First site visit

In the morning session, the students were introduced to two of the main artifact materials they will likely be encountering on the site, ceramics and glass. I (Kate) lectured and interspersed that with some hands-on experience with artifacts from our teaching collection. After that, James went over the excavation strategies we will be using on site, and the different types of recording forms we use.

After lunch, the weather looked like the rain would hold off, so we all headed to the site. The main goal for today was to familiarise the field school students with the site, and also to do a pedestrian survey which is part of a Stage 2 analysis in the Standards and Guidelines.

Despite all the rain we have been having, the clayey loam soil wasn’t too saturated, but we definitely got our boots dirty!

Our intrepid crew lines up in preparation for a pedestrian survey of the site.

Although not raining, the day was overcast, but that was good for visibility as there were no harsh shadows. Once we got closer to the site, the flags started popping up as more and more artifacts were located in higher densities, concentrated over the area where we know the site to be.

For some of our students this was their first time in the field and first archaeological finds, I always love sharing that moment with someone!

Lorna found part of the lid for a stoneware crock.
Justyna found what is probably part of a cultivator spike or harrow tooth.
The second field we walked didn’t have much of anything, but that is what we expected!

After the students left for the day, James and I laid out a grid in preparation for beginning excavation tomorrow, assuming it won’t be raining too hard.

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