Moving big slabs in the passageway today, the first lot collapsed against the main wall and handily already broken into pieces that were a good size to carry out. Next to go is the big slab they're standing on, which will be quite a bit harder:
Once the broken slabs had been lifted clear and all the shillet behind them cleaned up the lovely little blocked up entrance into the roundhouse subdivision was revealed in all its glory. That's Elvire in the background who has been busy excavating a cell in the 1st century AD roundhouse subdivision, working on the other side in the little cell formed against the blocking:
Elvire found a cache of bone in the corner of this cell, which turned out to be a complete lamb to add to our piglet from a few days ago, identified by Julie who looks here as if she's about to do the 'Alas poor Yorick' speech, but is in fact explaining how you differentiate human bone from animal bone:
We also welcomed back two old hands, Keith and Alan, who've been with the project many years - Alan wasn't too keen on being in the dig diary on the first day back but he has such shiny new boots and gloves it would've been a shame not to include him:
Especially good to have Alan back since amongst his many talents he's a professional illustrator, which means that all site plans, sections and finds illustrations are in his capable hands.
And finally, since we're losing three of the team tomorrow, we took a site photo of everyone on the shore in front of all the archaeology they've been so painstakingly uncovering and cleaning:
The seals are missing from the photo - we have three seals who come and visit us every day and swim right into the shore when the tide is high, today they were doing acrobatics for us. Also missing is Star the site dog, who refuses to go onto the beach as she doesn't like the feel of the uneven stone under her paws, and was busy sleeping off the large amount of cheese and oatcakes that she'd scrounged from everyone at lunchtime.
Tomorrow is a day off but we'll be back on site on Tuesday, which ought to be a day off but we're keen to crack on so we're working anyway.