Journal
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 12: Thoughts on the final day of the project
The final day of the excavation. We complete the digging and recording, reflect upon possible interpretations of this unusual site.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 11: Excavating fissures
Today we fully explored potential features in the main trench, seeking to determine if a prehistoric cairn had been built on the outcrop.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 10: We abandon site in the teeth of Storm Ali
Storm Ali has been forecast to hit Scotland with strong winds and heavy rain this afternoon. We work on the site until conditions become impossible.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 9: Drawing
Most of today was spent recording features before we can excavate further.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 8: Test pits, drawing and cleaning
A grey day, but we continue to try and determine where we are seeing a prehistoric cairn, or the remains of later activities.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 7: More questions about quartz
The new trench below the rock art is completed and the possible kerb stones begin to look ambiguous.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 6:
As the excavation begins to take shape, we expand our digging to either side of the cup marked rock.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 5: Survey and quartz
The trench has been prepared for recording.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 4: Cleaning back the main trench
Another bright day in which we trowel back the trench and are visited by rock art doyen, George Currie.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 3: More cobbles and a cup mark
A bright and sunny day. We continued to tidy up the main trench revealing more cobbles and a cup mark.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 2: We continue to remove the turf
The weather this morning was blustery and changeable, and we continued to remove the grass and turf from the largest trench.
Excavating rock art in Strath Tay day 1: Quartz beneath the turf
In September 2017, I excavated for two weeks at a rock art site in central Scotland, as reported in this Journal. One year on, and our small team is back to continue our investigations.
Excavating at Copt Howe day 11: The end of the excavations
In the midst of a heatwave we backfill the two remaining trenches.
Excavating at Copt Howe day 10: The last day of excavation
It is our final day of excavation and various tasks have to be completed before the trenches can be filled. Stan Beckensall visits.
Excavating at Copt Howe day 9: Recording and replicating
Work continues towards the conclusion of the excavation in a couple of days time.
Excavations at Copt Howe day 8: Flat slabs in Trench 3
Trenches 1 and 3 take centre stage with new motifs and stone deposits.
Excavations at Copt Howe day 7: Light and shadow
Today, the site is visited by a specialist to assess its potential for Optically-Stimulated Luminescence dating. On the theme of light, I also make some observations about the qualities of tree shadows on this sunny day.
Excavations at Copt Howe day 6: Were these tools used to make the rock art?
On the sixth day day there are significant developments in Trench 1, with more rock art being revealed and the discovery of some very distinctive artefacts which may have been used to carve the motifs.
Excavating at Copt Howe day 5: Structured deposition in Trench 1
Trench 1 begins to reveal some exciting features.
Excavations at Copt Howe day 4: Making progress
On the fourth day of the project we continue work on all the active trenches.