In Area F, progress has been made and it has come about that the skeleton found yesterday by Selina and Sandy is that of a sheep. The remaining section of this pit has been uncovered today and has yielded some two Iron Age Black Burnished Ware pots. One was fractured and the other was complete but both had contents inside them as well as the holes in the bottom which are typical of this style. A complete cow skeleton has also been uncovered in the bottom of the ‘banjo’ ditch which was found by second year supervisor Ed Gill who is studying BSc Archaeology. An adult inhumation burial has also been discovered on a housing platform, which is south of the site area, and a quern stone and ring were also found on the east side housing platform which overlies the ‘banjo’ ditch. The complex side entrance of the ‘banjo’ enclosure is starting to work out nicely and should be completed tomorrow.
Ed excavating a cow skeleton in Area F
In Area G, they are two thirds of the way through excavation and final planning with the south side of the villa showing multiple phases. An oval feature lined with recycled Roman roof tiles from the villa has been excavated by first year student Grace Campbell who is studying BSc Archaeology. This feature contained the remains of a puppy, lead, pottery, the pelvis and rib from a perinatal burial, some Kimmeridge shale and a carved sea urchin. The feature therefore obviously had a very specific purpose which should hopefully become clearer tomorrow after excavation has finished.
Grace excavating the oval feature in Area G
The ‘banjo’ enclosure ditch has now been completely traced under the villa as well as the extent of some large prehistoric pits which predate the ‘banjo’ enclosure. Alison Roberts, a first year student studying Prehistory and Roman Archaeology, has been excavating in pit that includes four phases of the villa, a pit and also some of the ‘banjo’ ditch, all within a one metre squared space. She is currently completing context forms to record the evidence for the sequence of events.
Alison completing context forms in Area G
In Area H, a large piece of shale has been discovered in the lime kiln which was originally thought to be a corn dryer. The large remaining section has been excavated today by myself and Beth White, who is also a second year studying Archaeological, Anthropological and Forensic Sciences.
Large piece of shale found in the base of the lime kiln in Area H