VSF 2010 Report - Nabo

organic content, inclusions (both natural and anthropogenic), mineral content, and
pedofeatures. All analysis and descriptive terminology conforms to the international
guidelines in Bullock et al. (1985) and Stoops (2003), and also greatly benefited from
reference to FitzPatrick (1984) and Courty et al. (1989). Descriptions are semi-quantative,
and were made with reference to visual estimation charts (see Appendix below). Only
partial descriptions have been completed at this stage, and full descriptions will be
provided in separate report or publication.
Results
Structure 3
An evaluation trench that had been excavated across Structure 3 in 2003 had truncated the
floor deposits in this building, and in 2005 this exposed section was drawn and sampled
for micromorphological analysis (Figure 2). Each sample from this building includes three
layers: the underlying (natural) podzolised soil, an occupation deposit [332], and the
overlying turf collapse above. Although it was clear from the amount of slag in and around
the building that it had been used as a smithy, it was hoped that more detailed
micromorphological analysis would reveal additional information about the types of fuels
used, the temperature of buring, and any other activities that had taken place in the
building.
Structure 3
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Figure 2a. Structure 3 after excavation, showing the locations of the
micromorphology samples examined in this report (red).
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