The Heat is On…..

Talk about the sublime to the ridiculous. And no wonder my blog revolves around the weather. The temperatures have risen slowly slowly since Sunday. Today they topped 30 degrees. And if I compare this to the same time last week…well, I was wearing wellington boots, 2 anoraks and a pair of waterproof trousers. When giving site tours I could hardly see through the veil of raindrops….my audience stood soddenly and damply on the excavation trench side, mournful and waiting for tea break. This week I am wearing a hat (constantly), several layers of suntan cream and as few clothes as is decently possible. When giving site tours my audience are separated from me by a shimmering heat mist and the bounce of a pair of vicious sunglasses. They stand sweatily, damply on the excavation side, mournful and waiting for tea break! There is a lot to say about the archaeology this week but it is late and my 6am alarm call waits. So far, key events of the week: hat wear! I announced yesterday that EVERYONE should be wearing a hat by Saturday. No bare heads allowed…and since then, all manner of head gear has appeared. The men are particularly resourceful, winding various items around their heads. Other key events: cat in a pot! At the near base of one of our early Roman wells, we found today….a cat buried in a pot. I prefer not to think that this may have been alive when placed ritually in the well….but a beloved cat given special treatment after dying of natural causes.This can be compared to our ‘handbag dog’ – so-called by the media….see http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/education/s/2117593_handbag_dog_uncovered_at_silchester_dig

Media coverage this week has escalated after an article in the Guardian last Friday with news of our single olive stone found down one of our Iron Age wells. Again, see: http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2012/07/22/61205-exploring-the-secrets-of-our-ancient-history/

http://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/news/iron-age-olives-and-pampered-pets.htm

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/18323

http://www.historyextra.com/20-7

A newsworthy week! But – most exciting of all…we have made it into Dogs Monthly. Who knew?

http://www.dogsmonthly.co.uk/2012/07/20/a-historic-find/

A busy day on site