Journal

After deciding I would mix a date day with a photograph and archaeological dig experience with my long suffering husband the day finally arrived! It was around a two hour drive to the location which was a very exposed area of natural beauty surrounded by hills.. The weather was variable changing from sunshine and showers, this was addressed when we arrived there. Contact forms were given out to complete along with health and safety information, after this we were shown around the site. 

There was a team of archaeologists there and trainees, who briefed us on how the day would progress and what to expect. They checked we all had brought gloves and coats too.The people of the experience varied from experienced to non- experienced, that included me. Everything about the dig was about teamwork. We were split up into three teams as there were three patches of pre-excavated ground which were to be continued to be worked on from the previous day. We were all advised that the reason for the dig was to find the location of the monastery of the old church. On discussions it was noted that apart from the monastery the area could have been neolithic and over time the land has shifted because of rainwater. It was an area which would require a number of visits over the next few years to establish whether the area is neolithic and holds materials for the time period.

Each of the volunteers was responsible for their given tools; Wheelbarrow, bucket, trowel, shovel, pick axe, hoe and mat. We were advised to take regular breaks, drink lots of water and how to remove the soil from the ground.

When using the shovel and pick axe was extremely tiring work. We all took turns changing jobs on the site to make it fair to everyone. Once we had broken through the topsoil and had found a change of colour in the soil to a browny-orange colour we were to stop. At this point, materials such as flint were found and outlines of walls could be present. At one point we were shown what others had found on the site over the previous days and how it was catalogued and kept preserved. 

The weather took a turn for the worst at one point so we all retreated into the tent for shelter until the rain had stopped. Health and safety came first. It was muddy, wet and cold but the dig continued. I really understood at that point how the neolithic people felt and how hard it must have been to live in the past. These people had to not only survive on a daily basis with nothing as we know in our modern society such as clothes to keep warm, but make tools to hunt, construct buildings and create stone circles. The lives of these people were hard and it must have been a long process to achieve anything.  Their communication was limited so they would have also needed to find ways of communicating ideas and instructions. I feel a need for them to leave a marker for a future. The communication was through items they made, tools  and stone structures as examples. The connection of the past is through our ancestors and the neolithic age. It is seen through our beautiful landscape and the legacy left behind. Without evolution, and without human progress, monasteries couldn’t have developed. It began with the stone circles.

During the whole day I learnt a lot about the process of archaeology and how much was involved. It gave me an insight into the lives of our ancestors, how much I take for granted in modern society and how I can change my life in a more simplistic fashion for the better.

I catalogued the day by way of this journal and photographs which I was given permission to share for this project. Unfortunately photographs do not in my opinion give justice to an experience however it definitely has inspired me to do more digs and help with preserving history for our future generations.