| Entry: | Dear dairy, it's been a long time. I've been busy using up the last of my holiday allowance, but the main reason for my lengthy absence, has been that Craig has largely taken over the recording of the pre-level 10 midden deposits. As we excavated within the western half of Space 181, bringing it down to Craig's lower level, we removed units as multi-layered blocks rather than individual layers. To the east of Space 181, Craig excavated each layer as a single unit, but as time runs out as we near the end of the season, we are having to adopt a pragmatic approach, and wield those mattocks with more enthusiasm than is usual, within such an immaculately researched project. Our block units have to be matched with Craig's units, so it's appropriate for him to be the one tieing all the numbers together. I wouldn't particularly like to be taking on that responsibility myself, and Craig is undoubtedly the best man for the job. However, now that excavation down to natural is likely to be a mattock and shovel affair, i'm not looking forward to the final weeks of digging with great relish. Bashing hell out of dumped deposits is often par for the course back home. Having said that, we're approximately two metres from touch-down, so if we do avoid any complex archaeology from here on in, I should at least have the compensation of seeing natural, and knowing that we fulfilled the brief. At the moment, we're struggling to fit in the last of the shoring pipes - a major operation that involves a ten to fifteen man, (and woman), lifting team. Despite predictable difficulties manoeuvering such heavy and unwieldy pipeing, we should manage to complete the job on monday when the final batch of timber arrives. One question remains - somewhere along the line we've had a misunderstanding with the shoring sponsors, who now express reservations over whether our shoring is adequate for a further two metres of excavation. Do we have time to make adjustments, or do we just step in and excavate a smaller area. I have a suspiscion that the latter option is the most favoured, though no one's saying so. We'll wait and see.........Entered By: Jez Taylor |
