Another brilliant day on site.
About two minutes into the day, the first sherd of crucible was found. They just kept coming. We have rim sherds, base fragments and lots of body sherds.
Metalworking is definitely the big theme from this year's excavations. We appear to have come across a distinctive dump of debris from metalworking. The finds are very broken, some degrading and they are all mixed up. Many people might not get that excited about metalworking evidence (preferring instead the shiny final products), but we can't get enough of our clay moulds!
Another fantastic mould for a hand pin emerged today showing the front half of the mould with the little projecting fingers very clearly outlined. Fantastic. It didn't photograph very well so we are a little short on eye candy... apologies! It is clear they were making a range of different types of pins and brooches as well as other metal objects at Rhynie. Having the production evidence for these objects is actually more important than having the final shiny pieces; it tells us much more!
Remember our open day is happening this weekend - Sunday - and we'll post more information on Saturday including times and activities.
Rhynie, Aberdeenshire
The Craw Stane with Tap o'Noth hillfort in the background (Photo courtesy of Cathy MacIver).
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