Choosing between a trowel and a brush at a dig site last month

I was working on a Roman villa site in Kent and hit a patch of compact soil with some pottery bits. My supervisor said I could either keep using my 4 inch pointing trowel to go faster or switch to a soft brush to be more careful. I went with the brush, and after about 20 minutes of gentle work, I uncovered a complete Samian ware bowl rim that was totally intact. It was way better than if I'd just scraped through it. Has anyone else had a moment where slowing down really paid off like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

harperjackson15d ago

How often does the slow way actually feel better than the fast way? That's a perfect example. The rush of finding something whole is so much better than the gut punch of breaking it. Speed is for cleaning back bulk soil, not for delicate bits. You made the exact right call to switch tools. Good on you for fighting the hurry-up feeling.

susan_hart1715d ago

Absolutely the right call with the brush. Seen too many people get speed-blind with a trowel and shear through a find. Had a similar thing on a Saxon site with a fragile bone comb. The trowel would have snapped every tooth. Slow brushing for an hour got it out in one piece. Sometimes you just have to ignore the urge to go fast.