One day left to visit the Ness before the site closes to the public
Cleaned and looking gorgeous. The delicate and finely decorated pot sherd from outside Structure Twelve’s south-western corner. (Ole Thoenies)
Dig Diary – Day Thirty-Two
Tuesday, August 10, 2021
How time flies.
The end of the season is nigh and if you’ve yet to visit the site, tomorrow is the last day it’s open to the public. On Thursday the protective covers will start to go back on and the Ness of Brodgar will resume its slumber.
Talking of which, if you have a few hours to spare on Thursday and/or Friday and would like to help us cover over the site, then we’d be delighted to hear from you.
It’s not a delightful job, nor particularly easy, but it is a vital one. If you’re hale and hearty and can make it along, we’d certainly recommend old clothes, waterproofs and stout footwear. Anyone interested should email nick.card@uhi.ac.uk so we have some idea of the numbers.
Clare and Calum tackle context sheets outside Structure Twelve. (Ole Thoenies)
Chris planning in Trench J. (Ole Thoenies)
Trench J plans. (Ole Thoenies)
Yesterday we referred to the sea of planning frames and they were out again today as the excavators got to work wrapping up their records for the season.
All excavation has now ceased as we get to grips with the million and one tasks that need to be completed before the great winter cover-up gets under way on Thursday.
Although the volume of finds this year was greatly reduced – due to the reduced excavation area and team members – there has still been an amazing number and all of these need processed by Anne Mitchell, our finds supremo, ably assisted by Rosalind Fisher and Megan Card.
It was all go in the finds hut today (as it is most days, to be honest) as work to pack up the multiple trays of archaeological finds picked up pace.
As ever the Ness just couldn’t function without Anne and her team.
Although the finds hut squad was reduced in size as well this year, hopefully 2022 will see the extent of activity at the Ness return to normal.
Our thanks also go to Rosemary McCance for labelling our finds bags to site geologist Martha who has been helping pack the ceramics.
Still smiling! Anne in the finds hut this afternoon. (Sigurd Towrie)
Jem recording her double post-holes in Structure Ten. (Ole Thoenies)
We finish today with some bad news.
We were all saddened to hear of the passing of Peter Leith, from Stenness. Peter was a great supporter of the Ness and had strong personal connections to the site through his father. It was Mr Leith Snr who photographed the “Brodgar Stone” in 1925.
Peter was a font of knowledge and will be greatly missed. Our condolences to his family.
The late Peter Leith on site with Nick in 2018, along with the camera used to photograph the ‘Brodgar Stone’ in 1925. (Sigurd Towrie)
