The Process |
Andy and Chen, site supervisors,
breaking ground on 4th October, 2004. |
Mei Feng and Shu doing core tests
at the end of September, 2004.
|
Part 2 of coring: comparing the
soil color to the Munsell chart, made easier with a spoon and a
piece of tile. |
Andy photo-documenting the first
appearance of one of the bastion escarpments in mid October 2004. |
Mr. Tan from Trimble discussing
the site layout with Andy.
|
Who ever said hacking through clay was easy?
Chen is at work trying to fix the hoe with a spare handle. Current
count: 2 broken shovels, 3 broken hoes.
|
David, Eleanor, and Shu doing
magnetometer tests near Siberia in early December 2004, thankful
to be in the shade.
|
Andy and Noel using the water dumpy
in mid-Dec 2004 to determine the depth of certain structures below
the site datum. |
The Ground-Breaking Ceremony
- 24th October, 2004 - Pictures courtesy of Ung Ruey Loon
|
Picture taken of the archaeology team (plus extras)
with the VIPs.
|
Andy expressing himself at FTK 1 and 2 for the
volunteers.
|
Shu pulling out the 1885 proposed map for the
volunteers, among which is Mdm Kang (one of the few consistent
resident volunteers).
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The first glimpse of the indemnity forms which
we all had to fill out after the ceremony, every day.
|
Faizal and Margaret showing volunteers how to
sieve and look for artifacts.
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Several tools of the trade for excavation.
|
Chen and the British High Commissioner chatting
about the bastion.
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A familiar sight: Pamplets, buttons, and gloves
for the volunteers.
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| The Excavation Pits and Other Sites |
FTK 1&2, believed to be the
one of the larger corners of the fort. This pit was also seen before
at the groundbreaking picture with the site supervisors (above). |
The bastion (includes FTK 5-22, 30, 33-36). There
will be more closeups of this pit in the next picture section.
|
The moat trench (FTK 3-4, 23-25, 28-29). This
picture is taken from the interior of the fort out into the moat,
and shows the footing and jutting of the wall at the base of its
construction.
|
FTK 26-27, a corner opposite to the drawbridge
area.
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FTK 31, 32, 38, 39 (codename "Siberia").
These structures are believed to be part of the drawbridge structure,
and also one of the right corners of the fort. |
FTK 37, 40, 41 (codename "Uzbekistan").
Believed to have been an ammunitions room near one of the gun emplacements,
but alas nothing was found here but rubble and fill. |
The shed, where we attempt to put
everything neatly back at the end of the day. |
An aerial photograph of the Tanjong Katong Park,
which is located near Fort Road and Meyer Road.
|
The Bastion
|
The outline of the top of the bastion wall was
visible where the grass didn't grow. It was this sight that alerted
the local community to seek out the archaeology team for excavations.
|
After some digging, the boundaries of the bastion
became clearer. Also exposed is the escarpment with glass embedded.
|
A close-up of the stepped windows, possibly from
the earlier construction period of 1879 as these windows are too
close to the escarpment to function very well.
|
One view of the lower rampart, showing the depth
of the moat in reference to the windows and escarpment. The rampart
slopes down and is embedded with glass.
|
Another view of the lower rampart, showing the
rampart as well as the "step."
|
Andy discovers a rounded, glass-embedded structure
that does not seem to be joined to the top of the bastion or the
lower rampart. It is still unclear as to what the structure's
purpose was, but it's position in situ suggests that it was placed
there rather than toppled over.
|
The interior of the bastion once finished excavating
at the end of November 2004. Also shown is a small drainage canal
and a piece of footing that separates the bastion from the section
with the canal.
|
More of the finished interior of the bastion;
at the floor of the bastion, some metal artifacts can be seen
still lying in situ.
|
Working Hard...
|
Dunman High students posing with
the crew in November 2004. |
Cedar High girls working with Mdm Kang in late
October 2004.
|
ACJC students helping to dig out some of the
collapsed wall in early November 2004.
|
Otokon placing yet another flower pot sherd into
the sack. The black layer he is standing on is dubbed the "Flower
Pot Graveyard."
|
Margaret taking a well-deserved breather after
much shovelling.
|
A volunteer taking off the last remnants of dirt
off a spoon artifact in the bastion.
|
David and Chen contemplating the
next course of action.
|
Students smiling for the camera while proudly
showing the artifacts from the sifter.
|
Eleanor and Jack cleaning up the
remnants of the wall collapse at the south side of the bastion. |
The crew on a bit of a break. Hey, isn't that
Charlotte, the visiting Swedish archaeologist?
|
Mark proudly showing off the rampart he discovered
on the south east side of the bastion.
|
Forced to wait out the rain, the Chinese High
kids and Chen enjoy a moment before snacking on a generously donated
bag of chips.
|
Chen emerges victorious at the Battle
of the Root XVI during the excavation of the interior of the bastion. |
Shu using a mini-hoe to dig out the inside of
the window.
|
Tieh Min and another volunteer excavating the
bastion exterior.
|
A drenched Andy peering over the flooded interior
of the bastion, which doesn't seem to be draining.
|
| Some of the Artifacts |
| 
Found in the 1950s-70s fill layer,
a suspected army tag of sorts. |
Found in the moat trench, a horseshoe. |
Part of the brick collection displaying the variety
of manufacturing brands.
|
A closeup of the metal and brick artifacts in
situ at the floor of the bastion.
|
The Fundraiser (27th Nov.
2004) - Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibit
Centre
|
The archaeological exhibit, complete with tools,
a tripod sifter, some artifacts, some genuine fort sand, and a
sign.
|
Some of the artifacts on display, highlighting
the antiquated soda bottles as well as the 19th century ceramic
artifacts in the basket to the right.
|
Coral from the moat trench, a tooth molar in
the basket to the right, and below the basket is a large piece
of flint (which is not native to Singapore).
|
A display of the various types of bricks from
the site, as well as a small piece of barbed wire original to
the fort.
|
Visitors taking a look at the panel displays.
|
Associate Professor John Miksic and Chen greeting
MP for Marine Parade GRC Mr. Andy Gan and Senior Minister Mr.
Goh Chok Tong
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SM Goh taking a look at the artifacts on display.
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| Mother Nature at work... |
One of the bigger deluges (but not
the biggest one). |
The rain and erosion caused the
walls in the moat trench to cave in, and turns previously nicely
excavated spot into a thick concoction of mud and sand. Yes, that
is a shovel buried there. |
More damage from Mother Nature's
turbulent moods at the bastion pit (south wall). |
Eric, Peter, Andy, and David having a go at the
swings after too much sun...right?
|
