period, but exciting nonetheless!<br />
<br />
The large ovular pit in the centre of the trench continues to progress downwards thanks to the work of Thomas' team, and it continues to produce myriad different coloured soils, and many hundreds of iron nails. We think we are approaching the bottom however, and we are now much happier with how we've excavated its edges, which show it having almost vertical sides. We still have very little idea about its original function however! We have had a very nice fragment of whetstone out of one of the fills, as well as this gorgeous piece of stamped samian, made by the potter Cinnamus.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhZ8MkDUzQ8NR7YHs6CYv0jpfnYjGOaA-fvmu5WSdggv8VAkE1KMZPzzc1YLVwMx7Py_osCyxN7WmJ8F729BH3fnlAKJRFB5mEvCY4ocoll1bJUpdpCvyUzN-Q5lRAtkmYBrqIONFJSE/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAhZ8MkDUzQ8NR7YHs6CYv0jpfnYjGOaA-fvmu5WSdggv8VAkE1KMZPzzc1YLVwMx7Py_osCyxN7WmJ8F729BH3fnlAKJRFB5mEvCY4ocoll1bJUpdpCvyUzN-Q5lRAtkmYBrqIONFJSE/s320/IMG_0443.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBIaRFsmW9D735uphzuVHBdM14_h6ghjQz4hZZmR453krv4mmtYETykekiz7IVSIURUtIDPeL892JAsaKy-qW5rKcmh1g7Uy86y-oWD57dl-x7lZ43KHyLOhevX31qpc6yMYyi2sw9AQ/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBIaRFsmW9D735uphzuVHBdM14_h6ghjQz4hZZmR453krv4mmtYETykekiz7IVSIURUtIDPeL892JAsaKy-qW5rKcmh1g7Uy86y-oWD57dl-x7lZ43KHyLOhevX31qpc6yMYyi2sw9AQ/s320/IMG_0444.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Part of the backwards (mould-formed) Cinnamus stamp, along with a lion, and the back end of a female ?wolf</i></div>
<br />
On the road Maggie's team continue to remove the complex stratified deposits around its edges, as more and more suggestions of ephemeral structures emerge in the shape of post holes, stake holes, another possible beam slot, and slumps of mud which could have once been part of cob walling. All these layers make it slow progress, but attempting to understand the sequence of deposits is integral to properly understanding the character of this road-front area.<br />
<br />
And finally in the northern part of the trench Sam's team is working down and around the intriguing line of rubble (including cattle skulls etc.), as we work to find out what this part of the town was used for. The later ditches which cut through these deposits have made things more difficult, but progress has been solid, with the uncovering of an interesting solid baked clay and stone surface (sadly only of very limited extent), as well as numerous rabbit holes!<br />
<br />
In the extreme north east corner of the trench we have been working since last year to attempt to understand the relationship between our main east-west ditch and the north-south running main road. Was it really feasible that the ditches cut through the road, presumably rendering it impassable? Answering this question was slowed down by the fact that in the very corner of the trench we struggled to find the northern edge of the ditch; we have now worked out that this is because the ditch also cuts an earlier pit, which now seems to be looking rather well-like... the "W" word is never welcome on site, due to the logistical difficulties of excavation of such deep features, and the location of this one, with only one quarter of it in the trench, right up against the baulk, makes it impossible to excavate, so we have drawn it, recorded it, and put it to bed for now. It does leave us with this rather interesting situation though of a deep pit/well being dug through the road surface, followed by our main ditch entirely severing the road... all very intriguing! <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvR16xnxlbS4P54ku6F1wHMWhubrHUjXyhIt-hfYzfr1tTqpYdVOWVh8nkJBlaWwSeAHOw-1znOZxQd42gErOYsV4Ljn6CO-wRGe24pDOOQf6Y1IwhjFBtfonVUykmEMuvO8C37XPqDGA/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvR16xnxlbS4P54ku6F1wHMWhubrHUjXyhIt-hfYzfr1tTqpYdVOWVh8nkJBlaWwSeAHOw-1znOZxQd42gErOYsV4Ljn6CO-wRGe24pDOOQf6Y1IwhjFBtfonVUykmEMuvO8C37XPqDGA/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The cloud cover yesterday... not very effective at reducing the temperature!</i></div>
<br />
And finally, a rather special find that came out of the large post-Roman ditch along the northern edge of the trench this morning: fragments of a southern Gaulish samian ware inkwell! Someone in Roman Dorchester could write...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93ceBrJGt_xAZ87oYuHDZdTCAgSP6Fp-7TcEKv9rXIclUPtvaqzgUzt6zVZsAQQVnClzSyL9hqLLXJADIMnU4YVnJ7ekeg3wSExFM50a_hEtD7gMUM8vNfsd6_ARAlGmvfZVn6abMBTA/s1600/IMG_0445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg93ceBrJGt_xAZ87oYuHDZdTCAgSP6Fp-7TcEKv9rXIclUPtvaqzgUzt6zVZsAQQVnClzSyL9hqLLXJADIMnU4YVnJ7ekeg3wSExFM50a_hEtD7gMUM8vNfsd6_ARAlGmvfZVn6abMBTA/s320/IMG_0445.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-29870992939221129582016-07-13T12:01:00.002+01:002016-07-13T12:01:44.645+01:00During Wind and Rain...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Apologies to all who live in the vicinity, but it appears our prayers for rain have been answered! Having struggled and striven in the heat of the last few days which turned all our soils to a handful of grey hues, extremely difficult to differentiate, following the heavy showers yesterday morning we were finally able to be confident in some of the more subtle features we've been dealing with.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZfK26Qj-JyellAxbfnCjotiwcrrqB5i1idk9qaGo2RYDBD_g_IG5cuOdCSwLzKTZIClmUzkzlYNy5bDNPIXlAkRRCVzder0JcFrxeAMWdaOMAgp1D3TEjut_GzOFyZ-axO9Zrtk-FkE/s1600/IMG_0399.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZfK26Qj-JyellAxbfnCjotiwcrrqB5i1idk9qaGo2RYDBD_g_IG5cuOdCSwLzKTZIClmUzkzlYNy5bDNPIXlAkRRCVzder0JcFrxeAMWdaOMAgp1D3TEjut_GzOFyZ-axO9Zrtk-FkE/s320/IMG_0399.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>After the rain...</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
For any who have not excavated before, this is important because perhaps the key task with which we as archaeologists concern ourselves is the identification of changes in soils. These changes allow us to understand the processes by which deposits are created, to locate the many pits and ditches which were dug by the Roman Britons, and thus to understand the stratigraphy and chronology of our site. When the well-draining soils of Dorchester get a few days of sun, these soil differences become very difficult to see, particularly with more subtle features. With some decent rain however these soil differences come to life, and so we've been dashing about planning all the post-holes and pits that have now revealed themselves much more clearly.<br />
<br />
<br />
So, what have we been up to since the last update? The undergraduate fieldschool has now finished. The group did really well, making solid progress over their two weeks, and besides our finds, we've also discovered some excellent young archaeologists! We now have our first group of public fieldschool students with us, and they have been ploughing ahead, finishing off the jobs started last week and continuing on with the process of recording and excavating.<br />
<br />
The students in these two weeks of the excavation come from all walks of life: we have undergraduate students from the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Oxford, participating in the fieldwork as part of their Certificates, Diplomas, and Advanced Diplomas in archaeology; we have A level students, looking for experience before applying for subjects such as Classics, History, and Archaeology at university; we have keen enthusiasts, returning to the site for the umpteenth year; we have interested locals, wanting to find out more about the history of their village and home; and we have pretty much everything else you can imagine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0kwOu1YVo3pGWDBQxkPY87jbv5mwYvswQnmGWz-gWnKc7lNcXFbkds-2pqUSlpoAsQib9G1JxS2vWzmb4hQtPFHAwh23jh8El7m2F0_MhUmUkAgpkp5JDfxuE7XX8f5zqJesDRBaFJg/s1600/IMG_0400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR0kwOu1YVo3pGWDBQxkPY87jbv5mwYvswQnmGWz-gWnKc7lNcXFbkds-2pqUSlpoAsQib9G1JxS2vWzmb4hQtPFHAwh23jh8El7m2F0_MhUmUkAgpkp5JDfxuE7XX8f5zqJesDRBaFJg/s320/IMG_0400.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We have had some really exciting features appearing for investigation this week. Perhaps most intriguing of all has been a cluster of flints, large storage jar fragments, cattle skulls, and sheep mandible fragments, seemingly arranged in a line, as if ringing the edge of a large pit... at least two cattle skulls were removed in previous weeks without their spatial relationship having been identified.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3-tXBswFI2IFnJbzT_7Q72hapOzzzGID0jiIY2NcOXZRTCXGK1D7caOyFehl0vBohniuLdemPHaYWE9QW6sKuOd1O3yXUh5eDNVVdE5tX6SCuPHbJ8b3gwIudFnDEuw7wsJmXxC4n3U/s1600/IMG_0411.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu3-tXBswFI2IFnJbzT_7Q72hapOzzzGID0jiIY2NcOXZRTCXGK1D7caOyFehl0vBohniuLdemPHaYWE9QW6sKuOd1O3yXUh5eDNVVdE5tX6SCuPHbJ8b3gwIudFnDEuw7wsJmXxC4n3U/s320/IMG_0411.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Over on the road we are now putting a slot through the intriguing parallel plank voids which we uncovered last year, and we are also about to remove the interesting "sleeping policeman" of stones running roughly perpendicular to the road. Any thoughts on their function greatly appreciated!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYX11L575ne4DFfcAPzSzVGVa0oxxEQTpNtXd72fL8aqpFbUmEHfENdPtEyP9Vwp8iOPDSjbxnxoikza7cskaEvnnyuZ5CJcJN-8UJKymST_V7s-GaNMBDnPtzkNDWs9OvZh0c-SQ0fQ/s1600/IMG_0410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYX11L575ne4DFfcAPzSzVGVa0oxxEQTpNtXd72fL8aqpFbUmEHfENdPtEyP9Vwp8iOPDSjbxnxoikza7cskaEvnnyuZ5CJcJN-8UJKymST_V7s-GaNMBDnPtzkNDWs9OvZh0c-SQ0fQ/s320/IMG_0410.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
In the large ovular pit (best guess, watering hole?) nails continue to be found by the dozen, and the intriguing variation of soil colours, seemingly isolated to discrete dumps rather than simple levels, make recording a rather mendacious process.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KEgHP-ceWVSBB2K1eYiIZNCUbfDalVYZYPgkPW1EE7babl_VyaCP6HpEHVwz_NDqjk-fZI0lGio2wGz2jWueI4pNtV5a8RbZZQYK-vBI8An0ruIohYrKnGUYTPT2dvKQrku2RVpSK90/s1600/IMG_0412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2KEgHP-ceWVSBB2K1eYiIZNCUbfDalVYZYPgkPW1EE7babl_VyaCP6HpEHVwz_NDqjk-fZI0lGio2wGz2jWueI4pNtV5a8RbZZQYK-vBI8An0ruIohYrKnGUYTPT2dvKQrku2RVpSK90/s320/IMG_0412.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
We are also starting to see more and more evidence for structural remains across the site, including a series of stake or post holes appearing on the edge of the road, and the possible remains of a cob wall near the northern edge of the trench. This construction style, using packed mud to form walls instead of stone or timber, can leave very subtle traces in the archaeological record, so requires some very careful cleaning in order to identify it. <br />
<br />
Some of the star finds from the last few days have included a complete pair of tweezers and a nail cleaner from the same deposit. These would have formed part of a Roman "toiletry kit," and Peter Forward, besides organising our copper smelting the other night, also crafted a modern replica of one of these sets. The similarity between the two pairs of tweezers is rather uncanny!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznnW3W_Jn2L6djaXpsashdzXbZb_Lx6sCJossOL2-YpiyFTU3Q1O-O6IqqfTbfjZ_M9cdjkUyt6S_YaLtaRTWkOQ-whf-4uJV2PDDlIub3mHgY-gV4dwjTaesRRqR2V25sHK-yBa6Nqk/s1600/IMG_0409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznnW3W_Jn2L6djaXpsashdzXbZb_Lx6sCJossOL2-YpiyFTU3Q1O-O6IqqfTbfjZ_M9cdjkUyt6S_YaLtaRTWkOQ-whf-4uJV2PDDlIub3mHgY-gV4dwjTaesRRqR2V25sHK-yBa6Nqk/s320/IMG_0409.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
We have had several faunal visitors to the site in the last few days. Besides the usual kites soaring over the allotments, the jackdaws chasing them away, the thrushes, blackbirds, and sparrows going about their daily business, and the linnet that sits on the telegraph line nearby singing to us, we also now seem to have acquired a very friendly cat, who has been helping out in the finds tent, and Barley the golden retriever listened intently to Abi Tompkins' talk on the Early Medieval Upper Thames Valley the other day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUzo2g4V4zF-595kcoPWUsdFrOKBgfX3EwD9Auy8-1MdqgI7c_rzbY4UpNKD44db1ZZkLVs2Z5kc1JZE2l1rU1HshxK_ZBtQK84enkIhvZ6WFauo6uMkNodEI08nEIpwT8v2xrffK5Vo/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUzo2g4V4zF-595kcoPWUsdFrOKBgfX3EwD9Auy8-1MdqgI7c_rzbY4UpNKD44db1ZZkLVs2Z5kc1JZE2l1rU1HshxK_ZBtQK84enkIhvZ6WFauo6uMkNodEI08nEIpwT8v2xrffK5Vo/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEfGu1VtUgW5kvSB5J9RAV-HUiu8AqwDGAJ8eX7cwx0d4MUKtqVy4c3mXOXjMxE-RI9Ii1Q8LYWQGt8-6WRDyKurFwrVnJ7uy2k5n1ZKA0SV7PBq6gYknTEETGStzsm6RnXAmL-FniwM/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEfGu1VtUgW5kvSB5J9RAV-HUiu8AqwDGAJ8eX7cwx0d4MUKtqVy4c3mXOXjMxE-RI9Ii1Q8LYWQGt8-6WRDyKurFwrVnJ7uy2k5n1ZKA0SV7PBq6gYknTEETGStzsm6RnXAmL-FniwM/s320/IMG_0407.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
And finally, a big thanks to one of the dig's most committed, and youngest, supporters, Alastair. Over the last two or three years Alastair has regularly visited the site, and we have been teaching him a great deal about the pottery, animal bone, and various other finds that we get out. This has now reached the point where he can actually explain to many of our students what animal a particular bone is, or what type of pottery, at the age of six! Yesterday he brought the team some delicious Rocky Road that he had made himself. Thanks Alastair!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8VfjJVo3qs03afLuQ1nay3JyW630rGyX4b2s4FYLbuGj7U-0PlauOgUeu_9HDVx0CF7G0nrQfe4HlG5PbgOn6HHFtgB4oV2CDf1HilICVAdcPPNVZEj6nnILEhkVJkkBb6ekzLU9O1U/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA8VfjJVo3qs03afLuQ1nay3JyW630rGyX4b2s4FYLbuGj7U-0PlauOgUeu_9HDVx0CF7G0nrQfe4HlG5PbgOn6HHFtgB4oV2CDf1HilICVAdcPPNVZEj6nnILEhkVJkkBb6ekzLU9O1U/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" width="256" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-16775303479590283092016-07-08T10:31:00.000+01:002016-07-08T10:31:07.342+01:00Heavy metal<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As we come towards the end of week 2 and the time that the undergraduates have with us, some of the students have really started to impress us with the skills that they've picked up. It's great to listen to them discussing between themselves how best to tackle a new context, or watching them carry out the full recording procedures by themselves with little assistance.<br />
<br />
And the archaeology has been going along very satisfactorily, with some really interesting features showing up. Various pits, dips, and hollows have given the students plenty of practice at half-sectioning cut features, photographing, and drawing them. We have also had structural evidence being uncovered, with a possible cob wall collapse in one part of the trench, and a very intriguing surface lying in the area of the road. The jury is still out on what it might be, so further work into next week will hopefully tell us more!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDmMrPvyvAoxdEsBNR3ytV6BWSrl4nPITXWFwAri4X-EikBqOYgIv7IswQjoPWcNw_vGVmelC6FNY7I3IqCSfvOfkzpE2k-HC3M0s73CiDu84SGBI_OyG5CZds2hhmP7itb6i-TmCDAc/s1600/IMG_0381%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDmMrPvyvAoxdEsBNR3ytV6BWSrl4nPITXWFwAri4X-EikBqOYgIv7IswQjoPWcNw_vGVmelC6FNY7I3IqCSfvOfkzpE2k-HC3M0s73CiDu84SGBI_OyG5CZds2hhmP7itb6i-TmCDAc/s320/IMG_0381%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We find loads of copper alloy objects on site: the students have all got used to spotting those little green flecks in the soil which give its presence away. As promised in the last post, on Tuesday evening back at the campsite Peter Forward gave the students an incredible demonstration of copper smelting, working almost entirely from scratch, using just some clay, the "ore," (an artificial approximation of malachite), and his home-made bellows, built to designs he himself developed based on 8th and 9th century viking relief carvings, plus materials from the local environment. Mixing some straw and earth in with the clay he formed the small furnace, and dried out the clay to prevent any major cracking through gently bringing up the temperature of the fire inside. After about an hour of consistent firing it was ready for the "ore" to be added, and another 2 hours of constant bellowing followed, with some of the students getting to have a go as well!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkQXWCsH5jTzffk1UEoLrtxPWHyVrWNpuGhlzWovMUvwdKBJH6yXQY1lOcWQ-m8eGS5M-YRJvvqu-kYUZM89ROVC_LWN2WJ4aWt8Zx4EerZ7qM64S0eXYg9jWfoBSrzKsFVzHDR9BgM4/s1600/IMG_0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkkQXWCsH5jTzffk1UEoLrtxPWHyVrWNpuGhlzWovMUvwdKBJH6yXQY1lOcWQ-m8eGS5M-YRJvvqu-kYUZM89ROVC_LWN2WJ4aWt8Zx4EerZ7qM64S0eXYg9jWfoBSrzKsFVzHDR9BgM4/s320/IMG_0275.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo8AxesrnTBtxRqOgIRIHXPd0xhEj679eYN9hyzXbX2nqsghGDwZ_OStEeu-gmqcHm9eZM74Zvvhdtz_wbhyphenhyphenbG__RRY1tyjHRKlkw8Lx7Ij4FuzWv3rOyvU_fwYGFkDb7bm5k15o3gc4/s1600/IMG_0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo8AxesrnTBtxRqOgIRIHXPd0xhEj679eYN9hyzXbX2nqsghGDwZ_OStEeu-gmqcHm9eZM74Zvvhdtz_wbhyphenhyphenbG__RRY1tyjHRKlkw8Lx7Ij4FuzWv3rOyvU_fwYGFkDb7bm5k15o3gc4/s320/IMG_0287.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSUHAmUIx9wxebGBen2PWwEITVwyLdoaHA3lf6h2VQUn40E6H9S7SG4CWtKZpZ_B9k7j0_jJ9OeiXnpn2hP45g2uiJLHbyMLCOpsE8ORsm4KJB2rmohqsYSLuT27hz0MbjXhGSGujgVI/s1600/IMG_0300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsSUHAmUIx9wxebGBen2PWwEITVwyLdoaHA3lf6h2VQUn40E6H9S7SG4CWtKZpZ_B9k7j0_jJ9OeiXnpn2hP45g2uiJLHbyMLCOpsE8ORsm4KJB2rmohqsYSLuT27hz0MbjXhGSGujgVI/s320/IMG_0300.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgqBi5ZT-HE3ZYdIOntYkiiZQOG-6C9C6Ns8he6dMrhKvVA7bS1FGV98u816XNp2fjjjvlIWZgG13pRrG0gIaMpDouhMXmtWbRs3Oz4kW1Q4HcUfSFC-fcrd0vIDc9DD9fadu3a1EYV8/s1600/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgqBi5ZT-HE3ZYdIOntYkiiZQOG-6C9C6Ns8he6dMrhKvVA7bS1FGV98u816XNp2fjjjvlIWZgG13pRrG0gIaMpDouhMXmtWbRs3Oz4kW1Q4HcUfSFC-fcrd0vIDc9DD9fadu3a1EYV8/s320/IMG_0312.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
2 hours later, Peter did the honours and opened her up, and we had our lump of pure copper!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GBW9QIfGhsPnIpb1W3ClEPHC_gTE4Kzy4xLdQgm5OVjQy5oI-AF5hU2wKi0iE8iPWUfTi5esIHLN4T_epxpw_3G9fa3Q49nx3alisBJ-PzvST8PRKQ2MgRtt4YBDUqQonKOIhul0uaQ/s1600/IMG_0348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9GBW9QIfGhsPnIpb1W3ClEPHC_gTE4Kzy4xLdQgm5OVjQy5oI-AF5hU2wKi0iE8iPWUfTi5esIHLN4T_epxpw_3G9fa3Q49nx3alisBJ-PzvST8PRKQ2MgRtt4YBDUqQonKOIhul0uaQ/s320/IMG_0348.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1KQfrNPWSuxM4-K-P-8rmmRGPcONqWpqQYM-KLGOXh5_rdahEJ5Vp8fvAVeRhDDcFt0lFGlgRwwx6ngNHvdHBWjitYoCffcZNehFoZ2uS2q08nnMGqRU8xU4tScxMAVdfAWAPe90ZN4/s1600/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1KQfrNPWSuxM4-K-P-8rmmRGPcONqWpqQYM-KLGOXh5_rdahEJ5Vp8fvAVeRhDDcFt0lFGlgRwwx6ngNHvdHBWjitYoCffcZNehFoZ2uS2q08nnMGqRU8xU4tScxMAVdfAWAPe90ZN4/s320/IMG_0354.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jLvet_ZqqJUkrnXr6ruyMxvOkIkLIJpOhAbl_rP6zvJHRdYbkqmNasvTGCh9vmHLXN-bySFgnjLpZvsZD3ihJDA4bbjNl07la_bXl9HiHWA7oe0IMpFZot-kwifJdRR-rKuZ5G2v4KI/s1600/IMG_0368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jLvet_ZqqJUkrnXr6ruyMxvOkIkLIJpOhAbl_rP6zvJHRdYbkqmNasvTGCh9vmHLXN-bySFgnjLpZvsZD3ihJDA4bbjNl07la_bXl9HiHWA7oe0IMpFZot-kwifJdRR-rKuZ5G2v4KI/s320/IMG_0368.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
A brilliant evening, and a lot of fun for everyone.<br />
<br />
Now, time to finish off this week...<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-31555067646646413862016-07-05T15:38:00.001+01:002016-07-05T15:39:09.266+01:00Getting our teeth into it<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our walk up the Wittenham Clumps was perfectly timed, with the best weather of the dig so far and a glorious sunset to compliment the breathtaking views of southern Oxfordshire. A lovely stroll, ending as has become traditional, with a pilgrimage to the site of the sadly now deceased "Poem Tree," and a dramatic reading of the poem given by one of the undergrads.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7i4S7OrFRTysk0ac1urXcBinJ7vkfOFPAUH0D-BbAr8YeZB52Zn-lHcaFH4e3PxUS0Pdbw8EFyoB7GSJAalEMPuNL1O3_6f_aZaX9zoow8Ie0Qr9tnG0kI3V1vu9PYvW0-85Y2bbir4/s1600/IMG_0263%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7i4S7OrFRTysk0ac1urXcBinJ7vkfOFPAUH0D-BbAr8YeZB52Zn-lHcaFH4e3PxUS0Pdbw8EFyoB7GSJAalEMPuNL1O3_6f_aZaX9zoow8Ie0Qr9tnG0kI3V1vu9PYvW0-85Y2bbir4/s320/IMG_0263%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Sunset over Round Hill</i></div>
<br />
Digging has continued apace, as we explore and remove Roman deposits across the site. No great surprises yet in our comprehension of the sequence, or dramatic changes to the 'story' of Dorchester as we currently understand it, but there have been some very nice features to excavate and record, including pits stuffed with pottery and butchery waste, and we've had some fun finds cropping up.<br />
<br />
These have included, something of a rarity on our site, several areas with fish bones, including the rather nasty looking jaw and teeth of a pretty large pike.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oHFYrVPCcyrFyPzXrqGSORmqlNImu2YQTQ19zjWPvy-yUfFkDYRA4mRnyXRGgokQ54EhMV7AV0h57d1Ly9BX1Tl0riNlWGMuizbc-esCaVkuc5h54hZZ_a58EEmxubs-5ajUJS_IiqU/s1600/IMG_0272%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3oHFYrVPCcyrFyPzXrqGSORmqlNImu2YQTQ19zjWPvy-yUfFkDYRA4mRnyXRGgokQ54EhMV7AV0h57d1Ly9BX1Tl0riNlWGMuizbc-esCaVkuc5h54hZZ_a58EEmxubs-5ajUJS_IiqU/s320/IMG_0272%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We have also found several more bone game counters (with the possibility for these having been lost during use, or alternatively during production, given the evidence we've found in previous seasons for the creation of these counters on the site).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06G3YNu0pVl8tCHLquPrLZv744p6ri23Q0_CSSlk69AnoKV-SwZ9d6IOErtafi3shu_p0itGKW6NuPI8kpsz_Q_6xRrROpXYbFYTZkGgpP-XYBYNMsRuIgBtwMCIlbcAtUydy_YBPreU/s1600/IMG_0273%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj06G3YNu0pVl8tCHLquPrLZv744p6ri23Q0_CSSlk69AnoKV-SwZ9d6IOErtafi3shu_p0itGKW6NuPI8kpsz_Q_6xRrROpXYbFYTZkGgpP-XYBYNMsRuIgBtwMCIlbcAtUydy_YBPreU/s320/IMG_0273%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another rather fun find from a few days ago were these fragments of a pot designed for feeding an infant, really quite a rare find. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fwPUevoQg89DaJOoPQsWLpJEc8ARrWtI5oMgVgCOOww3dl4lQZe7_u8Jd6vQYRkao99L0hU2HUHs5kL6-qS5Czk8HbkqNPFJJGUq_HLKw2H6YJrihTskwWU1koeu28XZkEqJWBpcuoU/s1600/IMG_0274%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fwPUevoQg89DaJOoPQsWLpJEc8ARrWtI5oMgVgCOOww3dl4lQZe7_u8Jd6vQYRkao99L0hU2HUHs5kL6-qS5Czk8HbkqNPFJJGUq_HLKw2H6YJrihTskwWU1koeu28XZkEqJWBpcuoU/s320/IMG_0274%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
And perhaps most special of all, this copper alloy fibula brooch, possibly a La Tène III, which speaks of some very early activity on site from the pre-conquest period.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBlRx-5cncoxadPrgFIbTtRd52JlfJZ2AneNm0halP1Y-IDp_DkKuH8Rk_sian0s-xKgtNFyFNsxCcs-fA_lVe8fM2POx3o4XqZzsEiafKM4R_ZvvrhckCvgPGOWRpmEAc5XlapsoRCk/s1600/IMG_0270%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBlRx-5cncoxadPrgFIbTtRd52JlfJZ2AneNm0halP1Y-IDp_DkKuH8Rk_sian0s-xKgtNFyFNsxCcs-fA_lVe8fM2POx3o4XqZzsEiafKM4R_ZvvrhckCvgPGOWRpmEAc5XlapsoRCk/s320/IMG_0270%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The students were treated to a talk and demonstration yesterday afternoon from Prof. Nick Barton, as we roved far beyond the Roman (and possibly late Iron Age) confines of the site with discussion of the production and use of flint tools, and how to distinguish worked flint from natural flakes. Prof. Barton quickly knapped a hand axe, followed by several elements of blade technology such as scrapers and bladelets. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWI4fHjfEGSr67V6iLzVJ_R9zXcVMWvOn2CSw6n70g6Ka-oEwqp58q9ZgYEJp5PXoRsSb_eoAWHZ4DyZ1sr1w9Xnnj8zUrPJl8RqkqyX6RnfyvySLt3PMA4bJsKEXlpukP_tUg5yqnWw/s1600/IMG_0269%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRWI4fHjfEGSr67V6iLzVJ_R9zXcVMWvOn2CSw6n70g6Ka-oEwqp58q9ZgYEJp5PXoRsSb_eoAWHZ4DyZ1sr1w9Xnnj8zUrPJl8RqkqyX6RnfyvySLt3PMA4bJsKEXlpukP_tUg5yqnWw/s320/IMG_0269%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This afternoon's talk will be our Fieldwork Director, Paul Booth, giving the students in insight into the masses of Roman pottery we uncover on site, and this evening Peter Forward will be treating us to a demonstration of copper smelting. Pictures to come!<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-11856519879828649362016-07-03T16:34:00.000+01:002016-07-05T15:03:53.683+01:00Week 2 begins<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Week 2 of excavation is starting off productively, and we’re
all enjoying the sun (and the cows!) in the allotments today! Now that we’re
fully underway, we’re back to our regular program of excavation combined with
short lectures. Today was an introduction to the site grid and to planning by
Cliff Sofield and Patrick Cuthbertson, followed by an introduction to Early
Medieval Oxfordshire by Abi Tompkins. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2RW2Y03CU1-jqgA63vwqGfhMIeIEJYzcFt0q-nUa6FCJpbaOAIXChH7oOJfzc2lXRxf2_kE0bIoqKIA9lvheaTXpFV62wC_8Q-Y9BmbAH-NzaWnVlk9I8-qZkWpvwIonWeTT0Rw_6js/s1600/IMG_2367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY2RW2Y03CU1-jqgA63vwqGfhMIeIEJYzcFt0q-nUa6FCJpbaOAIXChH7oOJfzc2lXRxf2_kE0bIoqKIA9lvheaTXpFV62wC_8Q-Y9BmbAH-NzaWnVlk9I8-qZkWpvwIonWeTT0Rw_6js/s320/IMG_2367.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Abi Tompkins introducing the students to Early Medieval Oxfordshire.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFTuc3DGgYJZrokIu9rXUBW9md3zb6PzWxsW4pJGEfEZ0Wj9HL1gvYmvVDdE7csaV0l4iYk6V95-K9FsChumYpd2J30L0dAGjBQ68_hmn44xXhCdrIEzf0TJyElTeY-EAjpCRfj2MTqI/s1600/IMG_2356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFTuc3DGgYJZrokIu9rXUBW9md3zb6PzWxsW4pJGEfEZ0Wj9HL1gvYmvVDdE7csaV0l4iYk6V95-K9FsChumYpd2J30L0dAGjBQ68_hmn44xXhCdrIEzf0TJyElTeY-EAjpCRfj2MTqI/s320/IMG_2356.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bone gaming counter</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QirQYdFiW0dnzklspji1WeqRyQs3_1l3Rx9KJXrHPb9cgu4gRo7NBqSaqyfG4_h2XNbVKsQwYDTwMpVUjDtDd8sRl4MJo0nJNRYq4SPIKR5H5nbSF3rOUBEY9oOr-KmxF6CjayRnODM/s1600/IMG_2359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QirQYdFiW0dnzklspji1WeqRyQs3_1l3Rx9KJXrHPb9cgu4gRo7NBqSaqyfG4_h2XNbVKsQwYDTwMpVUjDtDd8sRl4MJo0nJNRYq4SPIKR5H5nbSF3rOUBEY9oOr-KmxF6CjayRnODM/s320/IMG_2359.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
At the end of last year’s season, we came down on several
enigmatic features on the Roman road that runs N-S through the site – the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">most </i>enigmatic of which were a pair of
stone-lined, hollow, parallel voids running across the road. As there is no
obvious outlet for drainage purposes, they don’t seem to be drains. Several
other ideas have been floated: were they supports for a crane? The base of a
gate running across the road? We’re open to suggestions! Last summer we ran out
of time to investigate the voids – we’ve started the process of cleaning,
photographing and planning them today. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iEGDr29GmJrb56n3AfBbUpOyuawB8ygvnGEwU0sBXzrSzkD95szg7uopP9YCyrj6RikDvn0WUkQFcXWLb4l1cwlqCRiqbHnq7VQzTBh-cJWTm9JUCmxXFinS2WIzsgyxMuUFsQB6Uxk/s1600/IMG_2312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9iEGDr29GmJrb56n3AfBbUpOyuawB8ygvnGEwU0sBXzrSzkD95szg7uopP9YCyrj6RikDvn0WUkQFcXWLb4l1cwlqCRiqbHnq7VQzTBh-cJWTm9JUCmxXFinS2WIzsgyxMuUFsQB6Uxk/s320/IMG_2312.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The enigmatic parallel voids in the Roman road.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlXikhTm126Zc6O-nUoxRkN-lRZXzZOrrE72IvLc1aP3OQV775xCU0vYwuIW6BViFjTEuEoSVRQxdxRnJI5Czbb4p8ri4ARozNr4lGs-3WlAX5aoPDttMQSscTY2qsT9fvCB3S66yGvk/s1600/IMG_2354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlXikhTm126Zc6O-nUoxRkN-lRZXzZOrrE72IvLc1aP3OQV775xCU0vYwuIW6BViFjTEuEoSVRQxdxRnJI5Czbb4p8ri4ARozNr4lGs-3WlAX5aoPDttMQSscTY2qsT9fvCB3S66yGvk/s320/IMG_2354.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Roman nail cleaner (R) with modern replica of Roman toiletry kit, made by Peter Forward, one of our supervisors (L)</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another rather enigmatic feature in the middle of the site
seems to be a large pit, full of mid-Roman pottery, plaster and mortar, and
numerous metallic objects including an iron knife blade that we found today. Nearly
everything about the pit – from its dimensions to its exact function – remains to
be seen!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Numerous finds have also come out of other mid-Roman
deposits under excavation – including a piece of repaired Samian ware and a beautifully
polished bone gaming counter. Another deposit has furnished lots and lots of
animal bone and a number of nails. All in all, we’re excited be underway, and
curious about what will follow! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR2Lytb2NOnuW-iNe33EzU_ANcTcD8x38UVPtkd-gCCR6VAm3vJhWa86b3dLIcgZJkyH0-G8nWknWaKdMcviFB3-8dAmD9_mRvZcNFubnyAm4aRq83CJOrb7e25AxdUO-q9LV2HN4L00/s1600/IMG_2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR2Lytb2NOnuW-iNe33EzU_ANcTcD8x38UVPtkd-gCCR6VAm3vJhWa86b3dLIcgZJkyH0-G8nWknWaKdMcviFB3-8dAmD9_mRvZcNFubnyAm4aRq83CJOrb7e25AxdUO-q9LV2HN4L00/s320/IMG_2336.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A terra sigillata sherd with signs of repair</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn0bXz3c-5XEOgnbxNWoyl3GCTdvFTBOUFiEQAVUhtbwEWP_D-htfeiau1k6891A0oUzbvdpnrN0-qlN8wYUXn-9Mm2VGx1kzZuzzPXVfmBSBhjfBJK60dtCu7i6mIJ2aiFKnxgRo1gc/s1600/IMG_2344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn0bXz3c-5XEOgnbxNWoyl3GCTdvFTBOUFiEQAVUhtbwEWP_D-htfeiau1k6891A0oUzbvdpnrN0-qlN8wYUXn-9Mm2VGx1kzZuzzPXVfmBSBhjfBJK60dtCu7i6mIJ2aiFKnxgRo1gc/s320/IMG_2344.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Learning about bones...</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This evening the students are off on a guided wander to the Dyke Hills and up the Wittenham Clumps, as we attempt to broaden their horizons beyond just the Roman period! </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-B6Hv75VWxikn5G_2BF5471LwupySPhV6143aTGz-whLNTe9wj-o3tWqy-_4vudaUhTbIHM-rG4yN1H-ccuCioLzUSNISL7f1xH0MsXvkhXm40v5g8Gew1dM2B_XXhijaENREIj4J7o/s1600/IMG_2361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-B6Hv75VWxikn5G_2BF5471LwupySPhV6143aTGz-whLNTe9wj-o3tWqy-_4vudaUhTbIHM-rG4yN1H-ccuCioLzUSNISL7f1xH0MsXvkhXm40v5g8Gew1dM2B_XXhijaENREIj4J7o/s400/IMG_2361.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-75927962916186873782016-06-30T09:59:00.000+01:002016-06-30T09:59:20.629+01:00And they're off<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Apologies for the radio silence whilst we got ourselves going: it's been a busy week!<br />
<br />
The undergraduates arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Sunday to a trench with a rather terrifying amount of backfill still to remove. A number of deep, narrow interventions in the trench excavated last year prevented the unwieldy digger bucket from emptying them entirely, and so it was left to mattocks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and a great deal of sweat and toil from our keen young archaeologists to get the trench ready for some real excavation to happen.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH5ImEyNV6DRFtklijS6WOcyS0HXl7qMcc8OVURXC93QyRwr2hXsFgOAfuL7B8ii56u4TdRcU5KiR_p4bLfv4-KsiSGvtzC0MuV2ezL5QD2_C-_T5oDKlYNDYhSIjyp6PmaVsO7TDOEM/s1600/IMG_0246%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbH5ImEyNV6DRFtklijS6WOcyS0HXl7qMcc8OVURXC93QyRwr2hXsFgOAfuL7B8ii56u4TdRcU5KiR_p4bLfv4-KsiSGvtzC0MuV2ezL5QD2_C-_T5oDKlYNDYhSIjyp6PmaVsO7TDOEM/s320/IMG_0246%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This part of the dig is often one of gloomy moods, particularly when the weather is as it has been, but the team has been working exceptionally hard to get something in excess of ten tons out of the trench and up the spoil heap in under three days. And only minimal grumbling of sore backs. We were very impressed!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45RrwyQqq0wPS_IQDR90Z5vD_ylqsobSqju6LdCg91qI0jQtltkwRhU-Dt6-aUrSe_XcUtRNyoE1C6TuX4drQzYTdWJQPMoEcJnJnVTGyf9TQtbhx-r4m9QZQuYjHPO9f53LYQcrCaWY/s1600/IMG_0247%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj45RrwyQqq0wPS_IQDR90Z5vD_ylqsobSqju6LdCg91qI0jQtltkwRhU-Dt6-aUrSe_XcUtRNyoE1C6TuX4drQzYTdWJQPMoEcJnJnVTGyf9TQtbhx-r4m9QZQuYjHPO9f53LYQcrCaWY/s320/IMG_0247%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Now the proper archaeology has started in earnest. Contexts are being dug, plans are being drawn, and finds are starting to come in. Perhaps the most intriguing object to come up so far has been a metal object, perhaps a knife, with a lovely carved octagonal bone handle. The photo doesn't really do it justice!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKk-4elh9hHzSsjEe9xLLF2bQCNW6X3OW8eMBG9XFGbEZ35TqwZHDyE7rj7o4BEzIDtViatI978SPXmXNSfsqk3ljvy9FuzTtUIdNMnpjYbpCwZWNvPrWWW39PqWvF0bgzcTfokCHbMXQ/s1600/IMG_0252%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKk-4elh9hHzSsjEe9xLLF2bQCNW6X3OW8eMBG9XFGbEZ35TqwZHDyE7rj7o4BEzIDtViatI978SPXmXNSfsqk3ljvy9FuzTtUIdNMnpjYbpCwZWNvPrWWW39PqWvF0bgzcTfokCHbMXQ/s320/IMG_0252%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
We're hoping for some slightly more clement weather now as we press on, and some exciting archaeology to come....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWSDsiov9QxgYD-gACBfpKw5zETymTxTfU7ayImdLLD1H-O6AMXh6S1WbtkkYBGbN6-6enHWpDvImv6X6vyo82Lg_ZUFO7RFAn-B06HPEstwXkdGT7Bj0rVHsiiIR2MtV1RTXI5Yd6oI/s1600/IMG_0235%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWSDsiov9QxgYD-gACBfpKw5zETymTxTfU7ayImdLLD1H-O6AMXh6S1WbtkkYBGbN6-6enHWpDvImv6X6vyo82Lg_ZUFO7RFAn-B06HPEstwXkdGT7Bj0rVHsiiIR2MtV1RTXI5Yd6oI/s320/IMG_0235%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-81600509739044239852016-06-24T16:41:00.001+01:002016-06-24T16:43:21.224+01:00Rain can't stop us!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Despite some very iffy weather in the last week, we have managed to get the site all ready to start digging this weekend. Over a million kilograms of soil have been removed, the marquee has gone up, and toilets and tools have arrived. Now all we need are some students!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl3FRu-KF07n-EtumevTrIxy4lOUbDA7zS3H9Inm-MPej8yyZzBMmLk2ND5LH_gBvdF9emluvtNiHxRF0sc50jYkz2lUcHV3QBuZWK7iBlQGqgyMPVkCvuBke6arimbch4fNQn8m1oqA/s1600/IMG_0214%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwl3FRu-KF07n-EtumevTrIxy4lOUbDA7zS3H9Inm-MPej8yyZzBMmLk2ND5LH_gBvdF9emluvtNiHxRF0sc50jYkz2lUcHV3QBuZWK7iBlQGqgyMPVkCvuBke6arimbch4fNQn8m1oqA/s320/IMG_0214%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>The first few scrapes... Our thanks to John Gibbs for cutting back the Giant Hogweed before we started!</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNTzoaY1no8rH-7SRbLX4vZDi-i8Oxb5kAXheOJUwyCdrKUqjEuQqINVje29xT6Cb2eebCvhuS-lW73D2C0BXBWVi4IyHEpCtpJ7qIvsmsDHB21aRdvRGFOdoDAXUvy1M1KFE-UR5Z40/s1600/IMG_0215%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNTzoaY1no8rH-7SRbLX4vZDi-i8Oxb5kAXheOJUwyCdrKUqjEuQqINVje29xT6Cb2eebCvhuS-lW73D2C0BXBWVi4IyHEpCtpJ7qIvsmsDHB21aRdvRGFOdoDAXUvy1M1KFE-UR5Z40/s320/IMG_0215%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>When the Wittenham Clumps disappear, you know you're about to get soggy</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHf4fDcy08H3-GHmkqA2J_bHqRG1H8P_ZVfngIoicH0KR9yDo-unFoMGYVI90aYQLVPwnDRuvQ4_59gdyJuK_wFLWOwsGzfe6Wi2Q9Bv9EXYAGQxGcWnWAhW-AaX-X3ZKt7omLvbnVgw/s1600/IMG_0219%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHf4fDcy08H3-GHmkqA2J_bHqRG1H8P_ZVfngIoicH0KR9yDo-unFoMGYVI90aYQLVPwnDRuvQ4_59gdyJuK_wFLWOwsGzfe6Wi2Q9Bv9EXYAGQxGcWnWAhW-AaX-X3ZKt7omLvbnVgw/s320/IMG_0219%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>It wasn't all terrible weather though. In true British fashion, we also managed to get sunburnt</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k2tIdW86tG0sw60uW76C7YRHTlDBNP7pl1Bu-51KQsjp7wTk04tMd7Sg7fS_nHrYM0Evy7BQaUOJ-IH6CXjMQvh06k81VleAUzazxWaHOojUtGBTdNsX3ad8-t1zqXzCwmGpZ1pVqfA/s1600/IMG_0223%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7k2tIdW86tG0sw60uW76C7YRHTlDBNP7pl1Bu-51KQsjp7wTk04tMd7Sg7fS_nHrYM0Evy7BQaUOJ-IH6CXjMQvh06k81VleAUzazxWaHOojUtGBTdNsX3ad8-t1zqXzCwmGpZ1pVqfA/s320/IMG_0223%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Getting there...</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMJMkEf4Rr8gFC4g50RR1-83SkeIZUi_P3GL7KjPEFPFbesBov1uHtARoI8c0QUYTVeyOZzyn08dOQTGZnZ-0qWIJbq_BJKX9JLkRgT9it2QJPkNWT78zXwVg2F04xnF2ryaCCXl79GQ/s1600/IMG_0227%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHMJMkEf4Rr8gFC4g50RR1-83SkeIZUi_P3GL7KjPEFPFbesBov1uHtARoI8c0QUYTVeyOZzyn08dOQTGZnZ-0qWIJbq_BJKX9JLkRgT9it2QJPkNWT78zXwVg2F04xnF2ryaCCXl79GQ/s320/IMG_0227%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>So close!</i></div>
<br />
Stay tuned for some more frequent updates once we get digging properly. And if you're in the neighbourhood, do stop by and say hello!</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-7705879381208085042016-06-17T15:17:00.001+01:002016-06-17T15:20:49.894+01:00Not long to go now!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Digging starts in just over one week's time! We are all getting very excited as we make our final preparations, and can't wait to get our trowels into the ground.<br />
<br />
This does mean that registrations are now closed for this season's excavations.<br />
<br />
However, you can still come and see how we've been getting on by coming to our Open Day, on Saturday 16th July. More details can be found on our event page for the 2016 Festival of Archaeology:<br />
<br />
http://www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk/events/2192<br />
<br />
And of course you can follow all our updates here on the blog, or on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DigDorchester/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.<br />
<br />
Please keep your fingers crossed for some good weather for us!</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-56962461063745600982016-03-30T11:04:00.002+01:002016-04-07T12:34:48.921+01:00Out on the tiles...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Whilst we wait impatiently to be able to get out into the field again, the Discovering Dorchester team hasn't been idle. Work has been continuing apace on our post-excavation jobs, with Sheila Raven and her volunteers putting our material archive in order, and Dr Wendy Morrison working on our digital records and mapping. (More on these in blog posts to come.)<br />
<br />
Meanwhile I have been continuing my research into the building material from the site. This is a material category that often gets somewhat overlooked in Roman excavations: shapeless lumps of stone or tile seem nowhere near as exciting as shiny bits of Samian ware or copper alloy brooches.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRMY9gJmGfmAvroclJBeuuKExP_emVojasYF9ymvtE9VzxKRgv85_v02WBUnikDatCr28wMKbobWbJnEHVzjFU8gsdRvZ34tHb08Irh2SkXNhOBg0pSOh5eWERgd4PqPoTEk5CxHkfc4/s1600/DSC_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNRMY9gJmGfmAvroclJBeuuKExP_emVojasYF9ymvtE9VzxKRgv85_v02WBUnikDatCr28wMKbobWbJnEHVzjFU8gsdRvZ34tHb08Irh2SkXNhOBg0pSOh5eWERgd4PqPoTEk5CxHkfc4/s400/DSC_0096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
However, there is still a lot we can learn from this material, and it is worth looking at in more detail. When we consider the past activities that building material represents, we are looking at some of the largest scale economic activities going on in the Roman world. Construction involves the purchase, movement, and use of really large quantities of stuff... just the roof for a small building, if the patron decided to opt for a smart new Roman-style tiled roof, would need many tonnes of tile.<br />
<br />
In the modern world, with mechanical cranes, lorries, and a well-made and well-maintained road network, such a requirement is fairly easily met; in the Roman world, using ox or mule carts, human labour, and having to deal with far more unpredictable road conditions, getting several tonnes of tile to your building site would have been a significant undertaking.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78GX2SVKyoD0gaJY7eA6v0ku-5upIoRv7G0l-8sXMSIu11SGW2qsy71aq4XarW9QQHh-QF0OvV12q-Mek9rnCGzCjHKdSx42CmHwGdBu0FJUftcx8glzSu4jtLtlYGik2DBwXdk1unBk/s1600/ancient-trackway-B8KNM8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg78GX2SVKyoD0gaJY7eA6v0ku-5upIoRv7G0l-8sXMSIu11SGW2qsy71aq4XarW9QQHh-QF0OvV12q-Mek9rnCGzCjHKdSx42CmHwGdBu0FJUftcx8glzSu4jtLtlYGik2DBwXdk1unBk/s320/ancient-trackway-B8KNM8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Imagine trying to drag a reluctant mule, pulling a 1 tonne cart, along there!</i></div>
<br />
And so when analysing the building material from Dorchester it was really interesting to see that both tiles and building stone were being brought in from considerable distances away: up to 50 km in some cases, even when locally made material was available.<br />
<br />
We have to ask, why?!<br />
<br />
One of my theories rests on the fact that construction represents one of the most obvious possible displays of wealth. You would only know if your neighbour in Dorchester had bought a nice shiny new set of Samian ware dishes if you were invited around for dinner... but you'd definitely notice if they put up a brand spanking new tile roof! As such this was an excellent medium through which individuals living in Roman Dorchester could express their identity and show off their wealth, If they used different coloured tiles perhaps, or a stone type very different to the normal local material, it would surely be the talk of the town.<br />
<br />
So next time you're working on a Roman site, and find an ugly lump of tile that you don't fancy putting in your finds tray, for fear of breaking all that lovely pottery, please don't just chuck it on the spoil heap! What you're holding in your hand probably represented a highly significant, meaningful choice by a Roman-Briton, spending vast sums of money to import and build their fancy new Mediterranean-style roof!</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-67518884505525430932016-01-28T12:23:00.001+00:002016-02-08T10:54:42.686+00:00The Discovering Dorchester 2016 Fieldschool Registration is Open!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Registrations are now open for all of our Discovering Dorchester 2016 fieldschools!<br />
<br />
The undergraduate fieldschool runs for two weeks from <b>Sunday 26th June - Friday 8th July</b>, whilst our two public fieldschools run from <b>Sunday 10th July - Friday 15th July</b> and <b>Sunday 17th July - Friday 22nd July</b>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ui2QvoanhMAPQ9_PiF0QEFGjjPQ9KKZnvC4W7_LODISIKBgOTU89T9UHjKRuj6z5NJaXPts0mdkqyNNHXp8D6Hdu2ECz1pvrqXylwvhXrxlUfbgiza7tQX_nYoeYJ-cX6bGUsb0PrCI/s1600/IMG_20140724_120536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ui2QvoanhMAPQ9_PiF0QEFGjjPQ9KKZnvC4W7_LODISIKBgOTU89T9UHjKRuj6z5NJaXPts0mdkqyNNHXp8D6Hdu2ECz1pvrqXylwvhXrxlUfbgiza7tQX_nYoeYJ-cX6bGUsb0PrCI/s320/IMG_20140724_120536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
On both the undergraduate and public fieldschools you will be taught in small groups by experienced supervisors, learning skills in digging techniques, context recording, plan and section drawing, and geomatics. There will also be a series of lectures on various topics, given by staff from the Institute of Archaeology, including talks on animal osteology, the local pottery industry, the region through different periods, and archaeological photography.<br />
<br />
To find out more, and to book your place, email edward.peveler@arch.ox.ac.uk<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-46705393965023499022015-12-11T10:24:00.000+00:002015-12-11T10:27:39.734+00:00Time flies like a...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Terrifying fact: there are just 3 weeks until 2016. And that means we're now starting to put together the plans for next year's excavation season, and the 2016 Discovering Dorchester Field School!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The 2016 season holds many exciting things in store for us. We will be continuing in our allotments trench, exploring the character of this Roman 'small town.' We are now fairly uniformly down into the middle Roman layers of the site, and we are working to better understand the nature of the activities going on in this central spot in the town.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EdYvX08_QAT5SFhILx1p6mUiIJYwgllpwDgfbUPPNe93gCf1MVzGGf9sdeXyxPi-JUcviWNIKKwW3QUP7s1SZiKsheWV9cGEVx002fN_hC2H-8K829AAvHg9VTqfYs2fidUmpcxDHOw/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EdYvX08_QAT5SFhILx1p6mUiIJYwgllpwDgfbUPPNe93gCf1MVzGGf9sdeXyxPi-JUcviWNIKKwW3QUP7s1SZiKsheWV9cGEVx002fN_hC2H-8K829AAvHg9VTqfYs2fidUmpcxDHOw/s400/IMG_3358.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
We will be continuing to pick apart the layers of the road, and to understand the rather unusual features we discovered last year, including a strange plank-slot running perpendicular to the course of the road across its surface, and a possible beam slot and wattle fence seen on its western edge. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Along the northern edge of the trench we have nearly finished emptying the late Roman ditches, and we can now begin to try to unravel the complex series of intercutting features and layers through which those ditches were cut. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And finally, we will be looking at the open area in the centre of the trench and to the west of the road, which in the past has produced several spectacular hair pins and other pieces of metal work. Being so close to the centre of the town, and directly adjacent to the main road, this space might be expected to contain significant and recognisable urban structures. Rather than shops fronting onto the street however we have found a large ovular feature, seemingly up to a metre deep, the fill of which has been found to contain evidence of burning, iron nails by the dozen, and large quantities of animal bone. Work this year will excavate more of the fill, seeking to understand what the purpose of this feature was, and what else is going on in this part of the Roman town. <br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt 36pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 18pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The dates of this coming season's courses are:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
<b>Undergraduate Field School</b>: </div>
<div>
Sunday 26th June - Friday 8th July</div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Public Field Schools</b>: </div>
<div>
Sunday 10th July - Friday 15th July</div>
<div>
Sunday 17th July - Friday 22nd July</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
We've already had lots of interest in places on the Undergraduate and Public Field Schools. Registration will open up on <b>Monday 4th January</b>, when I will be sending out more information to those who have already expressed an interest to me. Do contact me then to get our Information Booklet, or to book your place: <a href="mailto:edward.peveler@arch.ox.ac.uk"><b>edward.peveler@arch.ox.ac.uk</b></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And stay tuned for another post soon to see what we've been up to in the off-season!</div>
</div>
</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4722842174672773747.post-8064259983133807212015-07-25T22:19:00.002+01:002015-07-25T22:52:29.972+01:00And we're done!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After a marathon four weeks, with just one day off for the supervisors, the season is done. More than 70 students have been shown the archaeological ropes, tons of soil have been moved, thousands of pottery sherds unearthed, and we only had significant delays for weather on one single day: the very last.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhipY-xnccfJYCoIuqTMM7c0uC8K3nEZtcBE4K8BCig9q4nzOLsE4fKa-EDyGPOyBk0J4KxPVJVuG2MDQFi2I7mc8DQMJ8wCIoDP3URrYWxeD02k2vusdbjS3OLF7n6Oiytcwwolx16C0/s1600/IRC_1757.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhipY-xnccfJYCoIuqTMM7c0uC8K3nEZtcBE4K8BCig9q4nzOLsE4fKa-EDyGPOyBk0J4KxPVJVuG2MDQFi2I7mc8DQMJ8wCIoDP3URrYWxeD02k2vusdbjS3OLF7n6Oiytcwwolx16C0/s320/IRC_1757.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Week 4's students had been proceeding excellently with the various archaeological tasks, gaining skills for their skills passports, and uncovering more archaeological layers. In the north east corner of the site we have emptied a good deal of the post Medieval (possibly 17th century) cut feature, and so can now better understand the damage it has done to the Roman deposits beneath. The long east-west ditch along the northern baulk of the site clearly seems to cut the Roman road; whilst the fill is dense with Roman pottery and coins, it seems most likely that the ditch is post-Roman, given our understanding of the chronology of the layers of the road. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOCi_JEhZy8maid-ZuqSULlR8bsQjTnrHuSoHuW2EoOrQ0kU7U5ZEcEa4RBau7PQRkwO5qLU32KWcej9LZo6zZlJjse5Uc62jkMnX2YYaZKvuGoEM63MchzNGh8leEdbohU8YdhLnMYw/s1600/2015b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtOCi_JEhZy8maid-ZuqSULlR8bsQjTnrHuSoHuW2EoOrQ0kU7U5ZEcEa4RBau7PQRkwO5qLU32KWcej9LZo6zZlJjse5Uc62jkMnX2YYaZKvuGoEM63MchzNGh8leEdbohU8YdhLnMYw/s320/2015b.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
Elsewhere in the trench we have had some intriguing parallel slots appear in a layer of the road, perhaps created by beams laid on their edges, with stones arrayed along them to hold them in place; interpretations suggested have included markers for the progress of work, or some form of gate structure across the road. We're not really entirely convinced by either of those suggestions however! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some of the star finds of the week included a fragment of roller-stamped flue tile, a material which often tends to be associated with the bathhouses of <i>mansiones </i>in Romano British small towns; a bone needle with its eye intact, a rare thing given their fragility; an extremely long piece of copper wire (c. 15cm), perhaps part of a hair pin; and a Domitianic <i>dupondius</i>, one of the earliest Roman coins to come from the site so far. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEsJKWg1hY-2VjD-XVXQatvJ2O9fCtu6BRFF10K_La-iEqQtB4TWpeyG1srhK99epNR6jB0T5Tt9m5eOBweZXEJawfUznGdC9ttL4-0y1ao-o2y0hwU2S4sZMBnBkWQPbl5Az_HnA78g/s1600/IMG-20150725-WA0004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzEsJKWg1hY-2VjD-XVXQatvJ2O9fCtu6BRFF10K_La-iEqQtB4TWpeyG1srhK99epNR6jB0T5Tt9m5eOBweZXEJawfUznGdC9ttL4-0y1ao-o2y0hwU2S4sZMBnBkWQPbl5Az_HnA78g/s320/IMG-20150725-WA0004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YDDM1XR4qxChxLQB88Lgrg3OrH5NRCIKbx1wPE0SwnjkYT_0P8bpcRuR4Y5B8kqcNzldPvdXCQUINpFJ9dHMsPBGWXVF_j_mHMoRz4WtNmT3986X4Efoknwc3yf3DEe9emKH5XW_p5M/s1600/IMG-20150725-WA0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4YDDM1XR4qxChxLQB88Lgrg3OrH5NRCIKbx1wPE0SwnjkYT_0P8bpcRuR4Y5B8kqcNzldPvdXCQUINpFJ9dHMsPBGWXVF_j_mHMoRz4WtNmT3986X4Efoknwc3yf3DEe9emKH5XW_p5M/s320/IMG-20150725-WA0006.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were all set for a good final day of finishing off the digging of contexts, filling in context records, and section and plan drawings, but unfortunately the British summer had other ideas, as we received several centimetres of rain. By about 10am the downpour had become too heavy to continue work, with the ramp out of the trench becoming slippery and the archaeology under threat. The perils of digging in Britain!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The trench is now in the process of being put to sleep again for another year. We are really thankful to all those who took part in this year's excavations, including the students, the supervisory team of Laura Jones, Peter Forward, Abigail Tompkins, Esther Fisher, Patrick Cuthbertson, Thomas Matthews Boehmer; our finds officer Anni Byard; all those who gave lectures; Cliff Sofield; and John Gibbs and Alan Davis for all their assistance with tools and logistics. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We're all looking forward to being back next year however - watch this space for more updates and details of the 2016 season (once we've properly recovered). </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Assistant Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06692050429149231678noreply@blogger.com1