Read Online The Ghost Fields by Elly Griffiths - Free Book Online

remember you,’ she says, ‘but it was a long time ago.’
    â€˜Fifteen years,’ says Hazel. ‘That’s nothing.’
    â€˜All time is circular,’ says Cathbad. It’s another one of those unanswerable remarks, so Ruth doesn’t answer it.
    â€˜Well, I hope you enjoy the dig today,’ she says. ‘Are you going to take part in the DNA project?’
    â€˜I am,’ says Cathbad. ‘I’m sure I have ancient druidical blood.’
    â€˜I’m not sure it will tell you that,’ says Ruth. ‘As far as I can tell, they can test your motherline DNA and your fatherline DNA. Then they put your data into a survey of known ancestry. That will show you the population you’re closest to genetically. I’m not sure they have a section marked Mad Druid.’
    Cathbad laughs but Hazel looks rather shocked. ‘Druids are ancient shamans,’ he says reprovingly. ‘It’s one of the oldest known religions.’
    As far as Ruth’s concerned that’s nothing to be proud of. But she doesn’t want to get into a row about religion and besides, she has a lot to do. She smiles apologetically, ‘Well, do take the test. It’s just a quick sample of saliva. If we get enough people, the results should be really interesting.’
    â€˜I don’t believe in participating in scientific studies,’ says Hazel.
    â€˜Oh, I don’t mind,’ says Cathbad, who was, after all, trained as a scientist.
    â€˜Well, I hope you do take part,’ says Ruth. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d better brief the volunteers.’
    Ruth walks over towards the trenches that have been pegged out at intervals around the field. She is very hopeful of finding more burials. There are no obvious earthworks butthe presence of Beaker pottery in the ploughed soil suggests that this could be an important Bronze Age site. If one body is buried with grave goods, the chances are that there’ll be others. She could be onto something really big here. As she approaches the first trench, though, she sees Phil wearing a high-viz vest and holding forth. She grits her teeth. She must stop Phil taking over. ‘Hi, Ruth,’ says Phil, flashing his teeth at her. ‘Just briefing the volunteers. Don’t want anyone throwing away a piece of priceless pottery, do we?’
    Ruth is pleased to see that the volunteers, mostly old hands from local archaeology groups, are staring at him stonily.
    â€˜I’ve got a plan here,’ she says, addressing the volunteers directly. ‘The original burial was found at these coordinates.’ She points. ‘We’ve done geophysics on the rest of the field and that seems to indicate the presence of circular features in this area. Dig slowly, log everything. Remember, the field has been heavily ploughed in the past; there could be plenty of material in the topsoil, so the smallest fragment could be significant.’
    The diggers get to work deturfing, and Ruth is about to join them when a woman carrying a furry microphone bounds up to her. She’s dressed in jeans and a jumper with pandas on it. She looks about twelve.
    â€˜Hi, Ruth. I’m Aimiee-Louise Laphan, the presenter of
Archaeology Matters.
We’d like to have an interview with you, if possible. I believe you discovered the body.’
    Ruth is aware of a distracting presence at her left elbow, a sort of rustling, hopping motion. After a few moments, she takes pity on it.
    â€˜This is Phil Trent, Head of Archaeology at North Norfolk.’
    â€˜Phil!’ Aimiee-Louise extends a hand and flashes a brilliant smile. ‘Great to meet you. I’m just organising an interview with Ruth here. You must be very proud of her.’
    â€˜Oh, tremendously,’ says Phil. ‘Of course it’s a team effort really.’
    â€˜Of course it is,’ says Aimiee-Louise. ‘Now if I could just get Ruth on her own. Over here