The old ground
surface beneath the outer bank has now been excavated, but has not produced
any clear evidence of earlier occupation. Soil samples have been taken
to try and establish what the environment was like before the hillfort
was built.
Our last challenge is to backfill the ditch and reinstate the present-day
slope of the hillfort. As the slope is steep and the soil very dry, this
will involve rebuilding the slope in careful stages.
The Archaeology of Castle Hill
Week 6
Trench
1
Index
Week 2 update
Week 3 update
Week 4 update
Week 5 update
Interim Summary Reports
The hillfort ditch fills have provided some surprises. Only 1 m of soil accumulated in the ditch bottom before the Roman period, and given the soft and fissile nature of the chalk on the ditch sides, much more eroded chalk would have been expected. It therefore seems likely that the ditch was periodically cleaned out during the Iron Age to maintain the defences, something that has rarely been encountered in other hillforts in the area.
If you would like
to help on the dig please speak to one of the team, or contact Denise
Price, at Oxford Archaeology on 01865 263800. Application forms may also
be obtained by e-mail from denise.price@oxfordarch.co.uk.