Solo
It was a damp day forecast so decided time would be best served underground so got my stuff together and set off for HR. my plan to clean and record a stratigraphic section in the passage beyond Trick or Treat just before the current dig location(s). arrived at the farm, changed quickly and walked up to the cave. Opened the gate and ventured into the passages below.
Once beyond Trick or Treat laid out my kit, decided on a suitable stratigraphic section (NW facing) and proceeded to clean and tidy the section prior to recording. While cleaning the loose sediment from the ‘floor’ of the passage I spotted something of interest, a small object that appeared to look like a ‘bone’ and indeed it was. How good was that!
When my excitement died down, I took some photographs of the cleaned section and then drew the section. The drawing looks okay but I might also annotate one of the images in ‘Noteshelf’ to get a better idea of the colours and finer layering.
Once the recording was done, I decided to take a closer look at the dig face(s). It was during the closer scrutiny that I noticed some more fragmentary faunal remains low down in the sediment, amongst fractured calcite flowstone, the sediment in this location is slightly silty sand. Some of the bone fragments are covered with a layer of calcite and all are ‘fossilised’. Among the fragments a partial vertebra was seen but not identified to species. It is possible that more faunal remains are still to be found but the area requires quite a bit of tidying up before a proper investigation can proceed. There is a significant overburden of sediment, c.0.7m thickness, that requires removal beforehand. The ‘bone’ area can be covered over while excavation takes place.
Well, I’m dumbfounded really, it’s been years since finding any faunal remains in HR, Brockers goes to the front, makes a comment, and what do you get!
On the way back home dropped into the Wessex Cave Club hut where I spoke to JC and collected 3no. 25 litre drums, ideal for making digging skips. It’s good to know that some of Mendip’s caving clubs still cater for and support digging! Back at home the drums were duly converted to skips ready for use to destruction in HR.