Monthly Archives: August 2012

On Saturday Jon and I returned to site to supervise the lifting of the metal trackway. It was the most glorious hot day. We sat in the sun and chewed the season over. Rory brought us coffee and sandwiches. I … Continue reading →

Portakabins are gone. Portable toilets are gone. Water is disconnected. Marquee has gone. Most people have left. The fragile archaeology is polythened.

…of the last week. Jon carrying my bag every morning.   A truly amazing downpour reminiscent of our first 3 weeks on site…   On Tuesday night Mike treated all members of staff still left on site to a last … Continue reading →

The closing down week is always daunting…we are tired, so tired! And grumpy too……as everything closes down I dread the moment that we lose the facility to make coffee on site. That morning shot of caffeine has become a crutch … Continue reading →

And yes, just like the Olympics, Silchester 2012 has come to an end. The final day of competition was not without drama as we raced to complete the 2 wells under excavation. We have the safety net of 2 days … Continue reading →

The Silchester Field School has been running as an undergraduate 2nd year module for 10 years now. University of Reading undergraduates have to attend for either 4 weeks (compulsory for Single Honours Archaeology students) or 2 weeks (optional for Joint … Continue reading →

Friday was the day for final photographs on site. This year we have been inundated by new and creative ways to take aerial and as near vertical photographs as possible. Our archaeology demands it……needs it in fact. We are so … Continue reading →

We have the most fabulous Iron Age street system emerging; a street system we believe starts its life as early as 20BC – perhaps just as a thoroughfare in the first instance, alongside small holdings with dumps of gravel and … Continue reading →

  And…..a big thank you to Diana for my beautiful roses…..a burst of colour in my office.

Week 6 – a week of highs and lows. New additions to our team (a high); overall numbers go down (a high…just ask Jean, our cook…down to 137); torrential downpours intermixed with searing temperatures forcing us off site (a low); … Continue reading →