Newsletter 274

Ring Ditch Shut Down

We are now coming to the end of our third season at Aspull. It's a year in which we have seen some remarkable discoveries, including three more major cremation burials to add to the two found last year (and that doesn't include our possible cist burial). Right at the start of the year we came across a strange octagonal feature embedded in the mottled clay layer. We have been working on it throughout the year and shown it to have multiple layers of cremated bone (it may well have been a family plot, as suggested in our September Newsletter 272). However its structure is still puzzling us. We now no longer think it's a vessel, more likely a clay lined pit cut into the mottled clay with a stone slab at its base.

Our next major burial came from the northeast side of Trench 3a in a pit lying under two large flat stone slabs. We managed to fill two large plastic boxes with cremated bone from the bottom of the pit. This included some large pieces and, with only half of the pit excavated so far, we expect more when we remove the rest of the bone next year.

Our most recent major burial was discovered just a couple of metres away in Trench 3a. This time in just a small pit but the quantity of cremated bone was comparable including large pieces. These include possible shin bone, vertebrae and skull fragments.

Further work on the area around the second urn (discovered last year buried upside down), has revealed it to be lying in a pit cut into the sandy clay mound (not, as we previously thought, buried with it). The pit has a flat bottom and seems to be full of charcoal and cremated bone.

As with our first urn (reported on in our last Newsletter) the plan was to remove this urn intact. However whether this will be possible with the large cracks in it, is yet to be seen.

Fragments of cremated bone have been turning up in a number of other places in Trench 3a, which may be the remnants of other burials destroyed in antiquity. Dating the bones from the major burials however, will give us a great insight into the length of time the site was in use, as they all appear to be from different contexts. As always, you can find more details on our blog site here.

Haigh Hall Developments

So very sad to hear that Al and Al are no longer on this project, not having had their contract renewed by the Council. As Creative Directors, we were all so impressed by the things they have achieved over the last three years in transforming this much loved site. As a result of their departure, a permanent exhibition by the famous local artist Theodor Major, will now not happen, the family saying they have lost confidence in the Council. I'm sure the Council have their reasons, probably to do with cutting costs. The Friends of Haigh Hall however, have launched a campaign to have Al & Al reinstated with a petition, which you can find more details of on their Facebook page here (and the petition here).

Christmas Meal and Quiz Night

As usual next month will be our party night held once again at the Royal Oak at the bottom of Standishgate. Also, as usual the day has had to be changed to the first Tuesday i.e. 3rd December. Nearer the date I'll be sending the menu out but, in the meantime, could you please let me know if you are interested in going.

Next Meeting

Wednesday 6th November - at the Real Crafty on Upper Dicconson Street starting at 7.30pm as usual. One of the strangest finds from our excavations at Aspull has been a collection of what is thought to be fossils (see Newsletter 265). These multimillion-year-old stones are known to have been collected by the builders of ancient monuments. Peter Leeming, who used to work for the GM Archaeology Unit, has made a study of the subject and this month has agreed to give us a talk on it. As he now lives in Exeter, he will be giving it by Zoom (fingers crossed anyway). Hope to see you then, BA.