Has anyone excavated at Vindolanda?

[Augustus Janus]

Participating in the dig would have been interesting as anything. You sound like you enjoyed it Robert.

Funny isn't it that as brutal as the Romans were they would not have accepted the murder of a young child in their camp hence the hiding of the body. I suppose paedophiles and psychos are not a new invention. To kill a child for some perverted reason probably would have brought swift execution.

Crucifying a child classed as an enemy was no problem though. There were quite extreme sides to Roman civilization. But the I think most societies were much the same in their day. The Romans were just highly successful as we all know.

[Kegluneq]

Participating in the dig would have been interesting as anything. You sound like you enjoyed it Robert.

It was hard work - being young-ish and willing I spent most of my time there mattocking, shovelling and wheelbarrow-ing large quantities of earth. Imagining myself as a Roman soldier with dolabra in hand helped, but then so did the fact that mattocking is enormously satisfying in its own right. :grin:

[Currahee Chris]

Participating in the dig would have been interesting as anything. You sound like you enjoyed it Robert.

It was hard work - being young-ish and willing I spent most of my time there mattocking, shovelling and wheelbarrow-ing large quantities of earth. Imagining myself as a Roman soldier with dolabra in hand helped, but then so did the fact that mattocking is enormously satisfying in its own right. :grin:

And that is what scares me as I am planning on volunteering quite a bit in 15-20 years when I retire. Im in good shape now so lets hope all my body parts stay in good working order over the next 20 years. hock:

[Kegluneq]

And that is what scares me as I am planning on volunteering quite a bit in 15-20 years when I retire. Im in good shape now so lets hope all my body parts stay in good working order over the next 20 years. hock:

Well, like I said they had all age ranges there, so don't worry. Any site that offers places for volunteers will have different types of work people can do - digging can involve anything from what I was doing (heavy earth moving) to very light work equivalent to gardening (delicate trowelling). If that's too much, there's also finds washing (scrubbing at bits of bone and pot - also oddly satisfying). Sites like Vindolanda depend on volunteers not only for labour but also simply to stay afloat. If you dig there you are a paying customer after all!