Thread by @richardhosgood

Welcome to the 4th and final day of Salisbury Plain tour. We’ll see some highlights but please do tweet your own photos, drawings, films, links and objects that this prompts gov.uk/government/pub…
#SPTAarchaeology

Today we are on the East of the Plain – perhaps with the most access and certainly some of the richest Archaeology many of the projects are Op Nightingale works – so check out their open Facebook page #SPTAarchaeology

We start where we left yesterday at #barrowclump and will use the modern military map to guide us round. When you see a Number in brackets such as [1] this refers to a stop marked on the map. #SPTAarchaeology

Where to start with this site? A hugely important site with over 100 burials from Beaker through to 7th Century & where we have undertaken work with Op Nightingale since 2012. You can even see a Time Team filmed here in their last series. #SPTAarchaeology

Some of the most important discoveries were made by our wounded and injured veterans – Kenny here with a drinking bucket (now in @WiltshireMuseum) and Matt with a Visigothic brooch the first of its type from a grave in Britain. #SPTAarchaeology

The brooch seen here looked corroded and pretty much an unsalvageable piece of iron #SPTAarchaeology

Until the magic of the conservators at Wiltshire council turned it into this. Miracle workers (as we shall see again later!) . Only the secon such brooch found in the UK and the first in a grave. Was it’s owner a ‘goth’? More isotope and DnA work needed. #SPTAarchaeology

Along with the items are of course all the human remains themselves. @theAliceRoberts Prof Alice is not to be outdone by Time Team: Digging 4 Britain has also looked at some of the most spectacular finds Most recently in the Saxon special bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod… #SPTAarchaeology

These Saxon Burials are generally formally laid out ‘extended and supine’ but we encountered one in 2018 which was altogether different: a deviant burial’ just thrown into a hole. Much more work needed on this one but a model is present. sketchfab.com/3d-models/angl…
#SPTAarchaeology

The site began as a cemetery of Beaker and Early Bronze Age burial mounds and some of these were again visited by Digging for Britain in 2019. bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod… #SPTAarchaeology

The book on the site is now published – you can get it hear if you want. @wessexarch have done a lovely job oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/a-prehis… #SPTAarchaeology

So really its not going to be possible to talk about a finer site for prehistory on this tour. Or is it? #SPTAarchaeology

We go to Netheravon – overlooking the unique Listed Buildings of the Royal Flying Corps – complete with their RFC Wings [16]. #SPTAarchaeology

here we are at Netheravon Barrow – ‘At Risk’ Because badgers were burrowing into the Bronze Age burial mound [17]. Whilst they were at it, making some incredible finds. Such as this complete Early Bronze Age chisel & stone wristguard lying by the sett entrance #SPTAarchaeology

Our excavation team went on site to dig the damaged area properly – recovering cremated remains and a large part of a collared urn rim. #SPTAarchaeology

Again we called upon the help of the Wiltshire Council Conservators to see what they could do with all the many many sherds recovered. #SPTAarchaeology

And the miracle happened – the collared urn was largely complete. It is held here by Tom who made the initial discovery of badger handiwork #SPTAarchaeology

And you can see the reconstructed item by @wessexarch in 3d here sketchfab.com/3d-models/neth…

The assemblage was brought together @WiltshireMuseum for their wonderful Wiltshire Archaeology Conference. This conference in April 2020 was sadly postponed but we hope it will be rescheduled- watch this space. #SPTAarchaeology

The Netheravon Barrow was then back filled with local chalk, meshed over to prevent The badgers returning and is no longer ‘At Risk’ #SPTAarchaeology

We do of course check for badger actions on monuments even though they often outwit us; badgers head butting the movement sensitive cameras not unknown. They then backed over it but that’s not an pleasant image to share... #SPTAarchaeology

Down the A345 again and over to Bulford. Here [18] in a farmer’s field lies a large sarsen stone that once would have been standing – not too far from Stonehenge and with fabulous views. #SPTAarchaeology

Mike Parker Pearson & the riverside project examined the location some years ago & found the precise spot from which the stone was moved. They also found an assemblage including a rock crystal, boar’s tusk, small stone ‘menhir’ & barbed & tanged arrowheads #SPTAarchaeology

This stone overlooks another of the most important recent projects along with Larkhill. The Bulford Army Basing works. So much to note to please see wessexarch.co.uk/our-work/bulfo… The programme has revealed much – not least a major Saxon Cemetery AND a DOUBLE HENGE. #SPTAarchaeology.

You may have noticed that many of these sites have used veterans as part of their recovery. If you have enjoyed the last three days touring – please look at this justgiving.com/crowdfunding/b… #SPTAarchaeology.

With the current crisis, a charity that looks after many of the vets on my Op Nightingale work has lost all its funding and could really do with your support – either drop in a few pennies or retweet this tweet. It will ALL Help #SPTAarcharology

Right – don’t know you but I’m exhausted – thank you so much for your company, hope you enjoyed scratching the surface of SPTA there is SO much more. If you enjoyed this there is more on the ecology and archaeology of MOD land here gov.uk/government/pub… #SPTAarchaeology

Please also follow @mod_dio for more updates on our estates and information on safety (always paramount) And don’t forget. justgiving.com/crowdfunding/b… cheers, Richard #SPTAarchaeology