A number of Rubicon staff had gradually become desk-bound after years in commercial archaeology. Determined to prove that experience could compensate for a lack of recent fieldwork, a group including the Managing Director, company directors, Graphics Manager and Survey Manager headed to County Kerry to excavate a Bronze Age burnt mound.

Enthusiastic Legion members survey the scene with the Site Director

Some of their field-based colleagues were suspiciously enthusiastic about witnessing the attempt. The night before work, the hills around Tralee were on fire and the team's preparation strategy was not ideal.

The hills around Tralee ablaze: a bad omen for the Legion?

The first morning began with mattocks, shovels, wheelbarrows and trowels. Within hours the complaints started as unused muscles objected to renewed fieldwork.

The still jovial Graphics Manager before his spirits were crushed by barrowload number 6

The Survey Manager drew what others considered the plum job of excavating a lime kiln, while the remainder continued heavy excavation.

The Managing Director at the mattock face

Day two began with stiff bodies but the group carried on, trying to maintain some dignity in front of colleagues who still worked regularly in the field.

The Director's Pet, otherwise known as the Survey Manager, at work in his lime kiln

By the end the group had managed to complete real archaeological work but had also learned a clear lesson: a lack of practice leads to catastrophic body failure. They resolved to return to fieldwork more regularly to rebuild some 'dig fitness'.

The lime kiln following half-sectioning