Digging 9: Photographic Record

A very hot and sunny day, as I finished up SK2, defining the edges of the grave (by a cunning plan, called Grave 2!)

As I mentioned yesterday, everything must be recorded, so I wrote up a detailed description, drew a post-excavation plan and photographed the cut.

Of course, although the weather was dry, there was a problem with the angle of the sun, shining through the "modesty" netting and losing all contrast and giving everything a green tinge and shadows.

Not ideal for a record photograph! This is straight out of my camera (which is a lot better than the site camera) showing the problems.

I hope I managed to get a decent shot....

Later, I started on SK1, the first individual found, very unexpectedly, and consequently fairly heavily truncated by the big bucket of the JCB. I still haven't quite found how much of SK1 survives, but I did find two more Cu alloy rings near the waist region, suggesting a belt with loops to hang, perhaps, a purse or a knife.

I was a bit disappointed at the results of the British Archaeological Awards in the "best discovery" category; while the Staffordshire Hoard is, undoubtedly a stunning and huge collection of Anglo-Saxon gold, I thought that the Orkney Venus was much more significant. It's unique (until Graeme and Hazel found another one at the same site this season!) and was unsuspected as a category of object from the Scottish Neolithic.

And, of course, Inchmarnock should have won the Project Award ;)