Vindolanda 2014 Day Three

Off to another section of the rampart today, so more "de-turfing" and shoveling out "loose". Actually a fairly pleasant activity, if a little less so late in the day when it started to rain.

Although there were some intriguing stones that may evolve into a defensive feature, the day was uneventful regards small finds.  But we are always reminded of the Roman and sub Roman inhabitants, we keep finding their broken crockery.  I think the shards are at their very best visually just when they emerge from the ground:

The work is steady, with of course the mandatory UK Tea Break.  But I find a few moments to wander about the site and wonder about things.

Did the late Romans who repaired this street use colorful red roof tiles out of whimsy?

Here we have a broken bit of carved stone.  Probably it had something on it once, a statue, a tombstone, a treasured family possesion.  How would they feel if they could look far into the future and see it keeping company with a broken wheelbarrow wheel?

And a final note.  Archeology of "Sub-Roman" Britain is a newer concept.  In earlier eras much emphemeral material was just torn through and tossed aside as the "more important" temples and headquarters buildings were eagerly dug down into.  So much was lost.  The traces of these times are there, but so delicate.  Here we have a post Roman floor surface.  By then they build not in stone but in wood.  Notice the dark sooty tinge?  At some point the Dark Ages were briefly lit by a spectacular fire....