Britains Pompeii - Must farm.

[Techno]

Anyone else see that on BBC 4 last night ?

I thought it was fascinating....With some incredible finds....The best ever Bronze age time capsule.

(Certainly in Britain)

Couple of bits I couldn't quite understand, so I was hoping someone else DID see it. (I'll run my questions by you. )

Cheers - Phil

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Its been recorded, watch tonight !

[Techno]

Hope you enjoy it, Ian !

The bits I didn't quite understand were.....Where were the remains of the wooden floors ?.....(Or had they just not quite excavated down to that ?).....and if the settlement was on a flowing river....why weren't the wooden bits , like the 'beams', a bit more randomly spread around.)

Cheers - Phil

[Raider4]

From years of watching Time Team, if there's something you don't understand or can't explain, the answer is always "it's ceremonial" . . .

[Shedman]

From years of watching Time Team, if there's something you don't understand or can't explain, the answer is always "it's ceremonial" . . .

Or High Status

[FierceKitty]

I remember a parody of archeological interpretation once, The Motel of the Mysteries....

[Scorpio_Rocks]

The bits I didn't quite understand were.....Where were the remains of the wooden floors ?.....(Or had they just not quite excavated down to that ?).....and if the settlement was on a flowing river....why weren't the wooden bits , like the 'beams', a bit more randomly spread around.)

Whilst I haven't seen the actual program, I DO know a little about archaeology (I am a director of a commercial archaeology company) and Must Farm...
Remember that most of the site was burnt to the ground (water?). The river was fairly shallow and slow flowing with thick mud bottom so "beams" etc didnt travel after they fell into the mud (which is also the main reason for the remarkable level of preservation). Some floors / floor coverings were excavated but, I believe the fire was in the wattle floor and so more was destroyed before the huts collapsed into the water/mud.

Hope that helps! lots of info on the official site: http://www.mustfarm.com/

[Techno]

Thanks, SR.

What I hadn't considered, was how shallow the river might have been.

The computer graphics re-creating the settlement had the huts sitting (on piles) three or four (?) feet above the surface of the water.
My initial thoughts were "So.... the river was quite deep, then."...But what you've said makes a lot of sense !!

You might be able to tell me one more thing, from an archaeological perspective
When wood is burned.......Is it more likely to sink, rather than float ?

Thanks again, Matey !

Cheers - Phil

[Scorpio_Rocks]

I don't believe charred wood floats any better or worse than non burnt stuff... it does, however make it more water resistant and helps to preserve it.

but drop stuff from ..."three or four feet above the surface of the water"... and it will "dive" under the surface before it's buoyancy brings it back - I believe the depth was minimal meaning the falling items hit / entered the mud / silt and stuck before they could float away.

[Techno]

 

Thanks again, SR !

Cheers - Phil.