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25th September 2006, 02:36 PM
Following from Eggbaskets lead to attempt to raise a smile from folks, what has been your best day on site so far? Was it a find that made it, funny character, great setting and weather, or finally makng someone outside the realm of archaeology REALLy understand what we do?? Days are fetting shorter now and the weather a bit more grim (well i am oop north), think about yer best bits (damn...too much like big brother.....[:I])
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25th September 2006, 04:17 PM
Wouldnt call it a best day as such but one of the funniest moments I ever had the good fortune to witness happened like this.
We were working on a really nice Iron Age site and though it was essentially a commercial excavation ahead of a new housing development it had a very strong community feel to it. We were joined on site by members of the local archaeological society as well as local metal detectorists and archaeologists from the County council. Needless to say some days were open to the public, school visits and such. We had some hassle from the local chavs, throwing stones at us and even on one occasion opening fire on us with an air weapon. One of our number who shall remain nameless was suffering from abuse of this kind one afternoon when he decided that enough was enough, he leaped out of his ditch section shovel in hand whilst detailing VERY LOUDLY and in the most profane terms, which parts of the miscreants anatomy were to be invited to make closer accquaintance with said implement. Imagine his surprise when a schoolteacher and a party of primary school children were just being escorted towards his feature as part of their site tour. The look of slack jawed amazement on the faces of the teacher and kids was something to behold. Laugh, I damn near wet myself
Vive La Revolution
Penfold
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8th October 2006, 11:28 PM
Just about any time I get to dig with Mike "I dont get stuck in" Anthony or Chris "Citizen" Smith. Bloody good laugh ALL day!
deep
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11th October 2006, 02:27 PM
And what about the joy of working with me then? Missing the ozzy osboure loose in llandaf cathederal! Cheeky
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12th October 2006, 11:34 AM
Too many to think of but...
1. watching a senior IFA member discount large quantities of Iron Age features on the basis of them being simply "black natural"
2. Being asked by an MIFA to further reduce a pipeline spread by a metres depth on the basis that we hadnt encountered archaeology yet.This despite the fact that the team had been excavating features and inhumations from the level that said MIFA was currently standing on as he issued his gem of wisdom
3. After months of being given the runaround by a certain developer who was in the habit of machining huge areas of the site away when I went for lunch- hearing the enormous booming tones of a City Curator verbally reducing said developer to a quivering wreck in his own office. Finally-a Curator worth his salary! Big up Plymouth CC by the way.
4. Watching a fieldie diligently recording a section whilst failing to notice that whilst he was in the site office, a brass three pin plug socket complete with recharging mobile phone had been screwed into his section.
5. Watching a fieldie deconstruct the site office in protest at not gettin a lift early to watch an England game
6. The quarry-blasting episode whilst I was in deep thought in the portaloo
7. The enthusiastic student who, whilst demonstrating the sharp qualities of flint upon an article of clothing in front of a crowd of parents and children drew blood.Lots of it.Oops.
8. Having to explain to my boss why he had received no updates during my time on site as I had run the phone over with the mini-bus on day one.
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)
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12th October 2006, 08:13 PM
SOme good ones there Troll me old mucker. The socket one wouldnt have been on the same job where that guy found the same piece of willow pattern in every feature he dug for about four weeks would it??
Vive La Revolution
Penfold
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13th October 2006, 01:22 PM
damn you penfold....may your scrotum be infested with the fleas of a thousand camels.
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)
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13th October 2006, 04:23 PM
Hey guys - I am sure I am being a little niave here but shouldnt your best day ever include finding some amazing archaeology rather than tormenting poor fieldies (although I admit probably far less entertaining to read!).
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16th October 2006, 09:55 AM
Agreed-trouble is-we are fieldies and the majority of firms we work for trash the sexy archaeology for a living!
..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)
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17th October 2006, 03:50 PM
OK Sarahlouise, while tormenting colleagues does make a hard day pass more easily, I suppose my best day ever was spent excavating an amazingly productive mid 18th century cellar fill at a tower-house in Scotland. Amazing stuff, and the only time in my entire career that I've needed a barrow to hold the finds from one context in one day.
It'll be published soon, honest.
