Site Diary: Trench 1

Supervised this year by Dick and Chris, excavation in trench one is a continuation of work done in trench one last year. The complexity of the structures and bad weather last year meant that Chad and Dick were unable to finish work here even though the 1998 season was extended by four weeks. So far the backfill has been removed and the trench cleaned. Already we are seeing numerous potential cut features which could relate to those excavated last year (see 1998-99 interim report).

Towards the end of last season samples were taken on a one metre grid for phosphate and magnetic susceptibility analysis. While the phosphate produced no patterned results, magnetic susceptibility showed increased readings over the area defined by overlapping rings of postholes with peaks concentrating on a deposit near the centre containing burnt stones and charcoal - possibly a hearth.