Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Content

Introducing 'Trench Cam' – a fixed position 'surveillance' camera, offering a unique perspective into an archaeological excavation through 'Big Brother' livestream style, fly-on-the-wall footage.

Archaeology can involve flurries of activity and moments of great excitement. Yet these are often separated by slower-paced periods of reflection and the meticulous undertaking of a repetitive task over time.

In this case, we are witnessing the careful precision of the mechanical digger operator, and an archaeologist collecting soil samples for Naomi’s flotation tank.

Hunker down and immerse yourself in the mindful monotony, skip to the more interesting bits, or simply avoid it altogether! The choice is entirely up to you.

Thank you to archaeologist Chris, for being such a good sport in allowing us to observe him as he went about his work.

*** WARNING: PLEASE READ BEFORE WATCHING! ***

This video contains over 35 minutes of largely unedited footage, and we have intentionally left the camera running to show the activity (and occasional lack thereof) as it unfolds, in real time.

Many viewers might find it as dull as ditch water (indeed, observe carefully and you might even spot some ditch water). But the wonderful thing about Patreon is that it gives us an outlet for sharing elements that would never make the final cut. For those who enjoy the deep dive, sit back and enjoy!

Files

Dig Two, Day Three: Trench Cam

** TIME TEAM HAS JOINED PATREON! ** Support Time Team by becoming a patron and get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes content here: https://www.patreon.com/timeteamofficial ** MERCHANDISE ** You can now purchase Time Team's Official merchandise here: https://shop.timeteamdigital.com/ Website: https://www.timeteamdigital.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/timeteamofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timeteamofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/thetimeteam Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialtimeteam Music courtesy of Bensound.com

Comments

Pete Richardson

As someone who's spent a few decades digging holes, that was remarkably beautiful to watch.

Zoe Propper

Saved to watch later 😁

Richard Linley

I like it! Tight editing is great, but this is very much more like being there. Plus, I am endlessly fascinated by the skill of digger operators. Some work needs to be done on anti-fogging techniques.

Mac Whatley

This is great. I worked as an archeologist back in the day, and this is how the time passes. During the lockdown, one of my favorite discoveries on YouTube was the entire unedited Royal Dig, fascinating to watch Matt dig at Windsor and Francis dig at Holyrood, for half an hour or more, all alone.

Alex Pardoe

It’s great! I’m half expecting the Spanish Inquisition to burst into the scene. No-one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition! 😂

Ann H

Love the digger skill on display. Wish my local septic replacement guys were so precise!

Ann H

And not raining!

Robyn Williams

I for one enjoyed it - as a former field archaeologist I was "feeling" the soil - noting what appeared to be a clay lens in the section, hearing the hollow sound of clay soil - noting the references to moisture, and wondering what it all meant. On the field, you can do an awful lot of digging, searching for the soil changes, wondering of they mean something - or nothing important ... I was impressed with the big digger and how sensitively it was working. I was glued to it - but would like to have known a bit more about what the trench might have been investigating ...

Bill

Quite relaxing in its way! Like rain on a tent which remains for me one of the most soporific sounds

Doug Mackey

As a happy Time Team completist, I love it!

Elizabeth Perry

I rather enjoyed that, much better than watching paint dry. I'm fascinated by the skill of the digger. On a side note, when the digger was on the move in the back ground it kind of reminded me of a Pixar character.

Ike Roelfsema

This is fabulous! Watching this from a hamlet near the Friesian Wadden Sea and feeling like I am part of the dig 😀

Robert Wise

I’m liking the Trench Cam idea. Used on a trench with more obvious archaeology, it might be pretty interesting. I’m no judge of digger operation but that looked precise and well done to me! I’d like Naomi’s interpretation of what she was after with this trench, and what she found, so I hope that gets presented sometime.

Sebastian Schleussner

I like it! Not quite the meditative nature of, say, a week's worth of moose migration, due to the noise from the mechanical digger, but still nice "Slow TV". Made me think of how impressive the digger's level keeping is, considering that angles are changing every second as the end of the arm moves closer or further away. I'm assuming it's all about manual coordination by the operator – there isn't any special mode in the controls that lets you command a movement with a constant vertical offset relative to the machine body, is there?

Steve Mikre

I didn't find it dull at all. It's how real archeology unfolds. Great idea not to edit the footage. Thank you Time Team...👍🇬🇧

Nathan Lyons

Please shoot all of this you have directly into my veins!

Matthew Adams

Definitely more of this. What would be excellent later in the process is to revisit this tagged with the GIS, photogrammetry, recording, etc. of this trench so we can see its whole lifecycle.

Bob and Pam

That machine operator handles that machine with incredible precision. Go Time Team!

Don Cook

reminds me of doing therapy with a client who has deep-seated issues.....

Alex Huxley

Great, more like this but LIVE please so we can be there with you on the day. Very much like watching Cricket... nothing seems to be happening but it is and lot of people watch live Cricket.

James Matney

kind of like watching green grow .... That why they make FAST Forward

Zoe Propper

I loved this. Felt more like archaeology and being there.

Christopher Samuel

Great, thanks for sharing this! There is an edit though, either that or someone walking towards the camera mysteriously disappears into thin air at 11:55! :-D

Penny Screech

Admittedly from the comfort of my sofa, over the last half an hour I have just watched an archaeologist and a mechanical digger operator with a very fine and delicate touch just digging a trench. Not a lot going on you might say, but I have been utterly fascinated by the whole process. Slow TV film at its best! More of this please!

Diane S Ratliff

Not that bad. I'm sure day in and day out it would get rough. The digger was fun to watch especially when it switched buckets. Beautiful country side. Just wish the sound was a tad louder. Quite the learning experience 😊

Tom Gooden

Very interesting. The digger operator is so precise ! Can you advise if the operators on TT are specially trained for this delicate work ?

Susan Strangman

Thank you. Trying to spot the layers (hearing Phil’s voice in my mind) and what the reason for the trench is.

Elizabeth Ackermann

That was surprisingly entertaining. The fellow with the giant mechanical trowel was so very precise. It was also fun to see the people in the background. Thanks so much for giving us this new perspective on the process.

Paul Whale

Alot more interesting than I thought. You kind of forget the effort that goes into these when you heard Tony say.. "And we opened Trench number one " More please 😁

Jennifer Griffin

How have I not unearthed that gem?!? Thank you, Mac, for bringing it to my attention. I know what I’m watching next 😁

Jennifer Griffin

I would wake up at 3 am on dig day to be able to watch live digging. No joke.

Jennifer Griffin

This is worth multiple watches. Part of my brain fired non-stop questions like a curious toddler. Why this? Why that? Who said that? Who are those people? Where’d they go? Then my adult brain kicked in and said “shhh. Be quiet. This is my relaxation time for the day.” I ❤️ this video. Content like this will keep me on Patreon as long as Time Team is creating here. Thank you!!

Not Public

This is fantastic! No need apologize. From someone who can not do this kind of work. I fairly enjoy watching it! Cheers.

Mac Whatley

Many of the old “Live” shows have fascinating stuff that didn’t make the final condensed program. I remember a great extended session at Buckingham Palace where Phil was teaching the lady presenter how to handle a trowel. I’m glad the Patreon setup lets us see more like that now.

Mark Freestone

The digger drivers are (and were) the unsung heroes of TT..

JUDITH COOKE

Riveting stuff! The precision achieved with such huge pieces of equipment is amazing. Overall, quite a lot of action in the trench. Preparation work not normally seen, plus activity in the background. 36 minutes well spent :) Thanks for this.

Bob Arnold

Dull as ditchwater, and still fun! Check 11:38 for a drone stunt - flying under the digger arm! Thanks!

Rachel Greenham

i loved the bit with the drone making a stately flight under the digger's arm. everything else could have been shot any time in the show's whole run but that would've been science fiction through most of it.

Douglas Shomo

Where are the finds? How do they prove or disprove the goals?

Norman O'Rourke

Love for you to interview the digger drives and see how they see their contribution to the dig

Judy DeRose

One man's monotony is another man''s joy at seeing something he has never watched before!!

Cassista

Someone came into view on a bicycle, and that reminded me of a question I keep wishing I could ask. Now I can ask!!!!! Have the landscape archaologists ever considered doing their surveys by mule? Equids are great at going anywhere, and I have it directly from on e of the last US cavalrymen that mules are the preferred means of transportation across irregular terrain. Ever try riding a mule when surveying the terrain from the ground? Maybe try it.

Jude Edling

This wonderful slow TV! Entire channels are devoted to cutting firewood, trains going by, bird feeders, knitting and there should be a channel just for archeology. It's not all exotic finds and thrilling features all the time. I'm so impressed by how delicately the diggers work. The steps are so neatly done.

Stephanie Stewart

This is why we are patreon members. Digger operators are exceptional so please let us know more about them. Looking forward to the next teaser!

Dorothy Frank

I knew there's a lot of skill needed to digging with a backhoe, but I'm delighted with the thoughtfulness of providing steps! And the careful cleanup around the top of the trench. What was going on when he got out and looked into the trench, did he spot something?

Steve Gunning

I loved ‘Dull as dishwater’, which I can understand, and yet this was also so fascinating, no, compelling viewing. I watched it twice just so I could concentrate more on the background! And as a Discovery4 driver, it was great to see the old LR D2 cruising around like it was TT 2005 again. Brilliant stuff, so, MORE OF THESE PLEASE!

Pat Szastkiw

That digger operator is a soil surgeon!

Nancy Sabo

My god this is like a benny hill comedy with that digger going out of frame and then coming back... I'm at 8:49 whatever could happen next?

Laura Soto-Barra

I found it fascinating. I’m at an airport, waiting for my flight and I appreciate this camera and the 35 mins watch. Thanks to the archaeologist who didn’t mind our fixed eyes. 😌

Mrs Mary Ellen Johnson

They have such patience especially the digger driver, he is amazing and I am in awe of his skill.

Elizabeth B Hess

This was wonderful. It felt so much closer to actually being there, and now I know how the diggers change their shovel attachments. How skillful the digger operator is. Please, Time Team, give us more like this to watch.

Brad Taylor

This is why I became a time team patron! I find this footage fascinating and enjoy it running in the corner of the screen.

Nameri Verdstela

I am always amazed by the precision of an expert digger operator.

Rubys Rose

Nameri I couldn't agree more. Very little is mentioned about his fine & careful expertise. they amaze me every time they hit the green grass to scrape away an inch!