Question about a really frustrating dig site last month

We spent a whole week carefully excavating what looked like a promising Roman floor mosaic in southern France, only to find out it was a 19th-century garden feature. The lead archaeologist just shrugged and said 'it happens'. Has anyone else had a major find turn out to be a total dud?

3 comments

3 Comments

barbaramorgan3mo ago

So did they at least test the mortar before you guys started? Seems like that would have been a dead giveaway.

hugo_coleman283mo agoProlific Poster

Ugh that's the worst feeling. We had something similar with what we thought was a medieval post hole, turned out to be from a kids' playset in the 90s.

tyler_hernandez2d ago

How do you even tell the difference between a real medieval post hole and something from a 90s playset? Like, is it just the depth or the way the soil is packed around it? I feel like that would mess with my whole confidence in what I think I'm looking at.