About the site: The team of Bachelor’s and Master’s students of the Department of Archeology in Uppsala University Campus Gotland is currently working on an excavation project in Buttle, Gotland. In this area there have been several previous excavations and a multiple of archaeological finds have come to light, mainly grave mounds, house foundations and a set of large picture stones. This time around, the project takes place on what appears to be an Iron Age graveyard field. There are different 4 trenches being excavated by different groups of students, under the supervision of the course’s supervisor.
Today’s work: Wednesday was quiet with a slow and steady pace for all groups. The trenches are being dug level by level, exposing more and more stones with each passing day. In trench 56 there are now 18 contexts; there seems to be a small stone setting in the north-east section, possibly indicating the limit point of the northern section. The group is trying to estimate whether or not there is a pattern in this small stone setting. Today’s finds include modern bird bones and a mouse jaw bone.
In trench 57 there are no new contexts today and the group is now moving into the stone setting. Today’s finds include a relatively large metal (iron) plate piece (around 20 cm long), a small modern bell, and another small fragment of modern porcelain ware.
Trench 58 and 59 gave no special surprises either. The group of trench 58 worked with the same contexts on a new level and proceeded with rock removal and 3D photo shooting, while they also found a rather particular looking stone.
The group of trench 59 also worked on evening out the upper level and came up with what seems to be a well polished whetstone. Other than that, there seems to be a possible small circular patterned stone setting.
Time will tell if it means anything.
Themistoklis – Austin
Group 2
Järnåldersboplatsen och gravfältet i Buttle, Gotland 