It has been a cold and very windy week, with frequent heavy showers. So it has not only restricted time on site but also been difficult to keep warm. Where the archaeologists are mainly in the relative shelter of the trenches, I am usually more exposed and also static while working – and therefore feel the chill sooner. This leads to speedy work, like this watercolour painted in a matter of minutes, and the following hasty sketches.
They are dismantling some hearths in one of the structures. This in itself is happening very fast (for archaeology). But the body language is great.
To utilise my time here I have been indoors on my iPad reviewing the collection of work to date, by making visual notes of related images, and seeing where there are gaps that need filling. Please note, this is not the same as having a plan, but more a reflection of how things might develop, recognising connections and the potential flow of a future film. With that under my belt I can visit certain parts of the site to see what invites to be drawn or painted, in the way of archaeological activity.
Occasionally so much time is spent indoors that a brief visit is required on site to maintain my daily drawing journal, and in this case it had to be done in the rain…
I live in hope of less rain and wind next week, if not a rise in temperature…
