Today is the start of the Bournemouth university Big Dig; the staff, students and volunteers are ready for 5 weeks of glorious sun, sweat and archaeology.
Arriving at the site everyone was taken onto the trenches to have a look at what was uncovered when the top soil was removed. Numerous pits, gullies and possible roundhouses have been found in both trenches, so students are excited to get their trowels in the dirt in hope to find a number of different finds. There have also been “hints” to potential human burials, according to Paul Cheetham.
Throughout the busy first day students were given talks on health and safety, so as no accidents occur, what is expected of them during their time at the Big Dig and what is hopefully going to be discovered.
The students then got down to action in Trench D straightening up the edges of the trench and making everything presentable. From the looks of things on site, the students were enjoying their time, going ahead with mattock, spade or shovel in hand and getting stuck into the archaeology.
Two students were interviewed today to get a feel at what they are hoping to achieve and discover during the dig:
Ana Bordona Foz – Archaeology
What do you hope to get out of your experience at the Big Dig?
- Gain experience and have fun with course mates
Is it what you expected?
- Pretty much, maybe my body wasn’t quite ready for this
What do you hope to find?
- Burials, really interested in the archaeology of human remains.
Peaches Ashley-Watts- Archaeology and Anthropology
What do you hope to get out of your experience at the Big Dig?
- An appreciation of the digging side of archaeology
Is it what you expected?
- No, didn’t have any expectations of the Big Dig
What do you hope to find?
- Human Remains and intact vessels.