Back Yard Test Pit...

CRUSADER

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May 25, 2007
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As I wasn't out digging with Dad today, I took up an old offer to do a test pit in someones backyard. Its in the centre of a Roman Town, so I was expecting something at least.
My observations were as follows;

3.5 Foot of totally stile soil - no finds (strange)
No layers other than Roman, ie. no Medieval or post medieval (odd)
At 4 ft a piece of 17th C Staffordshire Slip Ware (very odd, as it was mixed with the first signs of Roman stuff)
In the top left corner I hit what I think is the edge of a Roman Pit - Animal Bone, Oyster Shell, Glass & Pottery present.
Also strange - No Nails.

When I return I will aim for where I think the middle of the pit is, go bigger & deeper.

A good 2 hours of what I call fun!
 

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Upvote 14
Was the area filled in sometime in history there? Very odd to have 3.5' of top soil with nothing. ??? But hitting the corner of a pit is great. Can you dig a cut through the pit there or just one hole? At least it looks promising. Remembers me one episode of Time Team where they dug completely through a nice garden because the owners found a grave when working there. :laughing7:
 

Was the area filled in sometime in history there? Very odd to have 3.5' of top soil with nothing. ??? But hitting the corner of a pit is great. Can you dig a cut through the pit there or just one hole? At least it looks promising. Remembers me one episode of Time Team where they dug completely through a nice garden because the owners found a grave when working there. :laughing7:

Its seems as though there was a massive amount of soil brought in around the 17th-18th C. But that doesn't explain the lack of Victorian finds!
I can dig however I want, the owner is up for it.
 

Kind of crazy to think of the fill as the same timeline as when my local history starts. I wish we had what's at the bottom of the pit for a baseline for finds. It does loos like loads of fun doing the dig knowing the history lies there a few feet down.
 

That's one of the tidiest pits I've ever seen! Well done, heh.

I'll be curiously awaiting updates regarding what the Roman feature contains, hoping for a pot full of solidi!
 

Hey Cruz...
Just a tip...
Take a tarp and lay next to hole/pit as you dig... pile dirt on it.... when done... two people grabbing back corners pull toward pit...
And wallah !!! instant fill ! :)

Also much cleaner as well...
You will not screw up grass trying to get dirt back in etc.
 

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Was the area filled in sometime in history there? Very odd to have 3.5' of top soil with nothing. ??? But hitting the corner of a pit is great. Can you dig a cut through the pit there or just one hole? At least it looks promising. Remembers me one episode of Time Team where they dug completely through a nice garden because the owners found a grave when working there. :laughing7:

An excellent show. I believe that was the episode "The Naughty Nuns of Northampton" :D But I could be wrong.
 

Crusader, very interesting artifacts, but I would have brought in a back hoe at this point lol. That's a lot of digging, just for fun I would have removed the shovel from the picture and placed a lesche digger there.
 

Hey Cruz...
Just a tip...
Take a tarp and lay next to hole/pit as you dig... pile dirt on it.... when done... two people grabbing back corners pull toward pit...
And wallah !!! instant fill ! :)

Also much cleaner as well...
You will not screw up grass trying to get dirt back in etc.

What you can't see is that the pile of dirt is on 2 large bin bags. Next time the bigger hole will have a tarp. No tip needed this time.:thumbsup:
 

That's one of the tidiest pits I've ever seen! Well done, heh.

I'll be curiously awaiting updates regarding what the Roman feature contains, hoping for a pot full of solidi!

Once I have filled it in, you could hardly tell I had been there.:thumbsup:
 

Btw ... I have a version of that shovel...

DSC00796.JPG
 

Btw ... I have a version of that shovel...

View attachment 1131657

It means a lot to me, because it gave my Grandad many years of good service in his Garden & he grow most of his Veg.

PS. I have brought modern spades with life time guarantees which last me less than 1 year.
 

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Hey, at least the grass is green where you live mate! :thumbsup:

Love the old wooden handled shovel too... looks like the one Phil uses on Time Team! :laughing7:

Dave
 

Oyster shells could be from the Georgian Period, to much spade work there for my liking.:laughing7:

SS
 

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