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Diggers aim to unearth secrets of town's past
ARCHAEOLOGISTS will return to a site in Grimsby next week hoping to uncover more secrets of the town's past.
Initial excavations began in May as part of a project that could offer the last chance to discover important artefacts before the construction of a 12m residential and retail development at the town centre site.
The trial trenches confirmed the presence of well-preserved archaeological deposits dating from the medieval period.
Early remains included a small collection of pottery dating from between the Roman period and the Norman Conquest, and traces of ploughing which showed the site was agricultural land.
The deepest archaeological deposits on the site are waterlogged, which has preserved wooden structures and other material such as grain and fish bones, providing information on the diet and occupations of the residents of medieval Grimsby.
Many of these remains will be destroyed by the development, so excavations are focusing on those areas most at risk.
Archaeologists are also excited by the discovery of items of pottery which may date to the Saxon period.
Hugh Winfield, archaeologist at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: "It may be Saxon or it may be medieval. The knowledge of Grimsby at the moment suggests it was founded by the Vikings so something earlier than that would be quite important."
The dig is expected to continue until March 2010, with analysis of the finds taking a further year.
Two previous excavations have taken place at the site, in 1975 and 1994, although little is known about the first.
Five trenches excavated in 1994 uncovered well-preserved deposits dating from the medieval period, including the remains of 13th and 14th century buildings fronting on to Cartergate.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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