In Sarah Lucas’ and Su’s western area of the site we are down to the natural geology and are investigating the earliest Iron Age features cut into this. Sarah and Su are working in a ‘pincer’ movement from south to north, checking that we have discovered and excavated all features of this date. This is Iron Age Period 0 Phase 1 and is the age of our v-shaped ditch (c40BC) which runs diagonally across the south-west corner of our excavation. The aim here is to understand what other features may be associated with this clearly important ditch, and thus gain insight into the layout of this earliest of colonies on top of our gravel spur of land.
Sarah Henley’s group is working on Iron Age Period 0 Phase 2. This is the phase of our majestic Iron Age Hall, c30m by 10m. We have not finally established the length of this building as it runs beneath the later archaeology being investigated by Natalie and Matt, but we do expect to establish this by the end of this season. This large, timber-framed hall has a central line of post holes as roof supports. As yet we have not discovered any floor levels associated with this building, which must surely belong to an important Iron Age family or chieftain. Interestingly enough, BJ has been cleaning the section where the hall runs beneath Natalie’s area – and there are no floor levels visible. What is clear is a substantial layer of stony grey silt c0.2m in depth, interpreted as a deposit of cultivated soil, overlying the hall. We are currently interpreting this as a period of no occupation after the hall goes out of use. We have identified a clear distinction between this area and Matt’s area where there is no sign of this cultivated soil – instead evidence of buildings grows as we near the edge of the excavation and the possibility of an Iron Age street emerging beneath the Roman street here. Perhaps we are beginning to see a fallow period in between Iron Age Phase 2 and Iron Age Phase 3? If so, this is very exciting.
Margaret Mathews’ evocative reconstruction of our Iron Age hall
Sarah Lucas, Su and Matt are also hard at work investigating Iron Age Period 0 Phase 3. This is the period dated between c10BC and 10AD, when the Iron Age streets are laid out on the now familiar diagonal alignment. Working out what features are contemporary with these streets is one of the main aims of the 2013 season – and will aid our developing understanding of the division of the developed Iron Age town into ‘compounds’, each with buildings and associated backyards. Sarah and Su’s area has buildings of this date, and Matt is beginning to reveal what may be a southern return of the Iron Age street system, along with possible round houses.
Iron Age Period 0, Phase 3
Elsewhere, in the south-eastern corner of the trench, Sarah Henley is revealing a complicated series of clay floored buildings which appear to be on the diagonal alignment, and are likely to be dated to c.40 to 60AD i.e. early Roman. These buildings are punched through by later interventions – and are themselves slumping into what must be earlier substantial wells. Disentangling their floor plans is an absorbing task.
Sampling the clay floor of one of the south-eastern early Roman buildings
The latest archaeology in the trench is Natalie’s early Roman building, aligned to the north-south street, with its clay floor and distinctive internal ovens. It does appear that this building, like the later Period 2 buildings on these same footprints, is cut into the gravel which wraps around it and forms a walkway. The building is slightly sunken, and into this cut the clay floor is laid. This building is complicated and detailed, but we are nearly ready to complete its excavation – and in the next week we hope to see below it!
Excellent progress for these 4 days into Week 2 – and Mike capped off a great digging week with a site tour. Have a good day off everyone – and we look forward to many visitors over what promises to be hot weekend!