The warm, dry autumn weather has continued. The southernmost trench on the mound, commonly known as Maryland because it was excavated jointly by the two Marys, has now been closed. Mary L has moved to the upper part of the field and reopened the combined evaluation trenches TR34 and TR41. This area was first opened in 2024 following the identification of a strong positive magnetometry response.
Mary carefully cleaned back the old trench, re-exposing red ochre and charcoal scattered throughout the redeposited soil. She will now continue excavating to determine the extent of this unusual feature.
The presence of charcoal suggests that ochre may have been processed at Glebe. Its precise purpose is uncertain, as red ochre was used to create various products, including high-status ink and lower-status coloured paste for marking livestock. Red ochre was quarried and refined at Golden Valley, Wick, several decades ago, just 3 kilometres southeast of Glebe Field. It is therefore reasonable to hypothesise that the ochre found at Glebe Field originated in Wick.
Finally, it was good to hear from Brian the other day. It is a reminder to take a look at the excellent ‘Hi Res.’ photography in the photo Gallery that Brian carried out for us over the past few years.
David