Helping with an another Archeological Dig.......

[CRUSADER]

After doing a bit of house work, I spent the rest of the afternoon helping the archies.

The only 2 fields left open to us this winter I named the following - Winter Stubble Field & Winter Bean Field. These were left without crops so the Archies could do there digging.

I met the site lead & discussed where we had found things & the likely good areas. I also warned them of the local night hawker (2 minutes walk from their trenches) who would be in the trenches after they have left. So we came up with a strategy to beat them to it. I helped today to do the bottom of the trenches. They would also leave the best area trenches until I could help, so as not to leave them open over night.

I found 2 roman coins & a number of iron nails in the ditch features. Proving they were roman & hoovering them up before the hawkers.

He also agreed that Dad & I can continue our hunting around the trenches So we still have some Winter hunting grounds

 

[shaun7]

lucky man! how deep were the trenches? will you keep the nails

and finally did the archies find anything?

 

[CRUSADER]

lucky man! how deep were the trenches? will you keep the nails

and finally did the archies find anything?

Variable depth, but average of 2 ft. Most off the finds will be in the spoil heaps. I keep nothing & will continue to hand stuff in, if I'm helping in the trenches or spoil heap. (everywhere else on the field I can keep)

Since Tuesday they have done over 30 trenches about 40 metres (each) in length.

All they have found is some ditches, pits & post holes. They haven't started the sectioning of the features in the trenches. At that point they will start to get pottery shards (like we found) & animal bones, but unlikely to get much else.

They have a detector but rarely use it I wish I could join them as a paid specialist :P

 

[shaun7]

lucky man! how deep were the trenches? will you keep the nails

and finally did the archies find anything?

Variable depth, but average of 2 ft. Most off the finds will be in the spoil heaps. I keep nothing & will continue to hand stuff in, if I'm helping in the trenches or spoil heap. (everywhere else on the field I can keep)

Since Tuesday they have done over 30 trenches about 40 metres (each) in length.

All they have found is some ditches, pits & post holes. They haven't started the sectioning of the features in the trenches. At that point they will start to get pottery shards (like we found) & animal bones, but unlikely to get much else.

They have a detector but rarely use it I wish I could join them as a paid specialist :P

wouldn't that be nice!

 

[N.J.THer]

Great job Crusader.

I'm in the process of joining an archeology group where I'll be able to get access to some very interesting sites that would normally be off limits. All the finds get documented then go straight to the museum or historical societies depending on who we will be working for at the time but I think that is great. I would rather my finds somewhere that others can enjoy them instead of in boxes at my house.

I just recently started giving items in my personal collection to local museums and they all seem pretty amazed about the documentation that I give them. I include exact locations on where the items were found, site maps, measurements, research I've done on the items and anything else that will help document the finds.

Keep up the great job.

NJ

 

[Bavaria Mike]

I wish the German Archies would lighten up a bit, they will not allow me to help with a metal detector and if they do allow detecting, I would have to mark the spot so an Archie can excavate the target. They are mostly students doing the work and excavations with one certified Archie on site and sometimes that certified Archie only comes by once a week around here. The younger Archies seem to be opening up and accepting detectors as an aid to Archaeology but the older Archies, my age and older, hate detectors and I actually do not blame them as some Nighthawkers have really pillaged some great sites. I was able to teach two young Archies how to use a detector this past Spring, it was exciting and fun for us all and they found a few interesting targets. The German politicians are putting less money into Archaeology, tightening the laws and concentrating on their fat paychecks and putting the screws to the average worker here. Nazi Germany is still alive but it is in a different guise and Angela Merkel needs to go away! HH, Mike

 

[CRUSADER]

Great job Crusader.

I'm in the process of joining an archeology group where I'll be able to get access to some very interesting sites that would normally be off limits. All the finds get documented then go straight to the museum or historical societies depending on who we will be working for at the time but I think that is great. I would rather my finds somewhere that others can enjoy them instead of in boxes at my house.

I just recently started giving items in my personal collection to local museums and they all seem pretty amazed about the documentation that I give them. I include exact locations on where the items were found, site maps, measurements, research I've done on the items and anything else that will help document the finds.

Keep up the great job.

NJ

I already display in the local museum & have the same detailed records you have. Shame we can't all preserve history in the same way. That way we would have a wealth of knowledge. Instead of a short-term wealth of money.

 

[N.J.THer]

I already display in the local museum & have the same detailed records you have. Shame we can't all preserve history in the same way. That way we would have a wealth of knowledge. Instead of a short-term wealth of money.

Well said

 

[Detectingfreak]

Awesome! Good luck!

 

[crazyjarhead]

I assume these night hawkers are people who illegaly come in and wait for the prefect time to swoop in and steal your potential findings.

 

[allen]

good job on helping the archeologicalist...

 

[CRUSADER]

I assume these night hawkers are people who illegaly come in and wait for the prefect time to swoop in and steal your potential findings.

They are people that never gain permission to go on farmers land. They operate mainly at dust & night, although often in the day as well. They like to raid archeological digs & places protected by Law. They are generally only interested in making cash.

Not so worried about my potential finds in this instance, more the lose of information for the Archies.

 

[woody50]

Hi Cru, glad that you are helping out with the fields, with your knowledge about finds I know they will appreciate your help. It will make their searching shorter for sure. And yes, nighthawking is in England the most hurting to our hobby, many farmers and people will now not allow anyone to search their land, because people have tresspassed before.

Do you guys living in America also have that problem? What is the name given to them?

For additional information about what NightHawking is, here are a couple of links..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nighthawking
http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series2/metal_detectors_archaeologists_nighthawks_treasure.shtml
http://historyhuntersinternational.org/index.php?topic=1600.0

 

[Trond]

Here where i live, we had some problems with these nightactive critters in the past- but it is almost nothing now.
They ruined a lot for the archeologs.