In October the project carried out a small excavation on some potentially prehistoric features identified by a geophysical survey on Donnington Recreation Ground. We are now working our way through the post-excavation process for the dig.  All of the finds from the site have now been washed and sorted and are ready to go off to be studied by specialists.

The soil samples that we collected were processed before Christmas using the floatation facilities at Oxford Archaeology. The flots from these samples (the light material that floats off during floatation) have already been sent to an Archaeobotanical expert and potentially prehistoric plant remains identified, including charcoal, burnt seeds and hazelnut shells. Some of these remains have been sent for radiocarbon dating and in six weeks or so we should have a better idea of how old the features that we found on the recreation ground really are.

The next stage in the process is to use microscopes, magnifying glasses and tweezers to sort through the residues from the soils samples (all of the heavy material that is caught in the mesh at the bottom of the tank during floatation).  The residues are likely to include very fine pieces of worked flint as well as further carbonised plant remains. 

On Saturday 22^nd February Rebecca Nicholson (Environmental Manager from Oxford Archaeology) will be running a residue sorting session at Rewley House between 10am and 3pm. No previous experience is necessary and all equipment will be provided.

There are ***LIMITED PLACES*** on this event so if you are interested in taking part please contact me to book a place.  Places will be confirmed by Monday 17^th February.