Daily Log

163

Monday, July 29, 2013

AM

Work began with a pick pass of Locus 8 in the northwestern extension of the trench, as the elevation is still higher here than in the original part of the trench. Soil is olive brown in color and mottled, especially in the northern meters, with terracotta, limestone, and large carbon inclusions. There are also frequent patches of gray, chalky soil that resemble galestra. Soil is hand sorted directly into buckets in the trench with 1 in 3 buckets dry sieved. Some medium-sized rocks and large fragments of tile were found in the northern meters of the trench and were left in situ. A fair amount of tile and pottery was recovered, but the amount seems less than that found on Friday. A possible crucible fragment (Find #1) was found.

Simultaneously, Locus 9 in the extension was excavated using handpicks and trowels. Soil is olive brown and claylike with some patches of grayish, chalky soil, although there are fewer patches than in Locus 8 . Soil is hand sorted directly into buckets in the trench, with 1 in 3 buckets dry sieved. A fairly high amount of pottery but relatively little tile was found and a large bronze fragment with a perforation (Find #2) was recovered.

A second pick pass was made in Locus 8 of the extension, although the northern meters were left unpicked, so as to preserve the rocks and tile in situ; hand picks and trowels will be used to excavate these northern meters. Soil continues to be olive brown

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and mottled, with terracotta and carbon inclusions. A fair amount of tile and pottery was recovered and soil was hand sorted directly into buckets, with 1 in 3 buckets dry sieved. While sorting, a ridged rim sherd (Find #3), a sherd of pottery with adhered slag (Find #4), a large fragment of iron slag (Find #5), and a sherd of stippled buccheroid (Find #6) were found, as well as a small bronze nail (Find #7) and a piece of vitrified terracotta (Find #8).

Once this pick pass was cleaned up, it was decided to scrape down the surface of Locus 8 , in order to better define all rocks and tile left in situ and remove all divots left from picking. Soil continued to be olive brown, claylike, and mottled, with terracotta, limestone, and large carbon inclusions, as well as patches of grayish, chalky soil. Soil was hand sorted directly into buckets, with 1 in 3 buckets dry sieved.

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Special Finds:

• Find #1

• Locus 8

• 55.04E/36.73S

• 26.93m A.E.

• Possible crucible fragment

• Drawing

• Find #2

• Locus 9

• 55.08E/39.65S

• 26.75m A.E.

• Bronze fragment

• Drawing

• Find #3

• Locus 8

• 54.72E/37.23S

• 26.89m A.E.

• Ridged rim

• Drawing

• Find #4

• Locus 8

• 54.65E/37.46S

• 26.90m A.E.

• Pottery with adhered slag

• Drawing

• Find #5

• Locus 8

• 54.59E/37.78S

• 26.88m A.E.

• Iron slag

• Drawing

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20130217

• Find #6

• Locus 8

• 54.59E/37.78S

• 26.88m A.E.

• Stippled buccheroid

• Drawing

• Find #7

• Locus 8

• 54.98E/37.60S

• 26.88m A.E.

• Bronze nail

• Drawing

• Find #8

• Locus 8

• 55.25E/37.55S

• 26.93m A.E.

• Vitrified terracotta

PM

Another pick pass was made of Locus 8 in the trench's extension. Soil is medium olive-brown in color, claylike in texture, and is mottled, with terracotta and carbon icnlusions. Soil is hand sorted directly into buckets, with 1 in 3 buckets dry sieved. A large amount of pottery and slag but relatively little tile was found. In addition, a double fibula fragment (Find #9) was recovered.

Work ended early due to rain.

Locus 8:

• Tile: \xbc bowl (2 pieces sieved)

• Pottery: 244 sherds (6 sieved)

• Bone: 34 fragments

• Bronze: 4 fragments

• Slag: 16 fragments

Locus 9:

• Tile: approximately 30 pieces

• Pottery: 34 sherds

• Bone: 5 fragments

• Bronze: 3 fragments

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Special Finds:

20130230

• Find #9

• Locus 8

• 54.79E/37.75S

• 26.87m A.E.

• Double fibula

• Drawing

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