Jan 31st 2009
Toad News - Jan 31st 2009
Excavation to throw new light on work
A rare gentleman's bowled pipe (arrowed) found in the Neolithic substratum
A multi-million pound project to learn more about 19th century archaeologists began in earnest yesterday as modern archaeologists dig a trench across a previous archaeologist's dig.
"It's very exciting," said a man in a beard, "we know so little about the methodology and habits of early nineteenth century gentleman archeologists, and these digs will hopefully uncover evidence of their brand of pipe tobacco and whether archaeologists then wore beards as they do now, and of what colour, and how long."
Previous attempts to uncover evidence of these illusive scientists had run into problems as many iron-age sites were filled with lots of old bones, pots and charred relics, but very little useful evidence such as snuff packets, discarded pipes and flyers for Perkin's Hair Tonic. But that, we are told, is all due to change.
"The problem we've had is that early archaeologists were mostly scrupulously diligent observers of the soil in which they worked," reported another archaeologist, also with a beard, "and the evidence they left is difficult to find, let alone assess. However, our new system of 'strip-mine' archaeology can process forty thousand tons of previously undisturbed topsoil in under an hour, searching for illusive DNA clues and minute particles of hair oil and copies of Housemaids with Puppies. Next weekend we hope to level Maiden Castle. It's very exciting."
Josh Hatchett, reporting for The Toad.
"It's very exciting," said a man in a beard, "we know so little about the methodology and habits of early nineteenth century gentleman archeologists, and these digs will hopefully uncover evidence of their brand of pipe tobacco and whether archaeologists then wore beards as they do now, and of what colour, and how long."
Previous attempts to uncover evidence of these illusive scientists had run into problems as many iron-age sites were filled with lots of old bones, pots and charred relics, but very little useful evidence such as snuff packets, discarded pipes and flyers for Perkin's Hair Tonic. But that, we are told, is all due to change.
"The problem we've had is that early archaeologists were mostly scrupulously diligent observers of the soil in which they worked," reported another archaeologist, also with a beard, "and the evidence they left is difficult to find, let alone assess. However, our new system of 'strip-mine' archaeology can process forty thousand tons of previously undisturbed topsoil in under an hour, searching for illusive DNA clues and minute particles of hair oil and copies of Housemaids with Puppies. Next weekend we hope to level Maiden Castle. It's very exciting."
Josh Hatchett, reporting for The Toad.