Site Diary: Trench 2

Buried soil

The banks either side of the pit alignment have now been removed across the eastern side of the trench. This has revealed a buried prehistoric ground surface, a very rare find indeed on the podsolised soils of the Peak District's eastern moors. The ground surface to the south of the is especially well-preserved as a deposit approximately six centimetres deep. It is a grey sandy clay and later analysis of this should be able to tell us whether it was ever cultivated. Next week we will begin excavating the pits themselves.

Preliminary work on the pits themselves begins (below). Not full of water for a change.