Vindolanda - Things I missed digging up.

I was supposed to be excavating at Vindolanda last month.  Here's some of the things that saw the light of day in my absence.  Not news of course to my archaeology pals.

Tiles and bricks with animal footprints are always fun.  These were made on site and if you close your eyes and use your  imagination a bit you can still hear the sound of the wandering mutt getting yelled at for strolling across the drying area.

Some things were not made on site but were modified there.  A nice pottery shard from Gaul...with scratched on graffitti.  "Nobilis" wanted to make sure nobody else used his pot for, er, whatever this was actually used for.

Some technologies don't change much.  Pretty beads have been in use for longer than history has been recorded.  And are the same today.

Another design that really can't be improved upon.  A 3rd century AD pickaxe.  They really should have posed a modern one next to it.

Here's the little metal bit that is at the bottom of a sword scabbard.  The leather of course is long gone.

Two views of a metal artifact found last week.  Before and after preliminary cleaning.

Because of course the awesome power of Imperial Rome brings to mind a decorative brooch shaped like a chicken.  (Note that metal objects shown have first been revealed by the Vindolanda Trust....I follow the rules even from afar).

All manner of ancient things turn up on site.  With of course, variable levels of preservation.  A photo taken after preliminary cleaning would be a bit more appealing.