The Ness of Brodgar Project

Dig Diary – an all too familiar story this season as rain cuts digging short again

Monday, August 5, 2024

Looking ominous. Site director Nick surveys the incoming rain this afternoon. (📷 Jo Bourne)
Looking ominous. Site director Nick surveys the incoming rain this afternoon. (📷 Jo Bourne)

Day Thirty-Three
Monday, August 5, 2024

Down came the rain. Michaela outside the supervisors' hut this afternoon. (📷 Jo Bourne)
Down came the rain. Michaela outside the supervisors’ hut this afternoon. (📷 Jo Bourne)

It had to happen. After our recent spell of lovely weather, the rain returned today and severely curtailed activity on site.

In the morning it led to a delayed start, with diggers returning to sodden trenches around 11am. But conditions were far from perfect and in some cases the slippery conditions, not to mention the chance of disturbing the archaeology, saw limited numbers permitted access.

But this was a brief respite and by 2pm the skies turned black and the rain began again. At this point, site director Nick called a halt to excavation and sent most of the diggers home.

Today we bid a fond (and sad) farewell to Cristina, who has been involved in the excavation of Trench T since 2018.

While she may well miss the Ness when she heads home to Spain, we seriously doubt she’ll miss the Orcadian summer weather!

Tomorrow is looking more promising, so we’ll be back with the latest news then.

Cristina at work in the Structure Twenty-Seven hearth, during the brief dry spell today. (📷 Jo Bourne)
Cristina at work in the Structure Twenty-Seven hearth, during the brief dry spell today. (📷 Jo Bourne)
The Trench T squad, and Buddy the dog, bid farewell to Cristina this afternoon. (📷 Sara Marinoni)
The Trench T squad, and Buddy the dog, bid farewell to Cristina this afternoon. (📷 Sara Marinoni)

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