Slag Summary

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Slag Summary:

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High quantities of slag were recovered from throughout CA 83 in 2013; nearly all slag found was iron slag and slag was equally densely concentrated throughout the trench, without being concentrated to any particular quadrant of the trench.

Relatively little slag was recovered from topsoil, in Loci 1 and 5 , although more slag was recovered from these two loci than has been recovered from other areas of the site of Poggio Civitate. In total, eight slag fragments, or 3.31% of all slag recovered, were found in topsoil. All slag was iron slag.

By far the most slag was recovered from Loci 2 and 4 , two equivalent loci situated directly beneath topsoil but above the east-west running, curvilinear rock feature of Locus 7 ; Loci 2 and 4 are equivalent to strata directly overlying the slight linear rock features uncovered in CA 70-74 in 2012, from which high quantities of slag were recovered. Of the 242 fragments of slag found in CA 83, 131 fragments, or 54.13% of all slag, were found in Loci 2 and 6; this figure corresponds roughly to the weight of slag found in CA 83, as 1143 grams of slag were found in these two loci, or 60.32% of all slag by weight. All slag found in these two loci was iron slag.

Loci 3 and 8 , two equivalent loci located to the north of the Locus 7 rock feature, collectively yielded the second-most amount of slag in CA 83. 58 fragments of slag, equaling 400 grams, were found in these loci; this equates to 23.97% of all slag and 21.11% of all slag by weight. All slag found in these two loci is iron slag. Interestingly, relatively little metal finds were found in these two loci.

Relatively little slag was found in Loci 4 and 9 , two equivalent loci located to the south of the Locus 7 rock feature, especially when compared the amount of slag recovered from Loci 3 and 8, located on the northern side of Locus 7. 33 fragments of slag, two of which were bronze slag, or 13.64% of all slag were found in these two loci; in terms of weight, 88 grams, or 4.64% of all slag by weight, came from Locus 4 or 9, indicating that all pieces of slag from these loci were insubstantial. Interestingly, Loci 4 and 9 yielded high quantities of metal finds.

In conjunction with slag, numerous crucible fragments were found in CA 83. One crucible fragment was found in Locus 2, one possible crucible fragment was found in Locus 8, and one crucible fragment was found in Locus 4 and three crucible fragments were found in Locus 9.

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