Even though the weather seemed threatening, with darkening skies and a light drizzle, we made our way up the terraces to the plateau. Here we were welcomed by the lively sounds of volunteers chatting and trowels clinking as they excavated a Bronze Age roundhouse.
These dwellings, built from wood with wattle and daub walls and topped with cone-shaped roofs, date back to a time before the Roman invasion. Although nothing of the houses remains today evidence in the ground of the supporting post holes is clearly visible.
Our second stop was at the Dig HQ, where the Chair of Altogether Archaeology, Tony Metcalf kindly offered to give us a site tour. After dodging a rain shower, we headed back to the tents where we had the opportunity to speak with some of the team.
Altogether Archaeology is supported by a dedicated group of volunteers and university academics who offer their time and expertise for free. In an interview with professional lead, Dr Rob Young, we discussed the meticulous process involved in an archaeological excavation and the importance of sequencing.
Other members of the team assist with managing community digs, creating detailed site reports, using technologies like LiDAR and radar imagery, and contributing to post-excavation tasks such as processing finds.
With all archaeological digs, the site itself and the finds recovered help us to piece together the history of a place. One of the more unusual finds to come from the site is a pilgrim badge. The copper alloy badge depicts the martyrdom of St Edmund in the 9th century. Edmund was killed in battle, possibly by Danish archers from the ‘Great Heathen Army.’ Copper-alloy pilgrim badges like this one are rare.
In addition to uncovering history through archaeological digs, Altogether Archaeology collaborates with multi-media producers so they can share these stories in innovative and engaging ways. Engaging with local schools and public events are just some of the ways Altogether Archaeology is bringing pre-history to life.
To find out more about Altogether Archaeology and their most recent project head over to www.altogetherarchaeology.org.
To listen to this fascinating episode, along with many more, visit talesfromthetrowel.podbean.com/, YouTube, or search Tales from the Trowel on your podcast platform of choice.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
