Tag Archives: archaeology

Lockdown Archaeology: a walk in the woods

By Rob Evershed, Project Officer (Geophysics)

Due to the ongoing coronavirus situation I’ve found myself confined for the majority of my time to my home. I’m fortunate in so much as I can continue working on writing up various projects, but it’s still a little claustrophobic, a feeling I imagine a lot of people are having at the moment. So my daily escapism comes in the form of walking my dog just after 4pm. I’m lucky to have some woods just up the road where I can easily go, and where I have turned my archaeological eye on.

hector the dog looking for archaeology — Hector looking for archaeology

The woods are part of a landscape of managed woodland in the area, although parts of it are slowly returning back to nature as at the moment there appears to be limited removal and replanting of trees. I’ve always been interested in the slightly unusual lumps and bumps within the wood, but never got any further than thinking it might be interesting to try and work out what might be going on.

Well finally with the lockdown I got round to doing a bit of detective work. The Environment Agency has Lidar data they provide for free on their website, and this proved perfect for getting a better look at what might be going on.

As you can see from the image, the area available for dog walking has a number of lumps and bumps, including a sub-circular swamp area extending from the southern edge. It does continue further to the south, but that’s private woodland.

However the most interesting feature I’ve noticed is the strange square feature towards the northeast corner of the area. Here’s a zoomed in Lidar image.

square feature in the lidar image — Detail of the square feature seen in the Lidar image

Exploring the area this feature has fairly clear banks surrounding a lower flattened area that sloped gently to the west. Without all the trees and vegetation it would undoubtedly stand out very clearly as a distinct feature, but with the trees and vegetation it is actually very difficult to see. Taking good photos of earthworks is notoriously difficult, and being in the woods makes it even trickier. However here are a few shots from which you might be able to make out some of the banks.

looking across the woods — The southeast corner of the woods

From it’s square shape, and distinct ninety degree angles, it definitely looks like a manmade feature. The surface geology is sand and gravel, but the woods in this area definitely pre-date the twentieth century as they are present on the 1^st Edition OS map. Nearby heritage features include a deer park, a deserted medieval settlement, and the site of a former priory. But apart from the woodland potentially being used for one or all of these places, I’m at a bit of a loss for what the square feature might be, or why it was created. Currently my imagination is suggesting it’s an Iron Age fort, but I have no evidence to back that up. What do you think?

Lockdown Archaeology: accidental fieldwalking

By Matt Parker Wooding, Heritage Research Manager

As the lockdown from the Covid 19 pandemic continues, taking breaks from managing the heritage research team, and seeing the outside world physically rather than through the window, takes on all sorts of importance – physical wellbeing and mental resilience being the main two.

However, this has also been a valuable exercise in getting to know the place where I moved at the start of autumn last year and have not yet had the opportunity to explore. I now live in a rural area containing a multitude of public walks direct from my doorstep, with no driving required, a massive bonus right now.

One of the unexpected pleasures of this, with my distinct leanings towards prehistoric archaeology, has been the chance to do a bit of fieldwalking along the public rights of way which are ploughed. An opportunity which has only slightly affected the choice of routes for my daily walks. The finds have been expanding not only my knowledge of the area but have also been reported to the local HER with photos of each (with scale) and their grid reference.

Whilst this has been a welcome relief from the current problems, archaeology has to compete against the other distractions, which include red kites and grass snakes, and some beautiful views and sunsets, which do sometimes make it difficult to concentrate on the ground! Looking up at the views and skies is something I think we all need to do in the present circumstances, simply for the break from the computer or TV screen, and managing the work-life balance, which can be difficult when working from home.

Find of The Month – August

This month’s find might not look like much. It is a pretty run-of-the-mill ‘willow pattern’ plate, and you probably noticed it’s also broken. So what makes it so special? Well, we’re currently writing up what we hope will be our first major monograph, on a post-medieval cemetery in Brentford, West London. This plate, along with another similar one, a pewter plate and a blue and white tin-glazed cup were all found in graves.

It is possible that these vessels contained salt, believed to provide protection and ward off decay, but we don’t really know for sure. Rare examples of plates or saucers are known from other burials in London and from sites further afield, for example at St. Mary’s Church (Leicester), St. Peter’s Church (Barton-upon-Humber, Lincolnshire) and at St. Nicholas’s Church (Wetwang, East Yorkshire).

So this plate is special, not because of what we know about it, but because of what we don’t. The person with whom this was buried died less than 200 years ago, and yet already the reasons for this tradition have been lost.

A Day in the Life of…..Emily Doe (Project Supervisor, Fieldwork)

I’ve been working at Allen Archaeology for the best part of four years. I started as a bright-eyed and enthusiastic PA (Project Archaeologist) then worked my way up to the role of Project Supervisor. As you can imagine having such a role has its pros and cons. With highs of being the one who holds the power to allocate slots to reveal the secrets of the site, and lows including being the bearer of bad news when it’s time to go back to work when the lovely English weather is throwing its worst at us and we have deadlines to meet!

There is never a dull day as a supervisor, as it’s a very varied role and often keeps you on your toes depending on the site and how far along you are with it for. You could be machine stripping a site for days on end not finding anything or be on tender hooks as there is so much archaeology your eyes can’t keep up with it. Though on a more established site where you may be for months on end, days can take a more regular form. With starting each day afresh with your eager team ready to get their hands in mud. I would allocate slots for each of team member to dig, record and interpret. Sometimes help is needed with training new staff in recording/ excavating methods or interpreting what a section is telling us by looking at the wider picture and relating it to other features or slots within the same area. Lunch time and break times give everyone the chance to relax and refuel for the rest of the day ahead. If I’m lucky I may get the opportunity to dig features myself but if not then archive checking is a frequent and important task.

Emily machine watching — Emily watch the machine strip a site

Best site hut biscuit with Tash

It’s been an exciting and busy time at AAL and after a short hiatus the blog is now back up and running, starting with a little bit about Tash Brett, Project Archaeologist!

What is your job role?

Project Archaeologist

How long have you worked for Allen Archaeology?

Almost 2 years

How would describe your excavation technique?

If in doubt, wack it out!

How long have you been working in archaeology?

Overall 5 or so years

How did you get into archaeology?

Through Operation Nightingale. I volunteered on their site on Salisbury Plain and have loved it ever since. No one can say their first dig was an Anglo-Saxon burial ground!

What is the best thing about your job?

Seeing all the wonderful finds that come through the office and learning how to differentiate between different types of pottery.

Specialist skills?

I have a couple of years of archiving experience, and I do enjoy that type of work and can do it pretty well, so I would say that might be my main skill in archaeology.

Best site hut biscuit?

Depends on the weather – right now it’s sunny so could happily go for a bourbon!

Baku and Bifaces

By Rupert Birtwistle, Project Supervisor

Welcome to my first blog post, which considering I’ve been at the company 4 years now is probably a little overdue. Despite delays, it is now my pleasure to report on my current research trip in Azerbaijan. Over the next three months I will be taking you on a journey across Eastern Europe to the far away mountainous region of the Caucasus, for reasons which I assure you are (mostly) academic.

Rupert in his natural environment

In addition to being a Project Supervisor here at Allen Archaeology Ltd I live a double life as a PhD student at University of Leicester. As part of my PhD program I am turning my attention to Palaeolithic Azerbaijan, specifically the transition from the Lower to Middle Palaeolithic. ‘Why Azerbaijan?’ you may ask, and for that I should thank my old university lecturer Keith Wilkinson, University of Winchester, who taught me that the most important factor in determining a research area is not just the archaeology, but the quality of the local wine. Hence (mostly) academic.

My project is directed towards the transition between the Lower and Middle Palaeolithic and the development of Levallois techniques (prepared core technologies) in the region between 400,000 and 200,000 years ago. To do this I will be analysing material from four previously excavated sites, Azykh cave, Shish-guzey, Gadir-dere and Gayaly, the latter three all being open air sites.

The Caucasus is a mountainous region that stretches from the Black Sea Coast in the east and the Caspian Sea in the west. It was an important migratory corridor for hominins during Palaeolithic times as it offered a link between Africa, Asia, and Europe. The comparative absence of archaeologists working in Azerbaijan has left a large gap in the Palaeolithic record for the region, exacerbated by Azerbaijan being the least mountainous of all the Caucasian countries, which has left it out in the cold as researchers have favoured cave environments, specifically in Armenia. Together with disputes between the neighbouring countries, the Palaeolithic potential of Azerbaijan has never been explored by an international researcher.

The National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan

So at the beginning of August I put away my work clothes and hung up my trowel (for now) to embark on a Palaeolithic journey across Europe to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, my new home. I was soon into my work at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (pictured above). The assemblages and environment were tricky to get to grips with initially and I had to draw upon all my experience as an archaeologist when after my first visit to the bathroom I was faced with a squat toilet.

Hard at work assessing an assemblage

During August I have focused on analysing material from Shish-guzey (pictured above) and Azykh Layer V. Analysis of both assemblages has characterised the material as Late Acheulean, although I have also been able to identify elements of Levallois technology amongst the cores, tools and flaking habits of the hominins. This is very exciting news indeed. The stone tools from both assemblages are made from various types of volcanic rock, basalt and andesite, with the occasional exotic, non-local material thrown in, flint, chert and obsidian (see images below).

One interesting element is that although the assemblages are Late Acheulean, there appears to be a considerable lack of handaxes, the so-called hallmark of the Acheulean. It seems the hominins had already started to explore the use of prepared core methods as the tools kits evolved to become more reliant on flaked tools, rather than the Palaeolithic ‘Swiss army knife’ approach. Furthermore, and much to my complete surprise, I have discovered evidence that hominins were using bone to fashion tools. This is rare in the Lower Palaeolithic, and is an activity thought to represent behavioural modernity in Homo sapiens. Nonetheless, the evidence here is compelling and will be published during the coming year.

From top to bottom: 3 non-Levallois points, a small biface, Levallois core, and a retouched blade

It’s been busy, hectic at times, and a learning curve to some of the problems of studying or working in a foreign country. I have been attending Russian classes twice a week in the evenings, and have managed to expand my vocabulary by 6 words “where is the real toilet located”?

I must be doing something right as I managed to receive a decent haircut and the first time of asking, although I though 50 minutes for essentially a military short, back and sides was a little excessive, but I pleased I came through unscathed. Thankfully hairdressing technology has evolved somewhat since the Palaeolithic…

Editor’s note: We look forward to seeing the (unfermented) fruits of Rupert’s ongoing research.

Find of the Month, September

by Cova Escandon (Archive Supervisor)

An unusual set of jewellery was found from the grave of an adolescent individual from a Roman Necropolis in Lincolnshire, dated to the 4^th century AD. The grave good assemblage is made up of a group of copper-alloy, bone and iron bangles, along with a copper-alloy chain, glass beads and one copper-alloy ring.

Bracelets made of all types of materials were most common in Britain during the 4^th Century AD, and had been used by the Romano-British elite since early Roman times, often fabricated with precious metals. However, around the time of the 4^th Century AD, the use of these bangles became more common in the general population with materials such as bone or copper alloy used instead of precious metals. Such bangles were often worn with between six and sixteen bangles on both wrists. This practice would explain the large amount of fragments of metal bangles found in domestic contexts from the late Roman period. In the set found by Allen Archaeology, there were also several fragments of bone bangles which became very popular during the 4^th century.

Eight copper alloy bracelets were discovered within the grave, all in different styles, three of them decorated. Such decoration includes an incised decoration of a repeating pattern of III X III, and on other bangles motifs including a wavy line with associated dots, faint cross-hatching, and a ring and dot design can be seen. Interestingly, this ring and dot pattern is also present on one of the bone fragments, suggesting that this group of metal and bone bangles were designed to be worn together.

III X III decoration on copper alloy bangle

Ring and dot detail on the copper alloy bangle

Three of the bone fragments have holes drilled through one end and one fragment also has an iron rivet still attached. Two other fragments are joined together by a thin copper-alloy plate, suggesting that these bangles could have been made in sections and then attached together.

I always find curating these sort of finds a little bit bittersweet. On one hand they are very pretty and interesting artefacts, highly useful in being able to date the burial. But on the other side, they remind us that what we have in front of us is a human being, carefully buried with personal items.

Kilns and kiln furniture!

By Kelly Corlett-Slater

I am a History and Archaeology student at Bishop Grosseteste University and I have been volunteering at Allen Archaeology for four weeks during the summer holidays. During my time here I have been doing post-excavation finds processing with Archive Supervisors Yvonne Rose and Cova Escandon; washing and marking finds from a late Roman kiln site in north Lincolnshire.

My favourite artefacts so far have been large fragments of ‘kiln furniture’ which now appear as very heavy, dark grey pieces of baked clay which would have formed part of the internal workings of a Roman kiln. These would have been in the form of kiln supports, a floor, and possible dividers or ‘wheels’ where the pottery was placed for firing. These were covered in powdery black silt which was easy to wash off. When these artefacts were clean and dry, the evidence as to how they were made becomes apparent. I was able to distinguish the folds in the clay, the fingerprints of the potter or kiln-maker, and the indent marks of straw and twigs that would have occurred when the clay was first used to line the kiln.

Kiln furniture from a site in North Lincolnshire

Allen Archaeology’s trainee Roman pottery specialist, Alice Beasley, explained how the kiln would have looked and functioned, describing how the repeated firing of the kiln would have melted the inclusions within the clay giving it an overall denser and darker appearance.

At least 4,500 sherds of pottery have been recovered surrounding the six kilns on site, with many pieces showing evidence of unsuccessful firing. These have bubbles on both the inner and outer surface that have expanded and exploded in the kiln during firing. To me these are more fascinating than successfully fired pieces of pottery! These unsuccessful broken sherds occur when the potter has not sufficiently beaten the clay to remove excess air bubbles or if sufficient temperatures have not been reached during the firing process.

Pottery sherds showing evidence of unsuccessful firing

Having just completed Antony Lee’s Roman Archaeology module at BGU, I learnt a lot about the different types of Roman pottery found in Lincolnshire and how they were made. Volunteering at Allen Archaeology has compounded this knowledge giving me the wonderful opportunity to have hands on experience with these artefacts and having experts answering my many questions. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and look forward to returning to do some more voluntary work in the future.

Our Volunteering Experience

By Roksana P. Drobinoga and Louise Wood

We have just finished our first year on the BA Conservation of Cultural Heritage degree course at the University of Lincoln and decided to do some volunteering work during the summer break to improve our knowledge of areas related to the conservation field and to see what happens to the objects before they get to the specialists.

On our first day we started with the Archive Supervisor, Yvonne Rose, explaining what happens to the objects when they arrive from the sites currently being excavated. We were given a tour of the building and shown the offices, the artefact processing room where the objects are cleaned and placed in trays according to their site codes and context numbers, and the drying room where the artefacts are left on designated shelves and in appropriate environmental conditions. We were also shown a number of artefacts which have already been processed and are in storage; for example, Saxon brooches and Roman hair pins. Later, objects are numbered and bagged ready to be given to the archive supervisor to be catalogued before being sent to specialists for further examination.

Our role was finds processing which meant that we were responsible for cleaning the artefacts after they had arrived from site, marking them once they were dry, and bagging them in preparation for cataloguing. We have learnt that each type of material has to be treated differently. For example, you cannot mark shell or human bone and you cannot wash metal objects. We now have a better understanding of the marking/numbering and cataloguing processes.

Roksana (left) and Louise (right) cleaning objects in the artefacts processing room

Our experience with Allen Archaeology has been educational and informative and it was fascinating to handle objects that have been hidden away for hundreds of years! It was interesting to meet some of the archaeologists, hear their stories and learn about their work. In the future, when we receive historic artefacts to work on as part of our course or careers, we will know how much the object has been through and how many people have been involved before it reaches us.