Today in area F pieces of mortaria, from a mortar and pestle, have been found in the housing platform that lies west of the site. This is in the same area that the elbow pestle, which was found on day three, was from, and builds up a good picture of habitation. Mark Shattock, the trench supervisor, is hoping to try and distinguish the phasing of the ‘banjo’ enclosure where it intersects a ditch running from the west edge of the site. On the east side building platform which lies on top of the ‘banjo’ ditch, they are currently excavating down onto natural chalk on the south west quadrant being excavated. This has uncovered possible stake and post holes as well as another mortara and some painted wall plaster.
In Area H, good progress has been made with the Roman ‘corn dryer’ and there are now very likely suggestions that it is actually a lime kiln. This is where ground up chalk would have been burned to form quick lime (calcium oxide), which is later slaked with water and mixed with sand to create building mortars and plasters, or used in pure form as whitewash or in industrial processes such as tanning leather. Further evidence for this is the burnt floor of the feature as well as an oyster shell which was found in the context; oyster shell is also a source of calcium and could have been an added ingredient. For more on lime pre-industrial kilns see http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/publications/iha-preindustrial-lime-kilns/preindustriallimekilns.pdf. I am currently excavating this feature since Tom Bye and Amy Green, who originally started excavating it, have started supervising with geophysical survey.
Oyster shell found in the chalky fill of the line kiln feature
The burnt floor of the lime kiln
In Area G, records, plans and drawings are underway as most of the excavation is coming to an end. The prehistoric enclosure ditch section which runs under the villa has been finished as well as some industrial features that overlie a robbed out trench. The most exciting find of the day however was literally just before the final whistle and was a Roman coin found by Tom Harrison, a first year student studying BSc Archaeology. This was found in a wall robber trench, which was also being excavated by first year student William Marffy who is also studying BSc Archaeology, and can be used to date any building phases that lie above it.
William and Tom excavating a robbed wall foundation trench where the coin was found
The Roman coin found in the villa wall foundations
The final push towards the end of the dig will now involve the finalising of any feature or context sheets as well as completing section and feature plans.