The first day of week 2, and our 1st school visit as Aldeburgh Primary pour on to the site - what an enthusiastic, well behaved and bright group of young people! We had 29 volunteers today, so at times it all got very busy, but everyone followed orders, obeyed the marker tapes, and took no notice of the rather poor weather. By arranging the children into groups they were all able to have a go at the different archaeological tasks in areas prepared for them, and also get a look a the work going on in the graves and trenches.
That work continued all day and produced some remarkable developments. The trenches cut to explore the enclosure ditches reached epic proportions, and (maybe) have reached the bottom. 'Georgina' is being painstakingly exposed, but as a star attraction for the visitors, couldn't be worked on for the central part of the afternoon. In the new graves area 3 are being reduced; the child's grave has produced a startling development, with very clear evidence of 2 trepanning holes in the top of the skull. Next to it a large grave has produced the largest fragment of pottery so far, some more large iron objects, probably nails, and an animal jaw bone (probably horse). The third has a human leg bone, but so far nothing else. At least one more grave seems visible in this area, and there are suspicions that the large central one may prove to be two run into each other.
With the weather forecast very poor for tomorrow there may be a frustrating delay before much more progress is made.
That work continued all day and produced some remarkable developments. The trenches cut to explore the enclosure ditches reached epic proportions, and (maybe) have reached the bottom. 'Georgina' is being painstakingly exposed, but as a star attraction for the visitors, couldn't be worked on for the central part of the afternoon. In the new graves area 3 are being reduced; the child's grave has produced a startling development, with very clear evidence of 2 trepanning holes in the top of the skull. Next to it a large grave has produced the largest fragment of pottery so far, some more large iron objects, probably nails, and an animal jaw bone (probably horse). The third has a human leg bone, but so far nothing else. At least one more grave seems visible in this area, and there are suspicions that the large central one may prove to be two run into each other.
With the weather forecast very poor for tomorrow there may be a frustrating delay before much more progress is made.
Caron Hill and Steven Manthorpe are our two celebrities featured today. Caron, pictured here giving her shovel a rest, lives locally and works in the local hospital. She took part in the last dig at Barbers Point in 2010, and particularly enjoyed the excitement of being involved with finding 'George'. Being able to return in 2013 to uncover more of that mystery, and to see it evolve into a younger 'Georgina' has been the highlight so far.
Steven Manthorpe has worked for Suffolk Archaeology for about 8 years, and is our site expert on flint objects. One of his favourite recent projects was the excavation at Cranfields Mill in Ipswich docks. They were exposing the late Saxon foreshore, where substantial timbers were remarkably preserved in foul, smelly black mud. Certainly a contrast to his previous job as a chef at the Lighthouse restaurant in Aldeburgh.
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