Preseli Pollen Project

Inputting more data today from spot samples taken from archaeological sites associated with the #stonehenge #bluestones! Looking forward to creating the diagrams! #pollen

I've now counted 3 samples from the second core (BRN6). Now inputting the data to compare #pollen percentages of taxa with the main core. #Preseli #palaeoenvironment

Just finished the processing of these 8 samples! Today I finished the HF process, acetolysis and sieving! 🧐🧪

Got off to an early start this morning and completed the 1st stages of #pollen processing. Now my samples sit in HF acid overnight and I'll continue tomorrow! #labwork #palaeoenvironment

Getting the lab all set up for pollen processing on Monday! Have a great weekend everybody 😃

Today I took some samples from the BRN6 core! Hoping to compare pollen results from these samples with the data from our main core. #pollen #preseli #palaeoenvironment

Gave a seminar recently to members of the @PalaeoGalway @uniofgalway on the results of this project! Pleased to report that it went down well. Results suggests landscape change and signal of a potentially wetter climate in the local area c. 3000 BC! Watch this space for more 🧐

Inputting some #pollen data today in a very chilly office!! #postdoc #palaeoenvironmental

Extracting wood from the BRN8 core for 2 final dates to tighten up the chronology!! #pollen #preseli #dating

Now working my way through the BRN8 core samples! What will I discover?! I'll share little snippets of #pollen as I go 🔬 #microscope #postdoc

Back in Preseli for some fieldwork in the landscape close to the coring location. Great archaeology, beer, and most importantly, great people ✌🏼 #pollen #archaeology #preseli

And there we have it - the first 16 samples from BRN8 ready for analysis under the microscope! #letsgo #pollen #preseli #ancientlandscapes

These samples were then processed in the lab where we remove all debris other than pollen within the samples using various chemicals ⚗️

Samples of 2cm3 were taken every 2 cm!

Sub-samples were taken from one of the cores and are ready to be processed for #pollen analysis! Samples were taken between the #mesolithic and #bronzeage 🧐

SUCCESS! C-14 dates are back and we have Mesolithic to Bronze Age sediment our cores! This is fantastic news as it will allow us to investigate the human-environment interactions during this period, and if #pollen supports an archaeological 'gap' c. 3000 - 2200 BC #palaeo

@MollyRuth6 Ooh good luck with your talk 😊!

Two of the four new cores have been #radiocarbon dated using fragments of wood identified within the sediment. Three dating samples were taken from each core which will allow us to see if we have sediment dating to the #Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. #pollen #palaeoenvironment

The four cores retrieved from our April fieldwork! All taken from a slight depression in the #preseli bog, located during 2007 research, where sediment of #Neolithic date was found. Hoping the clay in the base of all cores is glacial and means we have a full sequence 🤞

It wasn't all hard work though - able to relax those coring muscles in the B&B's hot tub, eat delicious food & make friends with some locals. @PalaeoGalway I believe hot tubs should be a mandatory part of fieldwork going forward.