Author: Sigurd

Thursday, July 21, 2022

Dig Diary – What a day! Flint, incised art, dressers and a polissoir

Day Fourteen Thursday, July 21, 2022 Conditions at the Ness were grey and damp as the diggers began arriving on site this morning. But despite this gloomy start there was… Read more

Excavation

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Dig Diary – Trench J’s largest axe brings 2022 total to three

Day Thirteen Wednesday, July 20, 2022 Today at the Ness was cool, breezy and pleasant, making perfect conditions for digging with not even a single midgie to disrupt proceedings. Trench… Read more

Excavation

Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Dig Diary – Sunshine, hearths, haematite and post-holes

Day Twelve Tuesday, July 19, 2022 What a glorious day. Both in terms of weather and archaeology. Weary diggers climbed from the trenches at the end of a warm, sunny… Read more

Excavation

Monday, July 18, 2022

Dig Diary – Probing the ‘mega-drain’ while more of Structure Eighteen is revealed

Day Eleven Monday, July 18, 2022 Orkney’s wildlife gave a vanload of our diggers a wonderful start to the day. As they drove along the road just south of the… Read more

3D Model / Excavation

Friday, July 15, 2022

Dig Diary Extra – 3d model of Structure Thirty-Two

A 3d photogrammetry model of Structure Thirty-Two by Trench J supervisor, Paul Durdin. Thirty-Two is a later construction, built on the rubble of Structure Five’s south-western end.… Read more

Excavation

Friday, July 15, 2022

Dig Diary – Rubble area produces our first decorated stone of 2022

Day Ten Friday, July 15, 2022 We have a new decorated stone! It may be Friday and it may be (somewhat unbelievably) the end of the second week of excavation,… Read more

Excavation

Friday, July 15, 2022

Dig Diary Extra – The Ness of Brodgar excavation from above

A selection of drone photographs taken yesterday by Professor Scott Pike, Willamette University, Oregon. Click on the thumbnails for a larger version. … Read more

Excavation

Thursday, July 14, 2022

Dig Diary – A day of drains on a site abuzz with activity

Day Nine Thursday, July 14, 2022 There is no finer place to be on a pleasant day that an archaeological excavation that is positively buzzing with enthusiasm and activity. And… Read more

Excavation

Wednesday, July 13, 2022

Dig Diary – Another piered building east of Structure One?

Day Eight Wednesday, July 13, 2022 When a big yellow bucket is rumbling towards you, propelled by a vicious horizontal wind, you know it is time to review options. That’s… Read more

Excavation

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Dig Diary – This season’s second polished stone axe from Trench J

Day Seven Tuesday, July 12, 2022 Well that’s been another busy day. With multiple tours – private and public – the site has been a veritable hive of activity, with… Read more

3D Model / Artefacts / Excavation

Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Dig Diary Extra – 3d model of worked whalebone artefact

Trench J supervisor Paul Durdin has worked his photogrammetry magic again, this time creating a 3d model of the whalebone artefact found in the floor of Structure Thirty-Two yesterday.… Read more

Excavation

Monday, July 11, 2022

Dig Diary – it’s large and made from whalebone. But what is it?

Day Six Tuesday, July 11, 2022 Trench J at the Ness is the trench which just keeps giving. You will recall that on Friday, towards the very end of the… Read more

Exhibition

Sunday, July 10, 2022

Ness of Brodgar exhibition all set for tomorrow’s opening

Norna, Katy and Travis begin setting up the exhibition in the Maeshowe visitor centre. (📷 Nick Card) By Anne Mitchell and Katy Firth Polished stone tools. (📷 Sigurd Towrie) Last… Read more

Excavation

Friday, July 8, 2022

Dig Diary – Trench J produces 2022’s first polished stone axe

Day Five Friday, July 8, 2022 Can this really be the end of the first week at the Ness? Time has flown past, much of it propelled on… Read more

Excavation

Thursday, July 7, 2022

Dig Diary – Full steam ahead as we get back into the trenches

Day Four Thursday, July 7, 2022 After yesterday’s weather delay, it was full steam ahead today as the last of the covers were removed, the trowels came out and we… Read more

Excavation

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Dig Diary – What else but the weather!

Day Three Wednesday, July 6, 2022 Out there in the Archaeosphere there are diligent followers of the Ness who get quite annoyed when we insist on talking about the… Read more

Author: Sigurd

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