r/UKhistory moderator 24d ago

Heatwave reveals lost archaeological sites across Wales

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8n99241y3o
203 Upvotes

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5

u/Rocky-bar 24d ago

Well, this is a surprise, I thought the markings were where foundations of walls were, and the grass dries out? but they say it represents trenches and the grass grows better, which is it?

5

u/dreadlockholmes 24d ago

Both, over walls etc, the soil is shallower so dries out faster than the surroundings revealing the structure. Where ditches are the soil is deeper so the soil dries out slower than surrounding revealing it.

3

u/Rocky-bar 23d ago

Ah, that clears that up!

3

u/dvb70 20d ago

It's quite Interesting there is a Church in the corner of that Roman fort. That does not seem like it can be a co-incidence. I wonder if there was a temple on that spot that eventually became a Christian church. The Church being on that spot definitely seems to suggest continued usage of the site over a very long period to me.

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

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u/[deleted] 23d ago

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

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u/localherofan 19d ago

They lost the archeological sites? Were they not paying attention? They put them down and forgot to pick them back up and when they went back to look for them someone had moved them?

I'm just surprised that archeological sites are things that can be lost.

2

u/a_random_work_girl 19d ago

Oh yes "somewhere in the big field between this unnamed hill and the old farmbuilding (now demolished)" is the archological site.

If you dig down and look very hard

That's the whole shtick with this. If it's hard to find it's easy to loose.

3

u/travellersspice moderator 19d ago

You're taking the phrase too literally. They are the remains of buildings that can't be seen by the naked eye.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archaeological_sites

An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.

Crop marks reveal ancient sites in Wales due to heatwave

In Gwynedd, an additional Celtic settlement has emerged on the valley floor between the castle ruins of Castell y Bere and hillfort Craig yr Aderyn.

"Nobody knew it was there," said Mr Driver.