12 April 2010

Time Team - Move Over!


School holidays have finished, and to my regret the kids have
returned to school. So it's early mornings again. 
I so enjoy them being at home.
On one day, during the holiday break, Camille and I were walking around
the local park when we found an old steel fork laying on the ground. 
We picked it up, studied it, and thought, this could be used....
to dig around the pile of dirt behind a nearby oval.
Why would we want to dig with a fork around a pile of dirt you might ask?




The answer lies in these pictures.
Because behind the oval exists the remains of 
what used to be a rubbish tip for old bottles and crockery.
As you walk the area, fragments of old plates and glass are to be 
seen scattered everywhere and it is calling out to be explored.


 

Using our 'found' fork,  we began to dig and see what we could find.
Camille very enthusiastically got to work (with a bit of help from mum)
and at the end of the dig , full of anticipation, we brought the items home.
After a good wash and scrub in hot soapy water ,
we uncovered a number of old bottles....
later to be found 
(with a bit of research on the computer)
to be dating back to the 1930's/40's.



We also uncovered a number of pieces of broken crockery, some with beautiful
decorative detail......


 


 

...and some really gorgeous little bottles, measuring not more than
4cm in length.
Perfume / aromatic oil vials perhaps?

 

 An early refining lotion bottle belonging to the firm
'Helena Rubenstein'
and a 1930's 'clag' bottle.


 



 


 


 

The following day, which was to be our last day before the start of school
we visited the site again.....


 

...and found what was to seal the mystery of how old our finds  were.
A much corroded coin, after a good clean revealed an 
Australian half penny dated 1945/8?

 

The Kangaroos leg down the middle of the coin is faintly visible....


 


....while the profile of King George VI
can just be seen on the reverse.
A couple of satisfying days of rummaging around.
Until next time.