28 May 2009

How long is that wall?


So we took off the upper layers of topsoil above the end of our very long wall, using the geomagnetic survey data from last year as a guide. Answer to the post's question: about 22.5m or 75 Roman feet. The picture shows the end of the wall to the left after the removal of topsoil.

25 May 2009

The Gang's All Here!


Start of the second season, and everyone has arrived safely!

Very hot here in Italy, with temperatures in the low 30s (upper 80s and low 90s for those in Fahrenheit-land), but some hope of a break on Wednesday. Of course they are predicting cool weather for the weekend too.

Good news: gas is much cheaper than last year and so is the euro (which has been on the rise in the past few weeks, so let's hope that stops). We also have internet in our office/lab/storeroom in Massa Martana. (Still searching for a title for this workspace; all suggestions gratefully accepted.)

Today we went to the site, shot some points on the handy-dandy Total Station very generously loaned to us by Bryn Mawr – and ably run by Bryn Mawr '10 Sophia Wolfenden. We also have begun to run into various friends we made last year.

Tomorrow, picks hit the ground!