Day 12: Tiles, Tessera, and a Trilby - by James & Connor

Day 12 of the dig was certainly the hottest so far (a pinkening 24℃) and possibly the most intriguing day. Numerous finds from the Roman road today have begun to tell a part of the story of life in Roman Chester.  Several Roman iron nails were found within the context of the Roman road one of them may have been rather enthusiastically mattocked through, along with a melon bead and a lead spindle whorl. 

Across the site, preparations were made to dig two sections through a possible ditch, which also recovered some large cattle bones. A black tessera was also recovered, could there possibly be a villa nearby? Samian ware and Black-Burnished ware pottery sherds were also frequent finds from the baked concrete like earth, which was subsequently dumped over the EDGE of the spoil heap upon its removal.

The day was intersected by the Bone Lab a crash course in the bones and bits of beasts and how to draw and identify our muddy pieces of past creatures by the lovely Ian, a man of expert knowledge within the field of faunal remains (animal bones).

Tomorrow we dig deeper in the pits that seem to have no end, we trowel the road that just keeps on giving and we bath in sunscreen to stave off becoming fried. Also, will Dave’s trilby make another appearance on site? And can he win the Battle of the Hats?

James & Connor

Animal bone workshop: Lion skull!