This fourth season of excavations at Meillionydd, Rhiw, will continue to explore a ‘double ringwork’ hilltop enclosure. Despite producing one of the most well-preserved, abundant, and comprehensively surveyed settlement records in Wales, the archaeology of the area remains under-researched and poorly understood: few recent excavations have been carried out, chronologies are not well defined, and environmental assemblages are rare. The emergence and development of monumental features including hillforts, ringworks and hilltop enclosures, remain particularly enigmatic. This year, the project will focus on excavating a stone-built Iron Age roundhouse, parts of the entrance into the inner enclosure, and parts of the outer bank of the monument.
The excavation, commencing in July, is run as an archaeological field school for students at Bangor, Cardiff and Vienna Universities. The project is also open to a limited number of external volunteers, all of whom will be trained in archaeological excavation and field recording techniques alongside the students. Preference may be given to volunteers who do have some archaeological fieldwork experience, depending on supervision capacity of excavation staff. Welsh-speaking participants are also preferred. There are no age restrictions, although children must be accompanied by an adult. There is no cost to participate.
