2.Liverpool University Archaeology Dept May 2008 (two weeks earlier)

Undergraduate and graduate archaeology students were obliged to spend their summer breaks working on a dig, actually on site, and sometimes even abroad. The work was backbreaking, unpaid and usually personally unrewarding. However there was always that faint possibility to be part of, perhaps, a groundbreaking discovery. Uncovering the past, learning how people lived. Written history was about kings and queens and usually penned by the victors of the many wars. The every day aspects of simple peoples lives could only be guessed at by what they threw away or what they left behind. Archaeology was a lot about digging very carefully in dead peoples rubbish dumps. Living people seldom thought that the burying of the gold family heirlooms in the middle of a field a very good idea.

*

Sam had woken late, making a mental note that mixing Rioja and Tequila was not a good idea. She stood motionless in the shower her head leaning against the wall until the water turned cold. After drying herself she rummaged for some vaguely clean cloths and topped them off with her trusty leather jacket and left the bed-sit. Returning a minute later to grab her tobacco pouch. Eventually her bus came and she made her way into central Liverpool to the Hope Street quarter town house that housed the archaeology unit of Liverpool University History Department.

Her PhD. had been going on a long time as her tutor repeatedly reminded her. ‘An examination on the effect of Christianity on Pagan rituals in the first Five centuries AD’ was not the most original of subjects. However it left lots of room for conjecture as so little was known about the true nature of pagan worship sites other than that had been absorbed into early Christian ceremonies.

She examined the notice board, as she thought she was to late to sign up for the Roman temple excavation in Albania. She was too late for everything apart from a survey of examples of early crop rotations in the Outer Hebrides and a small-scale re-evaluation of the building techniques used in a castle in Wales that had commissioned by Edward 1 in the  early 13^th Century. She chose the latter because if she was not able to lie on a Mediterranean beach this summer she might as well be somewhere near Liverpool so she could at least work weekends in the pub on Rice Street.

*

Sam took three trains, a bus and most of the day to get to Harlech. She found her lodgings in the small pub and went out to investigate the dig site before it got dark. She had not had much dealings with Professor ap Tomas since her second year as an undergraduate when he had taught a course on the persecution of the Welsh. He was part of the small group of welsh academics who taught in the university who spoke welsh to each other. Liverpool had once had an area that had been called Little Wales in the 19^th century complete with welsh language school and chapel. Obsessed with times passed when proud welsh princes ruled the mountains he was apparently searching for real proof of nationhood.

*

Approaching Harlech earlier she had seen the quite magnificent castle perched on a great rock, the Dome of Harlech, from below. Now approaching from the landward side she passed through the ticket office and climbed the wooden steps to the outer gate and into the darkness of the keep. Emerging into the central square interior she could see the bespectacled figure of the professor standing looking at the grid of strings that had been used to mark out the site of the old chapel now nothing moor than 2 or 3 levels of mortised natural grey stone. As she approached him she could here him making what almost sounded like an incantation. She coughed to get his attention.

The dig team had spent the last week of term in Liverpool getting to know each other and prepare for eight weeks they would be spending in Harlech. The professor had proved to be approachable and seemed to have a good grasp of the practicalities of organising the dig.

They said their hellos. As the most senior graduate she would be responsible for cataloguing the site. Not they expected to make any finds. The main objective was to examine the building methods used especially in the chapel, the south facing wall of which had been the main castle wall.

After pointing out some of the more obvious features of the site, they agreed to meet for supper in the pub. Sam showered and changed and was drinking a much welcome dark rum and coke. She was listening to one of the barmaids discussing staffing problems with whom she presumed was the owner.

‘And now he says his back has gone again and he won’t be to do tomorrow nights shift either’

‘Well sod ‘im then we’ll just have to find some one else.’

Not one to miss an opportunity to earn some cash Sam spoke up. ’Look, sorry to butt in, as you know I am staying here all summer, and I’ve worked in lots of pubs and bars, and that on the dig....we don’t get paid...and well if you like.... I could do the odd evening shift.’ She caught her breath, the two were looking at each other.

‘You start at six tomorrow, just for a trial mind, and we’ll see how it goes.’ The owner said. ‘Donna get her details’ and turned to leave the bar.

Donna and Sam introduced each other and Sam explained about the dig. While she got a quick tour of the bar and the cellar Professor ap Thomas had come down stairs and was surprised to be served by a member of his team. Sam explained promising it would not interfere with her work on the dig.

They ordered some food and discussed the arrival of the ten undergraduates that would be coming the following day. They chatted quite amiably about the area and its history A few locals drifted in at about ten o’clock. Sam made a quip about if that was all Harlech had to offer in the way of men why did they write a song about them. The professor did not even smile and told her about the siege of Harlech in hushed but excited tones.