Helo! Dydd Sadwrn, Tachwedd 5ed cynhaliwyd digwyddiad ‘Byw yn Wyrdd’ yn y T? Gwyrdd.

Bwriad ‘Byw yn Wyrdd’ yw cynnig syniadau hawdd a syml ar sut i arbed ynni ac ar yr un pryd arbed arian! O gerdded i’r ysgol, gosod plwg mewn sinc pan yn ymolchi, diffodd y golau pan yn gadael yr ystafell a llawer mwy. Mae hyn mor hawdd a syml!

Am ragor o syniadau syrffiwch draw i'r linc canlynol:: http://tiny.cc/w4iqr

Roedd gofyn i ymwelwyr 'Byw yn Wyrdd' ddewis un weithgaredd newydd sbon a chadw ati ar ôl dychwelyd adref.

Er mwyn gwneud yn siwr bod pawb yn cadw at eu haddewidion newydd roedd gofyn i bawb eu hysgrifennu ar ddeilen ac yna glynu’r ddeilen ar goeden ‘Byw yn Wyrdd!’

Cyn pen dim roedd y goeden yn llawn addewidion gwyrdd ac yn amrywio o gerdded i’r ysgol, i wisgo siwmper i gadw’n gynnes. Gwych!

Mae’n werth crybwyll bod ambell un wedi bachu ar y cyfle i droi’n wyrdd (yn llythrennol) wrth daflyd boa plu gwyrdd a sbectol sgleiniog T? Gwyrdd amdanynt! Am gyfnod roedd hi’n debycach i sesiwn swreal Strictly Come Dancing! Dwi’n amau mai dyna’r tro cyntaf i lechi caled llawr T? Gwyrdd weld camau y tango! Go dda!

Diolch yn fawr i bawb ddaeth draw….digwyddiad nesaf T? Gwyrdd yw ‘Nadolig Cynaliadwy’ ar Rhagfyr 3ydd. Cyngor ar sut i wneud eich Nadolig chi yn un gwyrdd a throi eich llaw at wneud eich haddurniadau eichhunan. Os oes ganddoch chi syniadau ar sut i ddathlu’r Nadolig mewn modd cynaliadwy – gallwch drydaru eich syniadau i’r cyfeiriad canlynol:

www.twitter.com/tygwyrdd

Diolch yn fawr,

T? Gwyrdd

Yn ystod y pythefnos diwethaf mae gwyddonwyr ifanc ar draws y DU wedi plannu saith mil o fylbiau er mwyn helpu ni ddeall newid yn yr hinsawdd!

Rwyf wedi cael llawer o adroddiadau gan athrawon yn dweud bod eu disgyblion yn edrych ymlaen at ddechrau cadw cofnodion tywydd i helpu gyda'r ymchwiliad hwn pwysig.

Hoffwn ddymuno pob un o'r disgyblion yn dda gyda'u gadw cofnodion ac dwi methu aros i weld y cofnodion tywydd cyntaf yn ymddangos ar ein tudalennau gwe ar dydd Gwener! Defnyddiwch y cysylltiadau canlynol i'ch helpu i gofnodi. Cadw cyfnodion tywydd a Beth i'w gofnodi a phryd.

Peidiwch ag anghofio i danfon unrhyw luniau sydd gennych i fi.

Cwestiwn yr wythnos: Hyd yn hyn mae'r hydref hwn wedi bod yn un cynnes iawn. Roedd yr mis Hydref yma yr wythfed cynhesaf yn y 100 mlynedd diwethaf! Ydych chi'n meddwl y bydd Tachwedd aros yn gynnes neu'n oer droi? Ydych chi'n meddwl y gallai eira? Pa dywydd hoffech i ni ei gael? Gadewch eich sylwadau isod.

Diolch

Athro'r Ardd

As mentioned in the previous post, the only way to advance the study of this large blocklift was to take x-rays of the excavated ‘features’, in order to get a better idea of the condition of the archaeological metals, and to see if there were objects beneath the ones excavated. For this to happen, the five features had to be separated and lifted in miniature blocklifts.

As readers can see by the first photograph which shows the whole soil block after the completion of micro-excavation, separating features was a difficult task: whilst feature 1 was a discrete item, easily removed from the rest of the block, I had to make certain executive decisions about breaking up the rest of the block. Where possible, I tried to divide the features from each other using the cracks that were already present in the block, or by cutting over and under overlapping features. Inevitably, some damage did occur to the peripheries of features during the lifting process.

The process of blocklifting was remarkably easy: effectively, I blocklifted these features in the same way that they were lifted on site, except that as I was working in a laboratory, I had the opportunity to use conservation-grade materials in a much more controlled environment.

To begin with, I had to stabilise the artefacts in preparation for a process which would jar them quite a lot. I first consolidated the exposed artefacts using a removable adhesive called Paraloid B72, and then added a layer of melted wax, called Cyclododecane, to provide a more intimate support. Handily, this layer will eventually sublime by itself.

I then wrapped features in Clingfilm, to act as a barrier layer between the archaeology and the rigid material I would use hold the block together. For this, I selected polyurethane foam (readers may have come across this whilst completing DIY projects; it is often used as an insulating filler), as it has a very low density, and will not interfere with the attainment of an image of the mineralized iron plate. Polyurethane is prepared by mixing two liquid components together, and could be poured around the covered feature, reaching all nooks and crannies. Walls of plastic card and clay had been built around the feature to enclose the polyurethane.

Once the polyurethane had hardened, I began to pedestal the feature being lifted, before undercutting it. The separated feature could be turned over, and large amounts of extraneous burial deposit removed, which would have otherwise interfered with x-raying the metal artefacts.

I repeated this process until all the features were lifted, and prepared for X-radiography.

After having managed to break the large soil block up into small enough blocks to get into the x-ray machine, I finally began the task of x-raying the archaeological artefacts.

For this, I had the chance to use the Museum’s newly acquired computerised radiography system. Here, instead of using the traditional wet-plate method requiring film and much time spent in a dark room, we use a phosphor plate which can be used around 1000 times. This plate is read by a scanner, and an image produced within about 45 seconds.

This new system has allowed us to capture so much more detail about the inside of the blocks and the condition of the armour than would ever have been possible using the traditional method. The x-ray records the density of materials at every point, and the software used to view the image allows for manipulation in much the same way as programs like Photoshop: we can zoom into areas of the image, adjust brightness and contrast, apply filters, invert the negative, etc. Thus far all of the features have been x-rayed, and the results have been astounding: I have included copies of the images, complete with annotations. It would appear that a lot more existed beneath the surface excavated than previously supposed.

I had hoped that the x-rays could be used as a guide for further excavation of the features and eventual extraction of the artefacts: however, the condition of the metal inside suggests almost complete mineralization of the iron, and cautions against this course of action. The most that can really happen with these soil blocks now is that they are extensively x-rayed, and stored safely in case of future research.

Aside from highlighting areas of interest on the x-rays, and explaining certain phenomenon, my role as conservator for this project has come to an end. Now, curators, archaeologists and specialists will have to identify objects in the x-rays, marry up these images with the photographic record of my excavation, and begin to tie this information into the narrative of the site overall.

This blog entry discusses the last area of the large soil block to be micro-excavated; feature ‘5’, located in the middle of the block. The position of the other ‘features’ (F1, F2, F3 and F4) in relation to this central one can be seen in the annotated photograph of feature 5, and plates with two identifiable edges have been outlined in various colours to guide the reader’s interpretation of this area. As with ‘feature 4’, feature 5 encompasses a large cluster of over-lapping iron plate, which have deteriorated significantly. In the centre is what looks like a shoulder plate (judging by the degree of curvature) lying on its side and seen in profile.

The third photograph show the back of the shoulder plate; you can clearly see how neat the corner of this plate is (despite the condition of the metal), and as with a plate in the previous entry, the corner of the plate looks rounded. Excitingly, a copper alloy rivets rests at the plate’s edge. Readers will have noticed that few copper artefacts or armour components have been recovered from the soil block assemblage overall- the armour (at least that which has been partially excavated) was efficiently stripped of copper fittings and pieces prior to deposition.

The fourth photograph illustrates the depth of the archaeology. Additionally, behind the main shoulder plate (outlined in yellow), is what I think is a second plate from the shoulder area of the cuirass (outlined in green). These plates were probably connected to each other in antiquity by the internal leather strapping, and it looks like their relationship has been preserved in the soil. Detecting the shorter edges of the second plate is difficult, as the heavily corroded plate has disappeared into a mass of blended of soil and iron corrosion products.

Beneath the first shoulder plate lies a distinctive plate with a good, clean edge (last photograph- as before, the shoulder plate is outlined using a dashed yellow line). This plate bears lumps of brighter orange corrosion products and given their relative size and positioning, I believe that these protuberances are all that remains of the interior fittings which would have held the leather attachments.

This entry marks the end of the micro-excavation stage of this conservation project: however, a huge amount of work remains to be completed before the contents of this soil block can be fully understood. As I have repeatedly mentioned, only x-rays will be able to provide us with a clearer idea of the exact condition of the iron artefacts, and of unseen objects beneath those excavated. The next stage will be to deconstruct the block into smaller blocks, of a size that will fit in the x-ray machine camber. The easiest way to complete this will be to essentially block lift the separate ‘features’ from the large soil block.