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New building revealed, but…


Dairies 2010 [chronological order]

The tools awaiting the searchers.   Philippe brings some coconuts to the searchers    New building cleared

For two days the trade winds weaken gradually, the meteorologists are predicting a rotation of the wind in the north-east but it is lagging behind. The heat raises a notch, which makes working in the sun more and more difficult and we take refuge under the awnings.

We continue to identify the outer walls of the last building detected yesterday, but we still do not understand much.

At about 11:00 am curlews fly around the archeological site by modulating their characteristic shout, the family thus got bigger, because there is also the one about which we have already spoken and who accompanies us during our walks, watching for something to eat. Why did these wading birds, whose long curved beak is adapted to search the mud, take up residence here?

At the break, we are still entitled to fresh coconuts prepared by Philippe.

When we abandon the work at about 11:15 am, the situation is always so vague, we still do not know how both brought to light buildings close.

After the usual nap time, the team chose to work in the shade, the space is relatively narrow and the excavators are scrambling a bit, but the building, whose outlines are now well clear, gradually releasing little space.

It measures 3 meters long for 2 meters 30 wide, with a small indentation on one of the side walls.

To our amazement, the more we descend, the more we realize that the layers of sediment do not succeed one another as in the other sectors; in particular we do not find maintaining its famous layer of white sand which seals the archeological site.

We knew that a building had been searched by meteorologists in 1954, we have to face facts, it is indeed the one we are currently emptying.

We have a testimony about the search in a story of Captain Legeais, the Air Force, which was part of the mission to make the first assessment of the island: "We also saw on the northern hill of the Island remnants of what were considered the old shelter shipwrecked, small boxes of crudely formed coral stones piled one upon the other.

Meteorologists permanent searched the ground at this point, they were able to realize an important fact that we had taken for the level structure of these shelters is in reality only the upper part of walls that are sitting to 2.50m deep. Thus achieving the walls of a box, explorers have found successively metal debris of a roof, small windows, and traces of a fireplace in the middle with a humus formed by decomposed particles, they found a old copper bowl (patched into multiple points), metal needles as we see even in the hands of Madagascan needle worker, poor junk jewelry and amulets or lucky charm. "

Driven into the ground, we find two very large nails driven into a corner. Here again something to think about.

Jean-Michel, one of two forecast assistants comes to see this buried building with curiosity which he didn’t know for long years the existence. He took the opportunity to tell us that the succession is postponed for one day that means December 10th.