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Discovery is only half the story


The Archaeology of Castle Hill
  
Trench 1
Trench 2
 
Trench 3
 
Trench 4

Week 2
Trench 1

Index

Week 3 update

Week 4 update

Week 5 update

Week 6 update

Interim Summary Reports

Photographs of people at work

NEW!

Latest from Castle Hill
We have only just opened up our trench across the hillfort ditch, and are now cleaning the sides back to the chalk. Because of the steep slope our staff are working using a safety harness.

Excavating the topsoil.


An Oxford Archaeology archaeologist using a harness.

 

As we dig down into the ditch we also hope to recover evidence, in the form of molluscs and pollen, about the past environment surrounding the hilltop.

The excavation is being carried out by a team of students, volunteers from the local community and archaeologists from Oxford Archaeology.

Our aim is to find the bottom of the ditch, and hopefully to recover finds or other dating evidence that will tell us when the defences were constructed. Another important question is to find out what is man-made and what is natural chalk outcrop. The steep bank outside the ditch is very high, and we hope to discover whether this consists mostly of spoil thrown out from the ditch, or whether it is mostly natural chalk, the ditch being dug partway up the chalk hill.  
     
Link to the Northmoor Trust website  

If you would like to help on the dig please speak to one of the team, or contact Denise Price, at Oxford Archaeology on 01865 263800. Application forms may also be obtained by e-mail from denise.price@oxfordarch.co.uk.