Dig Diary – rain, rain go away (and stronger words to that effect)

Wednesday, July 3, 2024 (6:25 PM)

A hardy group of visitors, with Sigurd, touring the abandoned trenches during this afternoon's downpour. (📷 Jo Bourne) — A hardy group of visitors, with Sigurd, touring the abandoned trenches during this afternoon’s downpour. (📷 Jo Bourne)

Day Eight
Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Today we found ourselves fondly recalling halcyon days of summer excavation, when we doused ourselves in sunblock before digging in bone-dry trenches while battling hordes of midges.

Why?

Because, yet again, we faced the opposite. The weather in Orkney, for months, has been appalling and today was no exception. The wind and rain kicked off around midday and before long conditions in the trenches were treacherous underfoot.

Giles and Andy outside Structure One. (📷 Jo Bourne)

Not only is this dangerous for the diggers but also the archaeology. You don’t want to trek three inches of a floor surface out on your boots overtime you leave the trench!

So the floor covers were put back in place and bedraggled diggers sought shelter until conditions improved. Unfortunately, that imrpovement did not materialise and, by lunchtime, site director Nick called it a day.

Sigurd in the north end of Structure Twelve before the deluge began. (📷 Jo Bourne) — Sigurd – much drier and slightly warmer than he was at the end of the day – in the north end of Structure Twelve before the deluge began. (📷 Jo Bourne)

With the thermometer measuring a decidedly unseasonable 10 deg C, and with the wind driving rain at their backs, the majority of the team headed for their transports and the warmer, drier conditions of home.

But rest assured we’ll be back tomorrow – ever the optimists hoping for an end to the winter-like weather. Fortunately, the forecasts are promising just that (well, at least no rain) so fingers crossed…

As I write this, the sun has broken through the clouds, its welcome (but too late!) light bathing the landscape outside in gold. Typical! Anyway, a reminder that places for our forthcoming guided tours of our exhibition at the Orkney Museum are filling up, so if you are wanting to attend, there’s more details and booking links here)