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This section contains the latest news from the Field Unit, as and when it occurs. New sections are added as and when to show the progress the Field Unit are making during the year. * Original Information 18th January 2012
Rocky Clump 2011 The excavations in the field to the south of Rocky Clump finished on the 17th December. A visit to the completed site had been organised for interested parties, the actual digging finished on the 14th December. The excavations finally revealed the north corner of a large Late Iron Age or early Romano-British enclosure. A close examination of the geophysics, conducted in earlier years, had hinted at a possible junction of two ditches, but the geophysics now suggest that the ditches revealed are part of an enclosure measuring between 20 and 30 metres square. A new magnetometry survey is planned for March 2012, prior to the commencement of the new digging season. The ditches measure about 1.8 metres wide and 1.6 metres in depth. The fills vary from one ditch to the other with the east side containing large quantities of chalky loam, possibly back fill of the chalk removed during the enclosure construction, and a dark silty, charcoal laden fill on the west side. Finds from the digging were prolific throughout the excavation and even on the last day the west ditch terminus revealed an almost complete pot assemblage, albeit consisting of a number of large, broken pottery sherds. A pair of baby pig burials were also uncovered in the same area, but above the pottery. The ditches, both east and west are extremely steep sided, and quite difficult to get into and out. The curious 'trackway' feature to the east of the east ditch terminates at the junction of the two ditches, with a vertical, shallow drop into the west ditch. It is highly possible that this was the exit location for the chalk being removed, and the small rut like features were created for a small cart being used to transport the chalk away. There is small mound observed to the north of the enclosure and this may be where the chalk was deposited. This was the location for many pottery finds during field walking in 1992. Perhaps one of the most important questions to arise from the excavation in 2011 is how many other similar enclosures are secreted beneath the plough soil along the South Downs? The aerial photographs show little or nothing in this field or those around, and the geophysical images could be interpreted as geological rather than archaeological. It does show the importance of test pits and trenches. The 2011 season of excavation has been extremely well supported with 87 people digging on site with nearly 1000 work days accrued in the field over the year. The Young Archaeologist Club (YAC) visited and dug on two occasions and, as previously reported, the dig has attracted people from far afield. The finds are now being processed, washed, marked and catalogued as part of the 2011/2012 post excavation winter programme. The finds processing is open to all members of the society, and a number of educational day schools about pottery identification, glassware and metal work has been organised by the society. The site details, plans and section drawings are currently being transferred to C.A.D. and will be published in the 2011 Field Notebook which will also be accessible via the society's website. The 2012 season of excavations around Rocky Clump will begin on Saturday 7th April . |
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