Day 4: the locals have accepted our presence and begun to approach.

Figure 1: "I am the bucket queen: no one can out bucket me". Genuine quote.

Today barrowing became mercifully light as shovel monkeys became trowel monkeys and we pulled back the Terramsheeting; finally starting on some fresh archaeology.

As the day progressed features gained definition, the stones of the Roman road becoming more defined and the as yet unexplored eastern end of the area was trowelled in anticipation of coming excavation.

New finds came with the added satisfaction of a new strata, they included a considerable number of teeth, and a near complete humerus (upper arm) bone (not human thank goodness). Pottery became distinctly more medieval with pot handles and patterned floor tiles, the latter possibly attributable to the suspected chapel.

Figure 2: patterned medieval floor tile

With the day's pleasant weather came curious passers-by; many of us made conversation, attempting to explain a sight we had only just gotten our heads around (or as Amiko put it “I only know Mesolithic”).  All the same the interactions were confidence building, satisfying and often a welcome break.

Looking forward to getting in to the new archaeology tomorrow and hoping for a continuation of the pleasant weather.

Jonathan, Out.

Figure 3; suffering the muddy consequences of yesterday’s rain

Figure 4; The roman road as excavated last year. We hope to find more to gain a more accurate heading.

Figure 5; The unanticipated ergonomics of wheelbarrows.