5000 Tons of Stone (Hamsterley, County Durham) | S15E11 | Time Team

[@BarGardenEat]

Please, don't ever stop making these episodes...thank you Time Team for helping me shut off the noise of my day whilst taking me to a place of wonder and exploration.

[@richhughes7450]

They stopped filming years ago. I have watched most of them and it still fascinates me to watch re runs now n then. They were digging sites of interest for years but only ever found 1 gold coin in a moat of an Old castle type building.

[@gubjorggisladottir3525]

To get new episodes become a patreon for time team.

[@emilyflotilla931]

​@gubjorggisladottir3525 Yes! Proud Paetreon since the inception! I'm loving the new series. Different without Tony, and the old regulars, but several still remain, and the new technology is an added benefit.

[@benediktmorak4409]

@@emilyflotilla931 but SIR Tony robinson is back. For sure a little bit mellowed with age. but only a little bit. And that is good so.

[@Talamasca124]

I’ve watched so many of these, the cookies on my computer turned into biscuits.

[@froggleggers1805]

Yes, me too, when I first discovered them I watched their videos for three weeks! lol

[@PaperKiller79]

Mine turned into scones 😄

[@erikasantoshafitness348]

I know. Me too. What do you watch when you’ve seen all of them?

[@bluebirdflyinglow]

So what; it is a wonderful distraction!

[@Talamasca124]

@@bluebirdflyinglow Books are a wonderful distraction as well. Perhaps you could find one on developing a sense of humor.

[@Loafinbaker]

Emma Tatlow was fantastic in this! I love her enthusiasm for dirt. :)

[@NoahMiller-gr9ul]

I'm 54 now and have had a book "The Great Bow" since childhood. I've loved the pen illustrations in it forever and now I'm watching the TT artist drawing in such a familiar way. You all said "Victor" so I dug out my book. Illustrations by Victor Ambrus. I am just so excited by this connection. Thank you all, Time Team.

[@LoungeCorp]

I have watched time team on TV and i watch it on youtube too. I never get tired of watching it. Through the years i have watched the seasons several times. I love the team!

[@williamsiebert4473]

Phill Harding is always something terrific and endurably exciting.

[@williamsiebert4473]

Great is the way of the Shovel.

[@froggleggers1805]

I love his personality as well.

[@2Travelis2Live]

I am not ashamed to say that I have a bit of a crush on him. Not sure exactly why. I suppose I'd like to have a cuppa with him and talk Iron Age history.

[@serenagrisdale6969]

I love Phil and Katie those two are such funny kids who laugh out loud together

[@marty9376]

The professor really knows his stuff

[@serenagrisdale6969]

It is always amazing to me how much the time team can discover with digging trenches in three days! A lot of talented people here!

[@Yvolve]

If the Patreons can bring this show back, I really hope they'll use all those digital models and make a VR version where you can walk around the dig site. That would be amazing. Make it interactive, where you can "find" all the finds from the episode in their original locations. That would be the greatest history lesson in the world!

[@sanctionh2993]

I'd really like it to just be like pre-season 20. No special effects. Just archeology, the discussions, the digging. I think it's what we all most enjoy.

[@notpublic7149]

Second on CG. Also, Ambrose sketching, I hope he's still available and interested in the project. The last couple seasons where TT went another direction - missed the wonderful artwork.

[@Tiger89Lilly]

@@notpublic7149 he's dead unfortunately. He died quiet a long time ago now. But it would be fascinating to get another fine artist to do pencil, paint and ink drawings

[@malcy34]

@@Tiger89Lilly not that long ago...10 February 2021

[@adriancarter2863]

@@notpublic7149 Sadly Victor Ambrose died a few weeks ago. RIP 🪦.

[@margiecosgrove4657]

Please come back Time Team! A talented team - educational, entertaining. That's a rare find on its own!

[@fingersTitan]

Time Team drinking game.... Tony- "Find out tomorrow" / "Giofizz Results" Mick- "Temple/Monastery" / "A series of small trenches" Phil- *Flint excitement / *Randomly mocking Tony Francis- "Ritual burning" / *Says it's one thing for it to be something else. Stewart- "Well, I don't think so." John- "A series of anomalies" ** This is just a throw together.. If the regs want to add or change. Post and I'll edit it for Sunday.. Did you get your 2 bottles Ian ??? lolol

[@nikolailucyk]

Background geology negatively affecting the geophysics results - down your drink

[@nikolailucyk]

Day 1 Down your drink Day 2 Down your drink Day 3 Down your drink

[@Brinta3]

Carenza- thaaa (there)

[@stevenhale2935]

Ahhhh that's why i was getting the wine in today, cheers titan!!

[@stevenhale2935]

Don't think Guy is in this one but for future reference can we add Guy getting into a heated argument and refusing to back down?

[@CodonQuixote]

I don't know who I am, I don’t know why I'm here, All I know is that I must watch every Time Team episode ever made.

[@Stevenchefjones]

Enjoy. There are some amazing ones even some in America.

[@juliechi6166]

You may find yourself by doing so!!

[@Darfox78]

Same

[@richardpaxford5792]

Good luck, they do find quite a lot of porcelain on some digs! 😉

[@oldsgamer72cutlass19]

I'm quite perplexed as I just recently found the show Time Team thinking it was not that old of a show. Some of the cast I've developed a almost heroic and intricate weaving in as a constant personality of the show and find they have passed on (Mick Aston). I do love Tony as kind of the leader of the show and Phil is the one personality I've grown to love most and can relate to. Living in the US and thanks to KZbin I am bing watching every episode that pops as if it's a new show daily. I'm an American fan of Time Team for life. Thanks all for the show.

[@debbiemoffat7723]

My mother was born in Darlington County Durham and I love watching time team. It gives me an idea of the county that my mum lived and grew up in.

[@RamblinJer]

Phil with his hat and Mick in his sweater 😁

[@badgerbadger7991]

Really glad you’re uploading these later eps! Thank you!!

[@Roshwood477]

Parts of my father's family have lived in the USA since the mid-1600's, but their roots trace back to Hamsterley, County Durham. How fun it has been to get a glimpse of where his people come from.

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

I love the elderly gentleman. I wished I had a teacher like him. When ever he interviews one girl or an other he asks all these enlightening questions that are a wonderful tool he uses. Only a real expert can convey his ideas as he can very deep questions arise.

[@GordonjSmith1]

I found this site as challenging as the archaeologists apparently do. If it was a round house enclosure, who exactly encouraged so many people to build it? I remain unconvinced that the history of this site has yet been 'discovered', but is that not the wonderful thing about this series? - It shows the issues in revealing our past. Wonderful!

[@UPTHETOWN]

Agreed, how did one family persuade so many people to build it for them? Where are there examples of similar structures? Rectangles and the Iron Age? Just doesn't feel right

[@daneaxe6465]

@@UPTHETOWN As I was watching a vision of Amish barn raising came to mind. A bunch of like minded individuals coming together to build something for one of their clan. "Many hands make for light work"-- old Dutch or German saying.

[@fion1flatout]

I think it was a reservoir... water storage. Look at the position in the landscape. Also, Emma the environmental scientist practically told them it was a reservoir I did a mountain bike race or two at Hamsterley, I remember that wall

[@206stonner]

The site looks like what a bunch Americans in the 17th century would build when they heard the British were coming. Could it of been made by the Brits when they heard the Franks were coming.

[@DW-dd4iw]

This is one of my favourite episodes. What an enigma!

[@Stonewall1861]

I just love this stuff. Thank you Time Team for all your very hard work. I always wanted to do this kind of work for long time.

[@jaytay8637]

Great to have something to look forward to, T.T have saved my sanity many a time.

[@ltlbuddha]

I cannot say they've saved my sanity, but they do calm the madness...

[@ametrinefirepayne1219]

Having just dug a 3" by 2" cairn for my 16 year old cat. Lined it and covered it with burn stones. I have a great more respect for the original builders and those poor diggers having to move so much stone about.

[@toomanyopinions8353]

What a way to confuse future archeologists

[@YvonneWatson-ff5ex]

I hope in the future someone will come along and find your cairn and realize how much you loved your cat to do that for her❤️

[@JonFrumTheFirst]

Years ago I visited relatives in Sweden and saw my grandmother's childhood home. Around it on at least two sides is a stone wall that's 2 meters in some places, , and 1-2 meters wide. I was told that all the stones were taken out of the ground to allow farming. I don't know how old the wall is, but my grandmother was born in 1886. It looked like a huge effort, but one that a small team of men could have done over a short period of time. This wall isn't THAT much bigger.

[@cameleonfleuri]

Well, the wall they found is 5 meters thick, which is 2.5 to 5 times bigger than the wall of your grandma!

[@LTPottenger]

more like 10x the total material per foot of length. And way more length. And probably bigger stones. Probably still done by a small community over time, though.

[@kate-mm2bi]

huh, earlier on I had thought 'enclosures' for cattle/etc. A time machine would come in so handy right now :-) I hope to see more and more as i wish I was capable of digging with them. I didn't know there were so many specialized experts in this or that.We are all learning so much aren't we? Brilliant!

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Yeh those "dumb" ancient people who supposedly can't move large rocks, have today's experts stumped on a simple ring shaped feature that didn't require large machines to build.

[@anonymous-rj6ok]

Any other example of a livestock enclosure with 5 meter thick walls and containing 5000 tonnes of stone? I think they got this one wrong.

[@kate-mm2bi]

@@anonymous-rj6ok that is a good point! They usually look to other sites here and there to see if this is a common thing that was done. I can't remember if they did this in this dig to compare sites? That would be pretty excessive as it doesn't usually take this much to keep cattle corralled. thanks

[@johnwillis9511]

Great to have a dig close to home. TT have been everywhere man😀

[@gailhowes9398]

To me I have a hard time to think if this was a farmstead, the amount of stones to make an enclosure would have taken years and years for it to finished ! I can’t even envision the small number of individuals even doing this let alone the Time Team having to dig and scrape to expose what might be there! Amazing!

[@Debbie-henri]

Likely the enclosure would have originally been wooden, sections replaced by stone over time. A long time. I believe Mick when he suggested there probably wasn't any more than an extended family living within those walls, and I doubt that lots of people would come from the land around to build such substantial stone walls for one family. What would be their incentive? Life was tough enough without volunteering your services to help your neighbours, and objects of value would be in short supply, so I doubt there would be any good method of payment for hiring so many workers. So, it has to be the work of that one extended family. And if it would take 1 man 100 years to build it, it's still going to take 10 years for 10 men to build it. I think that would be really stretching the limit of supportable people within that complex - because that's not including all the women who also live there and were already busy enough with children, cooking, making clothes, gathering plants, etc to be fussing about with walls. So it would have had to have been a very long term project to build that wall by a few men in that family, and if it was so necessary (obviously to deter predatory animals as well as any venturesome humans) they must have had some temporary barricade in place first. A wooden wall is the most likely answer.

[@davidrasch3082]

Time Team is the proper corrective to the television and movie imagineering of these ages and what they mean.

[@HollyMoore-wo2mh]

I would love to see a map of the whole island - layer by layer - of the different digs and finds y’all have done ie; Iron Age, Roman etc.

[@blueviper181]

One of the best educational programmes on UK tv

[@victoriahhigman9611]

Thanks

[@MuZeSiCk77]

I think I might know what this is all about. I'm From The Netherlands and i recognise this as an early example of things we have and have found in the Netherlands during the revolt agains the Spanish oppression. We call it a "Schans"(gutteral pronounciation). It was used as a refuge for people who were out in the fields or traveling, on the roads ,and things like that. Knowing there were 'troubles' in the area but did not have the time to get at a real fortification. So they'd flee to a schans. And as of the looks of this one you found it must be old. And that would be the best explaination for the reasons you did not find any datable evindence because the people were on the run/move. And they would not have many possions on them. And if they would, It would be the things they needed beeing on the move. Like sheepherders. Thats why the wall is that thick. The rule of thumb was, that you wouldn't attack the schans and would only approach it when in need. The people sheltered-up there would trade something of food and things like that, to satisfy the 'passer-by'. And sometimes this schans woulde be attacked if the refugees could not give something. Thats why its considdreble thick walls but not that high. And thats why its easy acces because its for the herders and people that had not enough time to reach a settlement or fortifications. There is much more about the uses we had them for but in the UK it must have gotten out of fashion quick. because in The Netherlands they became pretty elaborate. And were build like a miniature star-fortifications sometimes. Just a thought.....? Excuse my bad English...--------------------------------------------------------------- Update: A Google link in Dutch but with pictures for example: Boerenschans (Farmers fortifiacation). Schans came from the old Dutch: Verschansen. To fortify/To hide. www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&sxsrf=ALeKk00NbZm9FgrhUkVBJcUbByD0TdXKvg:1612745279283&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=boerenschans&client=firefox-b-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp_O-riNnuAhURP-wKHeqXDl4QjJkEegQIAxAB

[@jaytay8637]

Thanks for this, but would the walls really be that massive ? Sounds more like what Brochs were used for here.

[@MuZeSiCk77]

@@jaytay8637 You did not look-up the link I provided!! Look at the google link. There you can see the examples from Flemmish and Dutch places where they are found and in most cases still in use!! There are walls 5m thick but also the gate's will compare to what they found. There are rectangles and star formations but always massive thick walls. From Brick or earth/clay, enz..enz.. I'm not guessing sir, it is actual fact, with pictures and drawings! If you'd just look-up the link, you would not ask this question!! Or compare it to Brochs!!!! The fact that you are compairing my explaination to a Broch, shows you didn't see the pictures from the link. If you would have seen it you would see that those walls here, are 5m thick and sometimes thicker at the base. With gates like barndoors and gates like a drawbridge. Go and see. Sometimes there are little villages still in and around those Schans'ses. Some places are still called "Schans- " where people are still living.------------------------------------ Update: Those pictures show that its almost the same as they found with time-team. Otherwise I would not recognise it as a schans. -And, a schans is not for permanent use. It would be for the populous. Not the Lord or the most important person in the erea. Just the farmers and the herders. Nothing like a broch!! Some brochs have a little village build around it. This is not the form and function of a original schans. It was for hiding. Not for showing where you where with towers 10m+ high. But just like they found in this episode. Rectangle, thick walls, used for a long period, no datable finds in the area, signs of development from rebuilding or repairing, improving. A broch is thé fortification in that area. A schans is a small fortification for people who can not reach thé fortification in their area. So no... Nothing like a broch!!!

[@jaytay8637]

@@MuZeSiCk77Wow ! Thanks for all that but all I was positing was that it was made to be a 'safe place' ..like a Broch was, so we are in agreement then.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Interesting concept. The idea makes total sense especially if you're near a waterway, where an enemy can be upon you fairly quickly. Without fast communication for warnings it would buy you some time and protection. In a way the US military did something similar in Vietnam with smaller fortifications near the main one. Khe Sanh would be a classic example.

[@Tiger89Lilly]

Nice idea except its about 2000 years older than the war of the Spanish succession. As far as I am aware the English had nothing to do with that war (I think we were back on the French or the Irish or the Scots at the time). Also I don't think it looks anything like the ones in the link you provided. I think it was like they said near the end that is basically a farmstead. Life was pretty harsh in the iron age and sometimes you'd go and batter your neighbour because they look like they had better farmland than you. It's a brilliant site I love pre medieval digs. I am personally not a fan of roman digs though.

[@AaronWatson396]

Please bring time team back on out tv screens a very important tv show with a huge following.

[@ralphgeigner9545]

" Victor " and his art work will be missed ! I often wish that his art was available to purchase.

[@staceydimig478]

I loved his illustrations and artwork too. Think he has books out. Just Google his name.

[@ralphgeigner9545]

@@staceydimig478 Hello, Thank you for the information, I'll check it out, his art work of Roman soldiers and other warriors was excellent.

[@staceydimig478]

@@ralphgeigner9545 You are so welcome. Think in a comment of one of the episodes within the last couple weeks TimeTeam also said something about selling his illustrations hopefully soon. I'll see if I can find the episode.

[@staceydimig478]

It's under a Neolithic Cathedral? episode. Think it was right before this episode. Apparently time team has a website. But I'm not sure what's on it.

[@jennymay4720]

@@staceydimig478 I love Victors art work it is so brilliant, he brings the archaology to life

[@dianejohnston3733]

When looking at buildings and doorways - is the direction of the prevailing wind taken into account?

[@TermiteUSA]

They've mention prevailing wind and southern exposure on many episodes when it applied.

[@krumble104]

You gotta love Emma the soil munching brummie, it’s always fun when she makes an appearance.

[@tonyalanmarchant7330]

Micks a Midlands.brummie ish

[@jswhosoever4533]

Just the opposite...it turned my stomach watching her chew that chunk of mud...looked like a piece of shit

[@tankgirl2074]

@@jswhosoever4533 lol Another archy trick: how can you tell a piece of bone from a stone that looks and feels the same? Touch it to your tongue. If it sticks, it is bone. Archy's are a tough bunch. :)

[@johnsowerby7182]

There's a geology trick there. You can tell silt from clay, as silt feels gritty on the teeth

[@TerenceStigers]

@@tankgirl2074 Archaeologist here. That's also the way we can differentiate between porcelain and whiteware. In the field and the lab.

[@sarahholloway7393]

It’s lovely to see this episode again .

[@davemonster2]

Can't wait!

[@notpublic7149]

This has always been one of my favourites. One of the things I love most about rewatching these is that I some ended up where the "castle" is indeed a sheep pin or .. a castle put up in the 19th century to show off for house guests. In my memory, these are mixed a bit. A rewatch unravels the mystery, which is extremely enjoyable. Cheers guys. Happy to support you in Patreon as well.

[@judeirwin2222]

sheep pen.

[@pfp0854]

Great episode. Thoroughly enjoyable!

[@razz0rric106]

I used to watch Time Team with my kids in the 90's

[@davekinghorn9567]

The building materials of older sites like this often get pilfered through the ages to build newer structures elsewhere without having to cut new stones from raw materials. That massive amount of stone would take scores of people cutting rock and hauling them to the structure over a considerable length of time. Locating the quarry would likely yield broken pieces of stone cutting tools that could be used to date the finished stones. But also, permanent inhabitation over a long length of time would naturally generate dead bodies. Would they not be buried nearby? Their burials could yield trinkets which could also date the site. 3 days is just not enough time.

[@faithlesshound5621]

Many of the ancient Britons cremated their dead. Mesolithic people exposed dead bodies for months before burying what little was left. Before that they were cannibals.

[@willynilly7]

Slap bang in line is my new favorite phrase

[@King-balloon]

Loved this show started my life long love of history

[@donnamealy4877]

I would love to have had a class by Mick. What a treasure

[@kevinmccarthy8746]

All the questions the older guy ask are so to the point. Just the way he asks a question it is so enlightening to me.

[@barbaraburton8914]

Mick. This show was his idea. He was wonderful. I was heartbroken when he died. And I didn't start watching until Covid hit. The people are what made this show such a hit. IMO.❤

[@townview5322]

28:44 How many jumpers are Tony and Mick wearing?

[@Digginjim]

Would have joined for the chat but had to put my eldest to bed! I remember the farmers collie becoming very fond of me... odd site this one.

[@grantsharkey783]

10k views in 5 hrs...says it all cmon gotta be a production company taking note??!!! New series please with as much of original cast as possible pls

[@creativebobbo]

I wish britbox would pick this series up.

[@Tiger89Lilly]

They're producing it themselves. You can go and donate to patreon (if you can. Times are very very hard at the mo) but they do keep putting polls etc out. I hope Tony come back

[@Tiger89Lilly]

@Richard Harrold oh I love Phil I really really hope he comes back

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks so much for posting.

[@newwavepop]

i love this show so much and just 2 or 3 months ago i never knew it existed. but now i get to watch it and for an hour i feel cleansed of the awful reality shows that clog up the TV these days. does no one any more desire knowledge or seek their origins, rather than reveling in the glory of watching moronic dram between classless people.

[@oldsgamer72cutlass19]

Isn't it really fascinating how this show still looks made today? I too just found it and had no idea it was an older show.

[@steventhomas8514]

These are the only youtube videos where i let the ads play fully weather that helps with the monetisation or not, get them all money they need to restart the show.

[@AnotherWittyUsername.]

OMG I turn my adblock off too!

[@carmineredd1198]

they had their chance and Phils fingernails made many sick themselves likely he never bathe either

[@Cooper_42]

@@carmineredd1198 Phil plays finger style guitar which is why he keeps his nails long. Try not to be a git.

[@cleot151]

Such cool structures built by people so long ago who used what they found around them. Brilliant!

[@Happyheretic2308]

Long ago people weren’t stupid.

[@MrTValleyguy]

Tony had an incredible amount of energy.

[@tgbluewolf]

1:18 As an American, I've watched so many of these and gotten so used to the various British accents that it was actually weird hearing the American-sounding finds liaison officer. 😂

[@davidhudson7590]

Best on TV ever classic history ❤

[@fliconmigo]

Oh my!! What have i found KZbining tonight!!! 👍👍👍

[@landsnailproject2875]

Interesting site, one thing not mentioned is where did the stones come from? were they quarried locally or brought in.

[@timofthomas]

Saw a comment on another site - relating to the livestock and the prevailing wind direction - no mention of that in the dig - does anyone there at the time recall if it was discussed?

[@EmilyBattersby]

@Time Team Classics Which episode do Stward get his hat with the GPS in it?

[@fordcapri6288]

For those saying where did all the stone come from, consider there are no less than 7 castles in a few miles radius from this site

[@Ionabrodie69]

OMG .. I can’t believe I just stumbled across this.. I live in Hamsterley , my husband was born and bred here… 😂 We regularly walk that route.. Unfortunately they picked the wrong site.. we have Templar connections in a house 10 minutes walk from there.. and a 12th Century Church.. 😊

[@pwimbledon]

I still think it's a bit of an enigma. 5 metre wide - 3 metre tall walls for a farmstead? Something which would have taken a family grouping years or decades to build. I don't think they really added much clarity of this one. It's a shame there wasn't any dating evidence.

[@stevenhale2935]

Yes it makes me wonder whether they started with a thin wall and just added to it over decades or even centuries of the community being there. Like you say, dating evidence would have shone so much light on this, it's a shame a lot of stuff from this period is so ephemeral

[@jennymay4720]

@@stevenhale2935 There are iron age walls just like this one in southern Portugal, used for defence, not even a rectangle.

[@123456wasp]

Those yellow flowers are really nice.

[@EL-wk2em]

Used to visit Hamsterley Forest as a child in early 1980’s. We used to go down to the river, picnic and wallow.

[@Andrew-qo6br]

IF you're just trying to keep livestock in, the size of the wall is like going rabbit hunting with a Howitzer.

[@anonymous-rj6ok]

Yes this makes no sense at all. They must be overlooking something. It's possible it got used for livestock at a later date but 5 meter thick walls and this tonnage of stone indicates an entirely different purpose.

[@jeremywilliams5107]

Something wolves couldn't jump over?

[@cameleonfleuri]

Yeah, must have had a défensive purpose!

[@margaretmcallister5422]

@@anonymous-rj6ok Possibly it was partly against the weather. My grandad shifted snow up near Hamsterley (using a horse-drawn plough!) and there could be snow drifts of 10 feet high in bad winters. The wind blows mostly from the west and brings hard weather down from the hills, while an east wind can be 'nithering' as we say, i.e. really bitter. Possibly it was a combination of defence from raiders and from the elements. Maybe folks lived elsewhere in the rest of the year but moved into shelter during the worst months - when they'd have fewer stock anyway because they'd slaughter any expendable ones (i.e. old or none-fertile beasts) if/when fodder might run short. Intriguing site.

[@louisahadley7082]

Are all of the Time Team episodes (apparently there are 200) available on KZbin?

[@LM-pm2ir]

Love Time Team

[@RKHageman]

Good old Francis! I love his episodes.

[@scottwoolner4698]

Great hunt that Gareth....some fantastic finds 👏

[@marilynmunro5838]

Tony is a brilliant presenter.

[@MickCampin-jp9kb]

I remember doing a survey on Studland Beach near Poole using the old fashioned method of front and back sighting.

[@molanlabexm15]

The sound of the trowels on the stone...

[@smontone]

I hadn’t seen this one. Very mysterious location. I wish they had found more; alas such is the way with archaeology.

[@catherinebranson8898]

God Bless the Professor

[@davidhudson7590]

Classic watched them loads n still learn stuff

[@pamelawherey4583]

Phenominal watch!!🌸👍🏼🌸

[@bobrussell3602]

Well, it's good that, while having some idea of what went on here, there is still mystery. If humankind ever reach a point where we know everything about everything, life will get pretty boring.

[@michaelstamper5875]

Given the area it's in, and its (relatively) close proximity to the old English/Scottish border, could it be some form of Pele Tower?

[@Jack-hy1zq]

This dig needed a traveller from the future to put everyone out of their misery.

[@azlandpilotcar4450]

I saw this episode long ago on BBC America. Interesting that Tony's casual speculation at the beginning that the structure might be a sheep pen turned out to be accurate.

[@lyrigageforge3259]

This enclosure reminds me about a base for a wooden castle. In Finland there are remains for over 100 castle hills - up on at least some of which there has been a wooden castle. And some of such seem to have had a stone base on which it would have been built. Those were used in late iron age - well same time than Vikings were about. But it would have been built on a very hard to climb a hill with an entrance on the easiest side. And usually it would have been located near a river - and there would have been warning fires on top of other hills down the river. As it was clearly different looking the viking boat when they were out pillaging and plundering - and when they were out to trade - given that they used different boat types for one and other. So it was pretty much possible to see if they were going to attack or want to trade and thus with warning fires - it was possible to tell people to send out alarm when an attack was pending for people and cattle to get to the wooden castle. Well it was generally against Vikings or Novgorodians. But yea - the wood on top of those a bit less 'squared' stone base-structures have by now obviously vanished and not all hills needed full enclosures being impossible to climb on some sides - and this thing makes me think of such a base for perhaps wooden walls that could have stood on top. All though I think it is particularly Finnish way of making castles prior to the medieval fully stone castles. As they aren't made on hand built hills and not really shaped like those Norman versions that where anyhow later, and temporary before stone structures.

[@deborahschroeder763]

Excellent video

[@barryhercules7588]

Another episode where my old boss Tony Wilmott gets a namecheck

[@stevenhale2935]

I heard the name but wondered what the deal was, who is he?

[@MontyCantsin5]

@@stevenhale2935: Did you watch the video? His job title is given at 8:14.

[@stevenhale2935]

@@MontyCantsin5 Thanks Monty! All the names confuse me but I'm with you now!

[@barryhercules7588]

@@stevenhale2935 Actually appears in the episode. I cant remember his specific job title but essentially he was the head field archaeologist for English Heritage in that area when I worked with him. He was famous for excavations at Birdoswald fort on Hadrian's Wall where they identified a Post Roman hall built into the fort which changed the understanding of how Roman structures and symbols of power were adopted by the new elites after the formal military pulled out. I think he's still working.

[@Shenare]

Wish they'd gotten more time for places like this one.

[@POET444]

bring back the show!

[@AnotherWittyUsername.]

They're fundraising to do just that! If you want to help you can go to their Patreon and make a donation.

[@StephanieElizabethMann]

I've been wondering if the enclosure was so robust because of the number of beasts held in it. The silty waste based sediments bear witness to some human and animal presence. I think the houses are for people to look after the animals seasonally. Even on some rotating roster. I think the permanent/semi or not would be nearby but up higher than the animal enclosure. As you said, animals are a valuable asset needing protection not only from raiders but also the elements. The height and thickness of the enclosure walls will have kept some of the ebb and flow of temperature changes over the night as colder and warmer air flowed up and down the hills. It's far enough away from the small valley to avoid the biggest temperature fluctuations and still have water nearby.

[@jjohnston8253]

As a geologist when I saw Emma take a bite ‘o core, I knew she was estimating whether it was silty or clay-rich. I chuckled when Tony gently asked her what she was doing

[@elizabethschaeffer9543]

Were the seeds at the bottom layer ever studied? What plants grew there?

[@mercedes523]

I’m so disappointed that Tony’s not coming back to the new show.

[@DuncanMcintyre-jk3qb]

He’s back 👍👍👍👍👍

[@williamhiller3988]

Leaves more questions than answers.

[@ivanolsen7966]

23:30 .... the NOW 'natural slope ' if this 4,000 years old .... that a lot of rain washing soils down the hill to the wall

[@sorenkazaren4659]

Anyone else ever watch Archaeologists and think to themselves “I want to make something really elaborate and dumb just for future people to find.” Like for example making a 10 foot stone wall to guard literally nothing. And I’ll die knowing someone somewhere in the future will see it and think “there must have been something important here.” 🤣

[@baldrickt.adder-slayer287]

It's a RITUAL!!!

[@the_rover1]

I once buried an unopened soda can next to a broken amulet, some lustre crystals, all that circled by stones in the middle of nowhere out of EXACTLY THAT reason lmao and I'm a student in historic archaeology.

[@BC-ui9yt]

@@baldrickt.adder-slayer287 My thought exactly!

[@richardsanchez5444]

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?????

[@richardsanchez5444]

Go a step further and write on something that won't rot,,,,"I hid the treasure next to th......."

[@deltadom33]

How would a few families in a homestead been able to build a massive wall that was five metres thick and what was it used for ? As they wouldn’t build something like that for fun? It is annoying that there is no pottery ? Was there any writings about the site? It would have to be a wealthy family for three families to have a massive wall almost fortress built for them for a farm

[@Tiger89Lilly]

You'd get your friends or neighbours to help. Promise if they help you'd marry your son to their daughter or something.

[@ellenl.5581]

There were constant maraders like we considered the indians in the old west. We ran to any fort there was. We would have been willing to help cut trees build whatever, living in a mud and wood building was not an option with Roman armies marching, Or Normans, Saxons or Vikings. And people had to eat. Whatever pottery would be buried, for 2 or 3 reasons. To hide evidence, add to wall thickness, wear the edges blunt and children could play with the pieces. As for my brothers they ate dirt from very small; never new why. Farmers they were being raised by farmers always tasted dirt. When I was a kid there were no labs to check the ingredients. They trained themselvesto taste different things: potassium, salt selinium and many other things. If you couldn't taste lime someone else could.

[@FredBlogs-j7j]

I wonder how far the stones in the wall would have had to be transported and if they are very local, or if they needed to be "mined/dug up". Could the position of the enclosure be due to a good supply of local stone. The "Guardroom" reminds me of brochs in Scotland where the hypothesis for similar structures is that dogs were kept there to provide very vocal warning in anyone tried to get in overnight, so in other words it is more kennel than guardroom. I also wonder where the water supply would have been, and why they didn't look for one. That could have been a good source for environmental evidence.

[@juliechi6166]

Francis Pryor! Love him.

[@LuisaD93]

Love Tony Robinson and Phil Harding 💕🌹😊

[@demonsorrows]

I think at 22:43 , he may have mistakenly referred to her Naomi. *shrug*

[@obscurazone]

Considering they didn't find much on this one, that was absolutely fascinating!

[@khamen723]

I purchased the Time Team book. I’ve watched these episodes a few dozen times… am I an expert?

[@almitrahopkins1873]

A new drinking game idea for you: Take a drink every time Phil says “slap-bang”. This episode may kill you though. I counted five in four minutes at one point in this episode.