Time Team Going To Barra

[Zachary]

Thanks WM

[disco-barry]

Cool, new building project in scotland is it?

[Zenarcher]

Cool, new building project in scotland is it?

NO!!

[disco-barry]

NO!!

Lol I know, It actually looks like they've unearthed something decent for once. Good on 'em.

[Zenarcher]

Yeah they could have done with spending more time on it 3 days just isnt enough.

[Zenarcher]

Ok heres the news,

They found a large round house but they didnt manage to dig it all up and they also found a few other houses and a body which is female and they have now aged how old the site it 4000 years old which is older than we thought.

[tornadomanuk]

Yeah they could have done with spending more time on it 3 days just isnt enough.

Yes I know what you mean. They were down here a couple of years ago on a weeks special and went out on air live. A large and relatively untouched mosiac floor was found in a field nr a hamlet called Dinnington (Ilminster) and was really good. Unfortunatly we couldnt go near it because of the 'live on air' aspect of it, but nevertheless it was fab.

Wonder what other unearthed treasures lie under the surfaces??

[Rustynailer]

Good report that WM, well done mate.

I rather like Time Team, its a shame they got there fingers burnt on the real Stonehengy stuff with the Seahenge excavation, they were harranged viciously all week by angry new age travelers and others. So when they came to the Isle of Wight, they were told of a group of Sarcen stones (the same special material as Stonehenge), in a circular arrangement just 1 mile away, half buried etc'. They totally refused requests to show it to them, "just a quick look"..."NO" Which when I herd about it and I know the stones concerned, made me very peeved I can tell you. Especially as it wasn't Time Team that did any harm with Seahenge, it was some officials in "secret" with a large chainsaw.......

Regards,

Russ

Edited May 26, 2007 by Rustynailer

[geminianstar]

I googled time team barra and found this link to weathermaster's report. I'd just like to say what a brilliant job you've done, the photo's are amazing. Thank you very much for a job well done!!

[Zenarcher]

Thanks are you from barra?

[RoisinD]

Great pictures and reports WM. Thank you

[Gofannon]

Ok heres the news,

They found a large round house but they didnt manage to dig it all up and they also found a few other houses and a body which is female and they have now aged how old the site it 4000 years old which is older than we thought.

I was very pleased to find your report while looking on Google for any news of the Time Team dig. When we were on Barra (our favorite island!) last in July 2006 we found bones lying on the surface of the site where the cists were, despite the site having been cleared of exposed bone in December 2005 when there was a small rescue dig/evaluation for Historic Scotland; so clearly with the wind and the cattle erosion was still going on and the site needed digging before it was destroyed. Here are a couple of shots from that time:

Where were your photos of walls being excavated taken? Was that in the grassed-over hollow that extends north from the end of the current sand blow nearest to the road?

You didn't show any photos of excavation at the fideag, which you highlighted on the satellite view as a possible ship burial - did Time Team do any digging there, or do you know if they decided it was a natural dune feature?

Thanks for your excellent photos.

[Bernoulli Effect]

As far as I know they did not find anything under the "Viking mound" after geophysics(SP?). So again as far as I know they did not dig there.

They were delighted with the burial finds and the two roundhouses.

Talking to the team they thought that the Barra programme would be aired first in the series, since it had turned out to be so dramatic.

By the way WM most excellent photos.

Edited May 27, 2007 by Bernoulli Effect

[Zenarcher]

These images below should help,

[Gofannon]

Yes, those annotated pictures make it all clear.

Many thanks/Moran taing

[Zenarcher]

Glad they helped

[Gofannon]

Did you take any photos covering the western end of the burial site excavation and/or the other burial (I think you mentioned that they found two)? Last summer we spotted the edge of a pelvis just emerging from the sand a bit to the west of the area shown in your photos, which probably represented a burial that had already lost a leg through errosion, and I wonder if the area they dug extended that far.

[Zenarcher]

Nope because they never dug up that area if thats whats you mean.

Found this posted today barra news website

Time Team’s visit to Barra last week proved to be exciting and rewarding following their excavations and geophysical exploration of the machair site at Allasdale.

The dig on Barra yielded 11 kists, or chests, with human remains inside including one perfectly preserved skeleton of a 40-year-old woman in a crouching position typical of the Middle Bronze Age, about 3,500 years ago. There were also two kists for babies, and a collapsed pot of poor quality, probably Bronze Age, pottery.

The Time Team were reported to be excited over the finds, which also include two late Bronze to early Iron Age round houses, part of a much bigger settlement extending under the dunes. Geophysics also revealed a huge Iron Age wheelhouse - a 2,000-year-old stone building with internal radial walls like the spokes of a wheel forming rooms - some 200 metres away from the graves.

This was followed by a visit from Historic Scotland archaeologists who dated some of the bones at 3000years old. The Western Isles Archaeology Service had no funding available for further investigation so when the Time team were contacted and interested, this was an ideal opportunity to carry out further research into what has proved to be a very important settlement in Barra’s pre history.

The team were on the island from Monday to Friday and found what appears to be a Bronze Age cemetery and the site of the large wheel house. A trench was dug where the geophysics appeared to show the entrance, and a large whale bone was discovered, possibly used as support for the roof."

According to Time Team researcher Jon Willers "It is an extraordinary site, with much more to learn from it. It has been incredible to come face to face with a Bronze Age burial ground and a number of amazing Iron Age structures. "The very unusual archaeology and location means it may well be our flagship programme of the next series.

Re-assurances have been sought that bones removed by both the Time Team and Historic Scotland will be returned to their original resting place, but due respect was given to the site, with a service of blessing being held prior to the excavation. Time Team in Barra will be broadcast in early 2008.

LINK

Edited June 1, 2007 by weathermaster

[Rustynailer]

Nope because they never dug up that area if thats whats you mean.

Found this posted today barra news website

Time Team’s visit to Barra last week proved to be exciting and rewarding following their excavations and geophysical exploration of the machair site at Allasdale.

The dig on Barra yielded 11 kists, or chests, with human remains inside including one perfectly preserved skeleton of a 40-year-old woman in a crouching position typical of the Middle Bronze Age, about 3,500 years ago. There were also two kists for babies, and a collapsed pot of poor quality, probably Bronze Age, pottery.

The Time Team were reported to be excited over the finds, which also include two late Bronze to early Iron Age round houses, part of a much bigger settlement extending under the dunes. Geophysics also revealed a huge Iron Age wheelhouse - a 2,000-year-old stone building with internal radial walls like the spokes of a wheel forming rooms - some 200 metres away from the graves.

This was followed by a visit from Historic Scotland archaeologists who dated some of the bones at 3000years old. The Western Isles Archaeology Service had no funding available for further investigation so when the Time team were contacted and interested, this was an ideal opportunity to carry out further research into what has proved to be a very important settlement in Barra’s pre history.

The team were on the island from Monday to Friday and found what appears to be a Bronze Age cemetery and the site of the large wheel house. A trench was dug where the geophysics appeared to show the entrance, and a large whale bone was discovered, possibly used as support for the roof."

According to Time Team researcher Jon Willers "It is an extraordinary site, with much more to learn from it. It has been incredible to come face to face with a Bronze Age burial ground and a number of amazing Iron Age structures. "The very unusual archaeology and location means it may well be our flagship programme of the next series.

Re-assurances have been sought that bones removed by both the Time Team and Historic Scotland will be returned to their original resting place, but due respect was given to the site, with a service of blessing being held prior to the excavation. Time Team in Barra will be broadcast in early 2008.

LINK

Excellent thread this WM.

I am pleased that the bones and things are returned. Also very pleased with the results of the dig.

Great reporting by youself aswell

Regards,

Russ

Edited June 1, 2007 by Rustynailer

[Zenarcher]

I wonder if they will come back

[Vinogradiv]

Having recently returned from an excellent sojourn on Barra, the general concensus of the Islanders was that they greeted the announcement of Time Team's impending dig with a little trepidation, due to the 'quick in, quick out' image that Time Team have.

Having now experienced the dig, the majority of Barra residents were impressed by Time Team's respect for the ancient graveyard that they uncovered, to the extent that the local priest was present, holding a short service, whilst the bones were being removed & transported. Time Team have committed to re - inter the bones following research.

Time Team also involved the local schoolchildren in the dig, experimenting in firing pottery from local clay using local peat for the 'furnace.'

I for one look forward to the broadcast of this dig in January 2008.

[Zenarcher]

Its going to be on tv on the 20th of january.

[Zenarcher]

Its on TV next sunday at 5.45pm

[Icer]

Its on TV next sunday at 5.45pm

thanks weathermaster :o

[0000]

one of the best shows on tv....all time!