Digger Profile

Ben Gibson-Bamblett

We will be focusing a few posts on different members of the team. The SHAAS community archaeology project is open to people of all ages. We decided to start with one of the more younger members of SHAAS for our first digger profile: Ben Gibson-Bamblett . 

Ben joined the SHAAS project with the rest of his family and has really taken to it. He is one of our regular volunteers and can be found on site nearly every weekend. Eric, the site director, says of Ben:



    "He is a cheerful young lad who is always ready to help out. Ben is also fairly industrious chap as he took it upon himself to install a railing for allowing people to move safely up and down the slope. If I ever ask him to do something he gets on it straight away."

One of the seats made by Ben

Cleaning back in Trench A

Q&A

 What do you enjoy most about the archaeology and can you describe your average day on the site.

First I help out with carrying the equipment down to the site then I help out with the trenches. Also I usually do little jobs like making steps and levelling out the ground. The thing I enjoy most is the little jobs I get asked to do by the site director because its nice to now you are helping out. I am asked to help make stuff to make it easier for people to get around the site.

What have you learned since doing the project and would you consider doing this as job?

From this project, I have learned a lot about field archaeology. I learnt how to clear trenches, sketching archaeological drawings and many more skills. I have also learned how a bloomery furnace works. I could see myself doing this, but I also see myself as an engineer because I'm always fixing things and always finding out how stuff works.

You are somewhat of a grounds keeper on site. Where did you learn these skills?

I think these skills come from going to clubs, for instance I went to beavers, cubs and scouts. I am also in the Tunbridge Wells Army Cadets. But mainly I think it is because I from come from an outdoorsy family.

In what way do you think the archaeology project could improve?

The site could improve by having more tools and equipment like trowels, buckets and tarp. Because every week we are getting more and more popular and the more people come the faster we are going to run out of tools. I think that if we get funding the best place to spend it on would be towards tools and equipment.



Trying to provide lunch for the team



Ben working on the steps leading up to excavation area

 We are always happy to have new volunteers to come on board and try their hand at archaeology. Whether it is for a few hours or the whole weekend. Just contact us via the contact section and we will get back to you with more details We are sure that once you have sampled it, you will hooked.