Tuesday 25th June 2013

Day 20-Gullies and Brooches

Often in archaeology, what is recovered is broken, either deliberately by the people depositing it or already broken from use or bad manufacture. Unfortunately, fresh breaks can also occur due to the nature of digging itself but there are various techniques to be able to tell the difference between this and an ancient break. Last week, a fibula style brooch was recovered and the break showed significant corrosion, indicating an ancient break. Due to the size of the portion of the brooch recovered, it was contemplated that the missing piece that had broken off could still be found! Today, despite moving further down the feature into a different context, the thought to be missing piece was recovered and can be pieced together nicely!

A portion of the fibula style brooch recovered. Courtesy of Bournemouth University.

The second and matching portion of the fibula style brooch. Courtesy of Bournemouth University.

Significant interpretation changes are occurring in the area dominated by Roman house terraces and the end of the Banjo Enclosure ditch. Now that all sections of features have been completed, smaller features not identifiable before have now been noted and are undergoing their own excavation. This is allowing further spatial reconstruction of the rectangular house platform to be taken. For example, within one of the sections another feature that was further cut into the chalk was observed. Excavation of this showed it was part of a gully, predating the house terrace and running under it, as pictured below. It has been contemplated if this feature is even Late Bronze Age, due to the extent it may predate the house terrace!

Part of the gully, which runs underneath the house terrace and predates this overlying feature. Courtesy of Bournemouth University.