Dig the Lunt Roman Fort - week 3

This week at the Lunt we opened up a sondage in trench 1. Basically this is an excavation within an excavation just to see what we can expect under the rest of the bricks. It was hard work for John and Ken who did most of it.

John mattocking the brick layer

The sondage at the end of trench 1

We came down on what looked like lime mortar. Further scraping revealed an earth layer similar to that being trowelled in trench 2.

In trench 2, we were beginning to expose a layer with fine gravel, and amongst this we were finding medieval and Roman pottery. However, the further down we went, the stones became larger and the finds non-existent.

This week I brought along my metal detector. I have to be honest in that I've had it a year but not used it!!! I brushed off the cobwebs and turned it on and aimed it at the spoil heap. I felt a bit conspicuous, but that's presumably because I hadn't got a clue what I was doing. (Note to self: must join a club). Cut a long story short, I detected my first find...a hand made nail. How excited was I!!!!

First metal detecting find

Further wafts over the spoil revealed another nail. Well we all have to start somewhere and I now have a better understanding of the detector. All good fun.

Over the day Paul taught the students how to plan using the planning frame, and everyone had a go.

John and Ros planning the bricks

Our resident artist Debbie having a go

Me, I was left sieving the soil from trench 2. It's a laborious task but has revealed an abundance of pottery - Roman and Medieval. There's still an awful lot to sieve at the next session.

  

Pile on the left still to sieve

We were lucky with the weather all day with the occasional light shower and sunshine. We finished at 4, and after putting all the tools away, Paul did a summary of the day in the car park. The heavens opened cutting that bit short! I can't speak for the rest, bit I didn't half sleep well that night. Roll on the next session......