Yesterday Clare Ellis decided that the team had exhausted the possibilities of the existing trench, although it is likely that a major project to strip the surrounding area would reveal many more artefacts and activities. It is also likely that there are layers of earlier, prehistoric occupation below the present working level. These possibilities could only be for another time, with greater resources.
So … the work today was to pump the site reasonably dry in preparation for the arrival of Andreas Wolff from BBC Alba, who filmed the site, church interior and the graveslabs display, and interviewed Clare and the diggers. After midday, the task was to replace the protective membrane and secure it with stones from the excavation. The misty image of the result shows that it was a miserably wet day:
Misty wet day May 2022
The diggers have been heroic. Over the week Clare has been ably and enthusiastically assisted by:
Andy and Mary-Anne Buntin
Douglas Breingan
Gordon Higgs
Hylda Marsh
Carly McNamara
Meg Mearn
The trench will be filled in the coming weeks, whenever conditions permit.
Look out for a full overview of what has been achieved at Clachan since 2018.