By Bernie Bell.

We missed last year’s dig and were prepared to see some changes on the site, and there have been!  Areas which were underground have revealed structures, some with intriguing shapes such as the ‘U’ cells. 

I’m getting ahead of myself – we drove down to Windwick Bay and carefully approached the site along a track which is very uppy-downy.  

First view of the dig

stones on a raised area

And then, turning round to overlook the Bay

two tents and some of the excavation site with the Windwick Bay in the distance

We were given a very informative tour by Kevin who brought the place to life as only a true enthusiast can!

The Broch  interior, with busy diggers

the interior of the broch with individual cells and some archaeologists

Central to the Broch is a holey stone – a stone with a hole, which aligns with the souterrain

upright stones separating the cells within the broch with archaeologists working

Which I’ve written of previously…..

http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=17192

Carrying on round the edge of the site, we see a wonderful example of walling – I’m going to say it – a Wonder-wall

curved outside wall

And then…one of the ‘U’ cells

curved internal walls

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=695360400126299&set=gm.1053604712970832&idorvanity=398769848454325

Judy, the lass in the green T-shirt, was working on un-earthing a couple of pot-rims and a fragment of pot and was kind enough to help me out with some close-ups

including Judy’s trowel – a vital element of any dig!

small trowel on stone beside the piece being excavated

This is where the archaeology becomes real – pot rims, in situ for the last two thousand years – right there, being un-earthed.

 More Periwinkles!

floor of structure with large pile of tiny shells

Which I’ve also written of previously…

http://www.spanglefish.com/berniesblog/blog.asp?blogid=16370

And, from this angle, an even better view of the souterrain and the holey stone from the opposite direction  – where it’s even easier to picture an alignment with the sun over the sea

interior of broch walls with large stone channel

And finally – this work can’t be done without funding – so Mike slipped some dosh in the donations bucket

large tub for donations

And then to round off a wonder-full morning – we went to the recently re-opened Relic Café at The Fossil & Heritage Centre

interior of cafe with people sitting at tables

It was good to be back there, eating yummy grub again

plat of pasta and man sitting looking at his filled roll and coffee

I intend to work my way through the menu.


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2 responses to “The Cairns – Windwick – 2025”

  1. berniebell1955 Avatar
    berniebell1955

    OOOOPS! It should read that the work CAN’T be done without funding! Mae culpa!

  2. […] The whalebone vessel and deer antler deposit where the elderly woman’s jawbone was found in 2016. (Pic: UHI Archaeology Institute) The Cairns – Windwick – 2025 […]

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