TWMBARLWM ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG 2021

The Big Dig continued from Monday 2nd till Friday 20th August

Hello again folks

I’m excited to get started on the Dig after so many delays over the past couple of years. Please note that I’m writing this blog from a keen amateur’s standpoint and the society’s involvement – all the technical stuff and information about any findings will come from the professional archaeologists at a later date. Their final report will be made publicly available on this website and other archaeological archive sites.

Thursday 5th August

Terrible day – gale force wind and driving rain – One volunteer in the shape of Jack H turned up.

DAY 4 : TRENCH 1

The plan today was for RH to update his notes – and to take the soil sample for the OSL. The process is to pick a spot below the pile of rubble, dig down a few more centimetres into which you can put a metal box and press it sideways into the soil – the idea is to not allow any light to get at the sample. This is because the luminescence test measures the last time that quartz particles in the soil last saw the light of day and if you let light get at now it could give false information.

We thought we had probably gone as far down as we wanted with the trench but RH was not happy with the surface revealed in the middle section of the trench – it was difficult to tell if we had reached bedrock or whether it was another pile of loose rubble intended for use at the top of the embankment. So a few more inches of digging was needed with Jack and I helping to heave out the heavy shovelfuls of soil in the worst weather to date.

I had to leave the site for an appointment for an hour or so and when I got back the cowardly archaeologists had abandoned the site and retired back down the mountain to their vehicle for lunch and to warm up and dry out a little.

We sat there for best part of two hours shivering before I decided to give up as the rain re-doubled its efforts to make our lives grim.

However, Richard and Harri did go back to the trench to take their soil sample (the area they took it from can be seen in the photo on the right) and secure the site for the night. Well done them.

It should be noted that I didn’t take any photos today – sorry folks, but there was literally nothing to see.

This archaeological investigation is funded by:
Ariennir yr ymchwiliad archeolegol hwn gan: