Test pots 101

So yesterday, we had an impromptu open day, when children from the local school arrived on site to have a look at the excavation. It was the perfect timing for a visit as some of the post holes have now been sectioned and recorded. This meant that the children could really see the structure of the indigenous round houses and the later colonial structures. It also meant that the children could see what type of soil colour changes can be seen in the excavated post holes. Loe gave instructions on how to make 'pinch/thumb' pots and the children were able to make their own pots which they could then take home.

We also fired some previously made pots in an open fire. These pieces were placed in the fire pit and covered with ash, charcoal and more wood. We left them in the fire for about 3 hours and later tried to remove them from the ash to cool. Some pieces broke in the process, this was probably because we removed them too quickly, or they may have been too wet when they went into the fire and the subsequent steam generated would have cracked the vessel.

We are now in the final stages of the excavation, so it's all hands on deck to get everything done. We need to make sure that all the recording, drawing, photographing, and onsite analyses have been completed. We also have to finalise which samples will be sent for further analysis. We're at that stage when everyone feels tired and the motivation to get the little jobs finished is beginning to ebb. But we plough ever onward.