"Oh! BY THE WAY"

                   

In my previous posts I have not mentioned the remains of a ploughshare which I retrieved from the relatively modern, c. 4-5 K? ; "Top Soil" of our excavated area. It is iron and now exists as what can only be described as layers of stratified FeO2. It also shows signs of having had fastenings provided via square headed nuts and bolts so it should not be difficult for an expert in such matters to provide a rough date of manufacture.

When I came across the plough blade my heart went out to the "farmer"of some four or five hundred? years ago who tried hard to cultivate his land, and failed; only to leave his last plough at the place where it succumbed to the horrendously aggressive demands of what was then his/her topsoil. 

Please view recently posted photographs and give particular attention to the top two horizons. The ploughshare was retrieved  from their interface!