Vindolanda Day Five

The stint digging in and around the 17th century farm house is done.  It was a bit confusing.  In many places dating is complicated by the fact that mostly they were using recycled Roman stones which lay about in abundance.  And how many ways are there to build a drain?

I did finish the area with something a bit interesting.  We think this is the doorway of the farm house.  But what is that area of black, sodden stuff off to one side?  There was also a swath of charcoal right over the threshold stone, you can see it in the cut. Something happened here, but exactly what is unclear.

Next stop is a fort ditch underneath the area.  Several of us were detailed to cut this down in small sections so as to get to the actual ditch fill beneath.  It is somewhat tedious, these layers are mostly barren, sticky clay.

It still has to be broken up by hand.  You can't practically trowel this stuff.  You can, when so inclined, fashion it into various naughty shapes....

Obviously the weather and company were brilliant.  Actual finds were few today although a quern stone with a partial inscription did turn up on another part of the site.  

Weekend off for local adventuring, back to digs on Monday.