Prescot Dig

Gary back in March 2008

This week is less about archaeology, more about ensuring Chaz doesn’t suffer a breakdown, but on the whole moral on the site is pretty high, although people are thinking about moving on and where their next dig will be. It would be nice to say that this is indicative of the fact that things on site are beginning to wind down, but to be honest we are still cracking on. No doubt the last day will be manic, a flurry of crazed people trying to finish off every detail in their records, and ensuring that every area of the site displays a gravelly orange glow. It will be strange to go to another site, having been here since March, which, for a job in archaeology, is very long indeed.

Gary excavating a skeleton

Overall it has been an awesome site, with extremely interesting archaeology (once you have dug out your 15th soak-away anyway). The highlights for me include the variety of burials and cremations, with Ruth’s ‘find of the site’ on top (which will probably be the same for almost everyone on site, particularly Ruth). And although I mock Victorian and Georgian drainage, as it may not seem very appealing archaeologically, it is at least something totally functional and therefore something you can relate to (kind of) and it has archaeology which is quite clear.

Chalk burial

One of the most interesting things I have seen is the chalk burial that Adrian excavated, mainly because it is a juvenile. Finding a lot of skeletons it is quite easy to become desensitized to the fact that are dealing with human remains. However, this gave me a chance to redress this, and consider the individual story of the person involved.

How we’ll remember him best

The other highlights from this job will, of course, be the social aspects. Work was not complete without a trip to the local pub, the Princess of Prussia, on a Friday for a ‘weekly round up’ over a lemon and lime. The people here have been quite diverse, but all good fun, and have all contributed to the site in a variety of ways. I’m sorry to leave, but happy to move on.

Well that’s me done for blogs (for now at least) so I hope you have enjoyed me 2 cents worth! Godspeed!