Field School 2023: Post-Excavation

In the last few weeks our team have been working on many aspects of the lab works and recording which occurs after an excavation. In our soil science labs Oscar and I have been supervising student volunteers in floating our soil samples and sorting the residue, with help from Aris Palyvos. With the help of another student volunteer team we have also cleaned all the finds from the excavations, so that they are ready to be photographed, and sent to specialists for study. Dr Michael Given has begun the process of photographing the artefacts for reference and for use in some upcoming talks.

(Our finds laid out for drying after cleaning, getting to review the full assemblage laid out like this was great for understanding the different activities we can evidence at this site. Photograph (C) Edward Stewart)

The flotation process involved the immersion of portions of a soil sample in water, allowing light organic material such as charcoal fragments, burnt seeds and pollen grains to rise and flow into fine sieves, which sort these into course and fine material. These floats will then be sent to Nicholas Cullen of Stanford University to be studied, along with our phytolith samples. The material which does not float is washed so that silt and clay particles are removed and a sorting of the residual material can be carried out – this allows us to identify seeds and charcoal fragments which were too heavy or clay-ladden to float, as well as archaeo-faunal remains such as burnt bone fragments. The processing of these samples is an important part of our work to better understand the use and management of the wider landscape of our site, as well as the diets of those who lived there. Already fragments of pine and birch charcoal have been identified from this process!

During the washing of finds we have an opportunity to better study the finds within our assemblage, and this weeks work has provided us with some facinating insights into both the use of the site in the early modern period, and later activity in this landscape including the occupation of the sheep farm and tourism. Of particular interest, two of the slate fragments recovered from Area D (beside the hearth) have a checked gaming board scratched onto their smooth face, which was only revealled once they had dried after washing. Similar gaming boards of slate have been found at high status medieval and early modern sites in the Western Highlands. Future study, including the analysis of our pottery assemblages by Derek hall, and XRF analysis of our glass assemblage will allow us to continue to uncover the stories of this site.

Special thanks are owed to our student volunteers Ellie, Logan, Phoebe, Kaithlyn and Lucy, and to staff Oscar Hazelwood and Aris Palyvos for their help with these activities!

-Edward Stewart