The Excavations at Rendlesham 2022 (Week 3)

Featured image: A volunteer mentor and Matt recording a post hole

The volunteers continue to work hard excavating the archaeological features.

This week the volunteers have made a start on the excavation of the remains of the large timber hall. Only the foundation trenches for the walls and post holes now survive, and these are being carefully excavated to try and understand the construction methods used and development of the building.

An iron knife blade found within a post hole of the timber hall

The excavation of the large boundary ditch is progressing well, with some sections now fully excavated and ready for recording.

The ditch continues to yield large quantities of animal bone and sherds of handmade pottery have now also been recovered.

Volunteer sitting holding a pottery fragment beside a plastic tray of pottery fragments — Volunteers continue to excavate the sections across the large boundary ditch (left) and (right)

volunteer standing inside excavated area with spade and bucket — Volunteers continue to excavate the sections across the large boundary ditch (left) and (right)

All the soil removed from all the archaeological features is sieved to make sure that all finds are recovered, and nothing is missed.

hand of a volunteer sieving through the soil — Sieving of the soil from the fill of the ditch

The continuing excavation of the metre squares of the rubbish dump has produced some more unusual finds including a fragment of decorated bone or antler.

group of volunteers excavating on site — excavation of the rubbish dump © Katie Everard/Suffolk County Council (left) and a fragment of decorated bone or antler (right)

piece of antler bone beside 1cm measuring square — excavation of the rubbish dump © Katie Everard/Suffolk County Council (left) and a fragment of decorated bone or antler (right)

We have also started finds processing, which involves a team of onsite volunteers washing, marking, and bagging up the finds ready for the post excavation process.

group of volunteers sitting around a table marking animal bone fragments — Animal bone being marked by volunteers with its unique context numbers, so that we know exactly where on site it is from (left) and (right)

collection of animal bone fragments placed neatly on a tray — Animal bone being marked by volunteers with its unique context numbers, so that we know exactly where on site it is from (left) and (right)

Group of visitors standing looking at the site — We also had a visit from several councillors, including Cllr Melanie Vigo Di Gallidoro (Deputy Cabinet Member for Protected Landscapes and Archaeology), Cllr John Cook (Mayor of Ipswich), Cllr Elizabeth Hughes (deputy Mayor of Ipswich), Ray Herring (District Cllr for Rendlesham and Orford), Victoria Proctor (representing the Rendlesham parish council) and Rachel McFarlane from the National Lottery Heritage fund

Next week we will continue excavating and recording the archaeology and so keep an eye out for more updates on our blog as the excavation progresses.

Find out more

Read about the Rendlesham Revealed project

Explore last year’s community fieldwork discoveries

Learn about the previous archaeological investigations since 2008

The volunteer spaces for this season are fully booked, however If you are interested in volunteering for the next season of fieldwork, you can join our e-newsletter mailing list to receive updates.

This fieldwork is part of the community archaeology project Rendlesham Revealed: Anglo-Saxon Life in South-East Suffolk, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. We are very grateful to our many local and national partners who have made this project possible, and for the support of our volunteers and of the landowners and farmers who work and manage this historic landscape.

If you want to get involved with the Rendlesham Revealed project and future fieldwork, you can sign up to our e-newsletter for updates.