About: Cathy Dagg
Posts by Cathy Dagg:
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An Exciting End to the Day,
10 Jul 2012 in Commercial Archaeology&DayOfArch2012&Survey
The day turned out to be very exciting as, at last, we have entered the 21st century with satellite broadband. This morning, 3 minutes per Mb, yes you read that right. Now, unimaginable speeds.
Why does that matter so much? Time was, as a contracting archaeological surveyor I would have to go down to Edinburgh, over 4 hours drive each way, to look at databases and archives, and noted findings manually onto paper maps with pens and tippex. Now it’s all online, including reporting, and digital mapping has been a real headache.
Now I’ve no excuse. It has seemed to me recently that good skills in identifying archaeological sites in the field, interpretation and placing them in their historical context, which I’m good at, comes definitely second to being able to keep up with technological advances. It’s hard as an independent contractor, with no buzzing office full of IT geeks to help out and no salary to allow time out for training. Still, all that time I can now waste watching YouTube clips…
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Sorting Photos,
29 Jun 2012 in Commercial Archaeology&DayOfArch2012
It looks like I’m going to be spending most of today sorting photos and writing indices to add to a report on survey work I did on Monday. Already I’m struggling to remember which building footings are which in a large, spread post-mediaeval township in Strathdearn which, although a SAM, is under threat of being surrounded by commercial forestry. that includes enclosure and removal of grazing. At present the township is well managed by the grazing sheep and has a lovely cover of wild flowers ( a great distraction during survey) but the client is giving up on sheep and is diversifying into conifers. So, like so many other fantastic sites in the Highlands, this ine will, if the scheme goes ahead, gradually disappear under coarse grasses, bracken and ultimately shrubs. What landowner is going to commit to, and keep to the commitment of, a long-term programme of management of their archaeology within forestry?
What else is occupying me today? Whether or not to apply to be site supervisor on a local comunity dig. It’d be great to scrape the rust off the trowel, but all the comercial clients still awaiting completion of evaluation reports will not share my pleasure. Speaking of which, back to those photos. Now which building was that?
