Dawned bright and clear, an ideal first day on site for the new group of active participants to view the complex landscape surrounding the current excavation areas.
The mid-summer valley of the River Wharfe as viewed from the current research area
(photo by Phil Carroll)
(photo by Phil Carroll)
After an introductory walk to study the major features, Roger brought the party of University students up to the limestone shelf on which the more recent excavation work has taken place.
The first task for the group was to carefully remove the stone, soil and plastic sheeting, which had protected sections of ‘DF’ since last year. Soon that familiar wide crescent of double wall, with its forefront of stone, was revealed.
Having learned the importance of 3,4,5 triangles, the students then created a grid of squares from the southern edge of DF, across the hollow way and up to the top of the steep slope that overlooks the fields below.
This is not a huge cat’s cradle; it does have a very worthwhile purpose. (photo by Phil Carroll)
Samples of the top soil, from just beneath the turf level, were taken from within the grid for later examination for fragments of hammer scale.
The object behind this exercise was to see if any bioturbation had taken place and not really to make it as difficult as possible for the Finds Team - who were trying to use the Total Station in the middle of this tape maze in an effort to re-establish the co-ordinates of an earlier trench.
At the end of a hot and tiring day, everyone trooped happily off the hill, no doubt intent on something cold!
In the fine established tradition of Chapel House Wood excavations, that evening, at The Blue Bell, six of us took part in the weekly pub quiz and came a close second to the winners, the resident pub team.
Phil & Pat Carroll
