Easington’s Archaeology
December 20, 2007
Dr Jane Richardson, an Archaeologist and Senior Project Manager with West Yorkshire Joint Services told us so much about the excavations their team had completed at Easington in the East Riding of Yorkshire when she lectured to members of the Forest of Galtres Society on 13th December 2007.
We heard about the process of competitive tendering as well as about the fascinating results of the actual dig, and how the area to be excavated was chosen. For decades there has been a terminal for North Sea Gas reception at Easington. The village is near the East Riding coastline, and the surrounding terrain is essentially flat, subject to waterlogging and has expansive farmland. The dig site is one which has now been covered by an extra facility for the terminal. Dr Richardson told us about the geophysical and topographical surveying used to see which area might yield interesting evidence, and led us through the various features which were exposed, from trackways and rectangular enclosures to circular ditches for roundhouses, and the remains of burials and cremations.
The small glass and amber beads in a burial site, the silver denarius dating from AD103-111, the shards of pottery, the remains of the base of a kiln used for salt extraction, these are examples of what was found during the excavation.
Dr Richardson said that her colleagues were once more working at Easington, ahead of another new facility. The work done for the Langeled Receiving Facilities had been the subject of an exhibition at Beverley’s new Treasure House, and it was so interesting for our members to hear about it from her, first hand.
