Daily Log

112

113

July 23, 1990

A.M.

M/77 was brought down to the level of 7/20's P.M. cut, roughly 60 cm - a sloping topsoil makes the trench less deep at this end of the trench.  Soil was rocky - since this level was the "rockpack" layer.  1/2 a latte box of pottery was found from this cut and another cut to 65-70 cm in I-M/77.  This cut's soil was rocky and splintery.  One piece of frieze plaque was found in J/77.  One cassetta of tile was dumped.

Another cut was begun in J/77 to 75-80 cm below surface.  The soil here at this level was not the shale-like soil of higher strata, but rather a browner hard-packed soil.  Large stones were found in J/77 at this depth, which may not be part of the "pack" considering the soil change and lower depth.

It is of course possible that the rock pack dips as it moves north.  Many tile fragments were found among these rocks, just as they had been among the rock pack in G-I/78-79.  This cut was completed through K/77.  1/2 a latte box of pottery was filled.

114

115

P.M.

This morning's cut was completed to L-M/77.  Rocks of large size like those encountered in J/77 disappeared and soil was gray-yellow and fairly devoid of material.  In the southern part of L and in meter M, we entered the stratum of "olive" soil that rises up in this area. This soil is brownish and generally sterile.

Toward the end of the trench, a few tiles from the tile/plaster layer (below the "olive") came up.  Little tile or plaster or pottery came up from this cut.  Due to both a sloping ground surface and perhaps sloping trench floor, M/77 is closer to 60 cm than is meter J/77 at 75-80 cm.

Another cut to 85-90 cm was in I-K/77.  I-J/77 had dark brown soil and produced some good pottery including find #3 and a bucchero rim.  In J/77, soil gave way to pure rock pack and picking became difficult.  Tiles were heavy in I/77 too, but disappeared in the rock pack in J and K.  Pottery filled 3/4 of a latte box and tile filled one cassetta.

116

117

19900072

19900072

• Find 1
• J/77
• 65-70 cm
• Frieze plaque
• drawing
• photo

118

119