Today we started excavating…
Inside the broch, a small team lifted the protective covers off the north and south-east rooms and began cleaning the deposits, freshening these up before we start excavating the complex floors and occupation deposits.
It was especially nice to clearly see the large sub-circular hearth of the room. We’ll soon begin the excavation of this large complex central feature.
Just outside the broch entrance, Holly and her team recorded the revetment wall and paved area which overlies Structure O. These features date to 6th to 7th centuries AD.
They undertook elevation and profile drawings of these features and began excavating the fill of a hearth that lies at the centre of the paved area. These will be the final steps toward completing the work on the revetment and paving before we lift the paving and reveal the rubble filled interior of Structure O beneath.
Ross and his team cleaned up the deposits across the zone to the north-east of the broch near Structure C. Ultimately, this will allow a large portion of the broch wall on this side to be revealed.
Ole and his team began investigating the group of walls situated to the south-east of the broch exterior. This forms part of a series of cells that relate to Structure E, the 7th Century AD building that “bites” into the south side of the broch.
We hope to expose more of the walls here, as we haven’t reached the base yet, and perhaps locate the entranceway to the structure.
In the north-west part of the trench, we returned to Structure B2, an area which has been less explored in recent years.
Logan, Jean, Alan, Quin, Alfie, Joanne and team began by tidying up the area – removing overburden from the area edge to get a more expansive view into the structure – and establishing the western wall-face of the building. Once the area is cleaned over, it will be ready for more intense excavation.
Amanda Brend
Area Supervisor
