Aren't the Olympics Odd? #4: at the ancient games, legend has it that, around 700 BC, Orsippus of Megara was the 1st athlete to take all his clothes off to run, triggering the trend for naked competition. Maybe he thought he'd found a novel way to gain an edge in a photo finish.

Aren't the Olympics Odd? #5: at first Paris games back in 1900, poodle-clipping appeared as a test event. The winner, Avril Lafoule (from France, naturally) managed to clip 17 poodles in the allotted 2 hours. Ruthless competitor, clearly. Probably celebrated with hair of the dog.

Aren't the Olympics Odd? #6: at the ancient games Herodorus from the city-state of Megara secured victory in the salpinx (trumpet) contest 10 times. His salpinx was the loudest and biggest, apparently. Good for him. As for trumpeting his victories, at least he could blow his own.

Aren't the Olympics Odd? #7: At 1908's London games 'jeu de palme' put in an appearance. (This was basically 'real tennis', played indoors, originally with the palm but later with racquets.) 9 Brits, 2 Americans competed. Take a wild guess who won gold. Clue: not one of the Brits

The next Avebury History & Mystery Walk will be on Friday 13th September! What a propitious date... Once again, Emma and I will be joined by Dr Doug Pitt. Places limited - to bagsy one, DM myself or Emma Emma of Weird Wiltshire. Not Doug. The authorities don't allow him on social media.

Aren't the Olympics Odd? #8: controversy marred the 1900 Paris games when the French runners who finished first and second in the marathon were accused of taking a short cut. Probably just an honest mistake. They obviously got the marathon mixed up with a school cross-country.

POINTLESS HISTORY POLL! It's our Blimey-Don't-the-Olympics-Come-Round-Quick? special. Which one of these discontinued or demonstration-only Olympic events would you excel at? I mean, podium potential. Don't want you clogging up the athletes' village for no good reason, do we?

Diary Destiny: 18th October - our 'Revenge of the Henge' History & Mystery Walk at Stonehenge. A landscape of stones, cremated bones, bumps, humps, anomalous geophysical features and strange tales of stranger people. Places limited. Interested? DM me or Emma Emma of Weird Wiltshire.

People often ask me: "When you're on a big dig, when do you do your best thinking?" And I say: "Usually when I've finished work for the day. So just before lunch."

Inside History #1: Apparently, ice cores can tell us quite a lot about the ancient climate. Presumably that it was quite cold.

1st proof of 'Dig, Dig...BANG!' arrives next week. What a privilege to have ghostwritten this autobiography for Dr Doug Pitt. What a very remarkable story. What a very, very odd man. It's all in there, from the trailblazing excavations to the big fight in the car park. Amazing!

Quick update on autumn plans: 1) Publish 'Dig, Dig...BANG!' 2) H&M walks at Avebury & Stonehenge 3) Search for lost shrine of St Peregrine the Punctual - not the most effective saint when it came to working miracles but at least he turned up on time to try to perform them.

Just come off a highly productive Zoom chat with Professor Marie Narkive, world-leading expert on subsea archaeology documentation. I suggested keeping the documentation somewhere it won't get so wet. She thought that sounded like a really good idea. Always happy to help!

7 days till the next Avebury H&M walk... We can squeeze another couple in (standing room only - mind you, that goes for all of us...). DM me or Emma Emma of Weird Wiltshire if interested in joining us for a fact/fun-filled roam round the stones. Bound to be a blast and a half!

Avebury tomorrow! All places filled on our 'Not Quite the Equinox' or 'Equinot' walk round the Neolithic/Early Bronze Age landscape. A circuit of the henge, up the Avenue to Silbury Hill, over to the Long Barrow, back to the village by pub o'clock! Can't wait! Emma of Weird Wiltshire

Prof. Jasper Heathcoat-Beech Emma of Weird Wiltshire Fantastic Day. Tthank you so much for organising everything. It was great to finally meet and spend the day with so many amazing people.

Splendid day up at Avebury for the Not-Quite-the-Equinox (or 'Equinot') H&M mega-walk! The official count was 14,000 steps - but that did include Emma Emma of Weird Wiltshire's domestic hoovering this morning, apparently.

Always loved the word 'sphinx'. And especially the underused alternative plural, 'sphinges' (rather than 'sphinxes'). But I'd prefer something even weirder. Maybe ‘sphenx’. One sphinx. Two sphenx. Or perhaps 'sphinx' should be its own plural. Like sheep or fish.

Brace yourselves... Friday October 18th... The BIG one... The History & Mystery walk at...Stonehenge!! Bring (i) your curiosity, (ii) an open mind and (iii) some nice biscuits. DM me or Emma of Weird Wiltshire for a spot on the exclusive guestlist. Places limited (for cosmic reasons...).

Odd Saints: 5th/6th century hermit St Endellion of Cornwall (who legend said was King Arthur's daughter) lived on milk from one particular cow. Not clear whether she had her cholesterol readings taken at any stage or if she considered semi-skimmed or an almond-based alternative.