Dig Diary – post-hole in Structure Ten, while Twelve produces drain three!

Tuesday, July 23, 2024 (8:27 PM)

Structure Twenty-Seven from above. (📷 Scott Pike)

Day Twenty-Three
Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Oh my! What a scorcher!

Sunshine all day and warm – sometimes slightly too warm for us moaning archaeologists (well, this one at least).

While we’d take sun over rain any day, it does cause problems when trying to work. The harsh, bright sunlight makes it difficult to see the subtle changes in colour that marks boundaries between different contexts, not to mention it quickly dries up surfaces causing cracking and making them difficult to work.

The contrasty conditions make photography a nightmare too! But we’ve seen so little of the sun this year, that we’ll soldier on and hope for more of the same in the coming weeks.

The north-western corner of Structure Twenty-Seven, showing the rectangular hole and some of the animal remains littering the surface outside. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — The north-western corner of Structure Twenty-Seven, showing the rectangular opening and some of the animal remains littering the surface outside. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

We start today in Structure Twenty-Seven, where the work to remove the rubble deposits at the north-western corner is moving on rapidly. More of the western end of the northern wall was exposed today revealing an interesting feature – a deliberate and well-built rectangular opening!

Best guess as to its function at present is that it relates to the building’s construction and was perhaps one of a number that supported timber scaffolding while the walls were being raised.

When the job’s done, the timber is removed.

If that is the case, we’d expect to find more. If none turn up, or survive, it’s back to the drawing board.

The north-western corner of Structure Twenty-Seven, showing the rectangular opening and some of the animal remains littering the surface outside. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

Some of the animal remains outside Structure Twenty-Seven this afternoon. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

The removal of rubble from the north end of Structure Twenty-Seven under way this afternoon. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

In the deposits outside the wall is a considerable quantity of animal bone, made up of cattle, sheep and, so far, the single bone of a suspected dog.

We’ve had similar deposits of animal remains around the building before and further excavation is needed to confirm the extent of this one before we can contemplate what, if anything, it represents.

The excavated section of a substantial post-hole in Structure Ten. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

The suspected haematite fragments in Ten. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

In Structure Ten, work around the remains of Structure Twenty, one of its predecessors, has exposed a substantial post-hole with a diameter that appears to be around 0.55 metres.

It belongs to the primary phase of Ten, which was constructed around 2900BC, and may relate to a structural element at the building’s entrance.

So far, Structure Five (c3300BC) has been the only excavated building on site that incorporated timber posts in its build. So it looks like that’s going to change.

As second suspected post-hole lies nearby, but this requires further excavation.

Elsewhere in Ten, Jo found what appears to be degraded and crushed haematite near an orthostatic cut in the building’s north end.

It is perhaps no coincidence that the fragments were found in the vicinity of the building’s “paintshop” – a small chamber behind, and to one side of, the rear dresser, where minerals were ground to produce coloured pigment.

Aaron's pot spread ready for lifting. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — Aaron’s pot spread ready for lifting. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

In Trench J, Aaron continued excavating around his Early Neolithic pot in the northern extension to Structure Five. He is now almost at the stage of being able to lift the well-preserved, but slightly squashed vessel.

Becca points out the internal end of Structure Twelve's latest drain. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) — Becca points out the internal end of Structure Twelve’s latest drain. (📷 Sigurd Towrie)

And last today, but not least, Structure Twelve has produced yet another drain!

From the start of the season, the building has gone from being the only one with no visible evidence of drains to now having three incorporated into its build at various points in its life!

As supervisor Jim pointed out: “Drains. They’re like buses you wait for ages and then three turn up at the same time!”

Today’s drain was found by Becca in the north-west alcove – directly underneath the drain that was found to contain canine remains at the start of the season.

Becca’s drain belongs to Structure Twelve’s primary phase and ran under and out from the building’s north-western entrance.

Meanwhile, Chris’ began excavating the contents of his clay-blocked drain at the south-western end of the building. So far he has revealed bones from young cattle and sheep, presumably deliberately inserted during the blocking process.

The exterior of Chris' drain, with the recovered animal bone ready to go into a finds tray. (📷 Sigurpd Towrie) — The exterior of Chris’ drain, with the recovered animal bone ready to go into a finds tray. (📷 Sigurpd Towrie)

Structures Twelve and Twenty-Eight. — Structure Twenty-Eight (primary phase?) in relation to the primary phase of Twelve.

We mentioned previously the puzzle of the missing piers in Structure Twenty-Eight, Twelve’s predecessor. Jim has been pondering whether the building was also missing the corner buttresses found in the other piered structures on site. But today, he thinks he’s cracked it.

We now have tentative evidence for south-western and north-western buttresses in Structure Twenty-Eight – although further excavation will be required before we can say for sure.

Now, after a late night diary writing yesterday, and a long day on site, I’m going to hit the shower and head outside to catch the end of a lovely day.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more news.