Descriptive Attribute	Value(s)
Architectural or Soil Locus?	Soil
Top (m)	Opening Levels: 892.305 m (E).
Bottom (m)	Closing Levels: Unknown.
Overlies	Unknown.
Stage	Stage 3
Definition	Floor bedding
Underlies	Locus 8.
Stage Description	Cryptoporticus blocked and Propylaeum Central Staircase constructed
Phase Description	Phase VII: Roman mid CE 2nd c. repairs following a more collapse. Building of the Propylaeum Central...
Location	Entire area of trench.
Phase	VII
Combined with	Locus 12.
Description	Locus 9 describes the bedding for the floor of the Room. This level, typical of other examples of floor bedding found in the Great Temple, is composed of small unhewn and broken sandstone rocks and hard-packed earth. The surface is uneven and probably would have been covered by a leveling layer of plaster upon which would have been laid floor tiles, which have been completely robbed out. Traces of charcoal and wood were found at the level of the floor bedding, but no such deposits were substantial enough for recovery or analysis. At least two larger stones are included in this layer near the South Wall at the center of the trench. Although not excavated, these blocks may indicate the presence of some sort of substructure such as canalization and should be investigated at some point in the future. The surface of the bedding is marked by divots that denote impact points of the arch and vault system collapse. A thin, sandy layer (Locus 12) underlies the rocky surface of the bedding and most likely functioned as fill to raise the level of the entire area. The two loci are therefore being combined since they essentially serve the same purpose. Locus 9 abuts the bench and all other walls in the room, indicating that it was the last architectural element constructed in the area of SP 70.