I was intrigued to see a new episode of “Time Team” from series 20 on New Zealand television excavating on Salisbury Plain, known locally by the squaddies as The Place God Forgot. In the middle of the plain was a mound surrounded by trees and known as “Barrow Clump”.
Excavations at Barrow Clump
This brought back memories of my military service when I was posted to 10 Field Workshops with the 13/18 Hussars to work on their Chieftain tanks. We were based on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain.
This last season of Time Team no longer has Mick Aston (God bless him) or many of the long-serving regulars. Tony Robinson, Phil Harding, Raksha Dave, John Gater (geophysicist) and Jackie McKinley (bone specialist) were there and also Helen Geake who was the Saxon specialist. They had come to help The Rifles Archaeology team with a special project called “Operation Nightingale”. This military project was designed to help rehabilitate wounded and shell shocked soldiers from Afghanistan. They worked alongside serving soldiers and the Military archaeology team. Time Team arrived to continue the excavation with them for 3 days.
Barrow Clump was originally a Bronze-age burial mound sticking out of the plain and had then been used later by the Saxons to bury their own dead. It was dated to be around 2000years BC. The Saxons deliberately chose ancient places to bury their dead. There had been many finds including shield bosses, spear heads, knives and jewellery, and 25 skeletons had been unearthed before Time Team arrived.
This last season of Time Team no longer has Mick Aston (God bless him) or many of the long-serving regulars. Tony Robinson, Phil Harding, Raksha Dave, John Gater (geophysicist) and Jackie McKinley (bone specialist) were there and also Helen Geake who was the Saxon specialist. They had come to help The Rifles Archaeology team with a special project called “Operation Nightingale”. This military project was designed to help rehabilitate wounded and shell shocked soldiers from Afghanistan. They worked alongside serving soldiers and the Military archaeology team. Time Team arrived to continue the excavation with them for 3 days.
Barrow Clump was originally a Bronze-age burial mound sticking out of the plain and had then been used later by the Saxons to bury their own dead. It was dated to be around 2000years BC. The Saxons deliberately chose ancient places to bury their dead. There had been many finds including shield bosses, spear heads, knives and jewellery, and 25 skeletons had been unearthed before Time Team arrived.
A Saxon shield boss
The Mound was 95 metres round and was a cemetery for Saxon warriors and their families. While Time Team were there, 7 more skeletons were found, the men having a shield covering their face with the boss facing upwards (the centrepiece to protect against weapon attack) Brooches, amber beads and a silver and bronze ring were found, all a sign of Saxon wealth.
Portable x-ray equipment that had been used in a war theatre in Afghanistan was used to look at artefacts that were covered in mud before cleaning them. It was found that the weapons buried with the skeletons were mainly in good condition; this was thought that the men hadn’t seen extensive fighting action, but wanted to be seen as warriors with their weapons beside them.
Portable x-ray equipment that had been used in a war theatre in Afghanistan was used to look at artefacts that were covered in mud before cleaning them. It was found that the weapons buried with the skeletons were mainly in good condition; this was thought that the men hadn’t seen extensive fighting action, but wanted to be seen as warriors with their weapons beside them.
A Saxon brooch
The first burial at the centre of the mound was dated by pottery around it to 2100BC.
This project to help rehabilitate the soldiers was found by all to be a life saving and life changer and helped to build their self esteem. They felt they were digging up the warriors of the past.
I think it was good to see damaged soldiers starting to live again, being helped by consummate professionals. Maybe Salisbury Plain will lose the name as the Place God Forgot!
Barry
This project to help rehabilitate the soldiers was found by all to be a life saving and life changer and helped to build their self esteem. They felt they were digging up the warriors of the past.
I think it was good to see damaged soldiers starting to live again, being helped by consummate professionals. Maybe Salisbury Plain will lose the name as the Place God Forgot!
Barry
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