Since 1994 SCEP has been providing training opportunities for post- and under-graduate students, as well as experience for amateurs. Students and volunteers have come from Australia, Britain, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the USA.

People who can contribute one or more days regularly each week have formed the backbone of the project. They also have the advantage of seeing through all stages of the work. Those who can only participate over a block of time work according to the season or project priorites of the moment.

If you are involved in excavation or test pitting you will be taught how to do scale drawing as well as digging. Over much of the year geophysical survey is our very effective means for identifying  ancient settlements, buildings and land divisions. Your body and clothing will need to be free of metal to use the magnetometer. Occasionally we still do fieldwalking and recording of earthworks using a plane table and electronic distance meter.

The typical finds of pottery, bone, flint and other stone objects all have to be washed, recorded and analysed. In addition we collect soil samples from test pits and excavation trenches which are put through a flotation process to extract environmental evidence, including charred wood and seeds and molluscs. This information helps us to reconstruct past modes of subsistence and the character of the vegetated landscape.

Last updated: 4th November 2008 (R.Tabor)

What’s coming up in 2008

1)   Geophysical survey in Sutton Montis on Tuesdays. Meet at Home Farm unless otherwise arranged.

2)   Post excavation work. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at Home Farm.

3)   Excavations: Crissells Green, South Cadbury   -   8th to 19th September 2008

                         Liberty Moor, Huntspill   -   Awaiting permission from Natural England

Volunteers page

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