Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 11

Date and Page Opened: 10 July 2018, 45

Date and Page Closed: 10 July 2018, 47

Munsell: 5Y 4/4 olive

Description:

Locus 11 was an olive-brown colored claylike deposit located in the easternmost meters of the trench. It was confined to a small area, immediately to the south of EPOC4’s northern wall. It consisted of a small patch of unexcavated soil, which was removed to more fully expose the southern face of EPOC4’s northern wall. The deposit was excavated with hand picks and trowels. It contained relatively few archaeological materials, and most materials found in Locus 11 consisted of plaster, pottery, and bone. Locus 11 likely was contemporary with Loci 2, 3, 4, and 5 from T90 2017 excavations. Locus 11 is equivalent to Locus 18 and Locus 6 from the T90 2017 excavations. Locus 11 overlaid Locus 12.

Cataloged Finds: None

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 12

Date and Page Opened: 10 July 2018, p. 47

Date and Page Closed: 12 July 2018, p. 81

Munsell: 10YR ? yellowish brown

Description:

Locus 12 was a medium brown, heavily compacted and claylike deposit with significant plaster inclusions located in the northeastern corner of the trench, just south of the southern face of EPOC4’s north wall, and the the north and the east of the 2017 stratigraphic sections. The locus was a beaten earth surface lying at the same elevation as beaten earth surface 2, and thus is the same surface. The deposit was excavated using handpicks and trowels. Removing the northwestern section of locus 12 revealed more of the bedrock that was already evident at the start of the T90 2018 excavations. It contained high quantities of pottery and plaster, with smaller inclusions of tile, bone, slag, and vitrified terracotta. Locus 12 was equivalent to Locus 8 from the T90 2017 excavations. Locus 12 underlaid Locus 11 and overlaid Locus 13.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180038: Large plaster fragment
• 20180039: Plaster with reed impressions
• 20180004: Tile with adhered slag
• 20180022: Plaster with reed impressions
• 20180041: Plaster with finished surfaces
• 20180011: Bifurcated handle

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 13

Date and Page Opened: 12 July 2018, p. 81

Date and Page Closed: 19 July 2018, p. 131

Munsell: 5Y 3/2 dark olive gray

Description:

Locus 13 consisted of a charcoal-rich, dark gray colored soil. There were high concentrations of charcoal present in this deposit, leading us to conclude that this was a burnt deposit. The texture of the soil was claylike and compacted. The compaction was most likely due to this locus undelaying a beaten earth surface (Locus 12).

Locus 13 was confined to a small area in the northeast corner of the trench. It was bounded to the north by the northern wall of EPOC4 and to the south by the 2017 sections and soundings. It ovelaid a bedrock shelf in the northern meters of the deposit.

Locus 13 contained high quantities of ferric slag, crucible fragments, and tile fragments with adhered slag. All these materials, coupled with the high concentrations of charcoal, suggest that the processing and refining of ores occurred in this area of EPOC4 and in this deposit. No chronologically diagnostic materials were recovered from this locus, making it difficult to date the deposit.

In addition to high concentrations of charcoal, Locus 13 also was characterized by a dense stone packing. These stones all were roughly fist-sized and densely-packed and were similar to the cobbling of similarly sized stones found within Locus 10 of the T90 2017 excavation. They were situated within the dark-gray charcoal-rich soil of Locus 13, and high quantities of plaster were situated above this stone packing. Our current interpretation is that this packing of stones represents a subflooring, to aid in the drainage of the overlying plaster-rich beaten earth floor surface of Locus 12.

The deposit was excavated and the rock packing was defined using trowels.

Locus 13 is equivalent to Locus 10 from T90 2017 excavations. Locus 13 underlaid Locus 12.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180033: Slag
• 20180034: Slag

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 14

Date and Page Opened: 13 July 2018, p. 89

Date and Page Closed: 19 July 2018, p. 129

Munsell: 10YR ? yellowish brown

Description:

Locus 14 was a orangey-brown colored claylike deposit located in the center-east meters of the trench. The top few centimeters of this locus had been exposed for two years, and had this been severely baked out, making identifying the color and compaction of the locus difficult at first. Once the baked out soil had been removed, the locus became claylike and orange in color, most likely due to the incredibly heavy inclusions of plaster. Moderate amounts of pottery were also recovered, as well as some bone, tile, slag, vitrified terracotta, and bronze. Small-to-medium sized rocks were found throughout the locus, and removing the northern area of the locus revealed more of the bedrock described in Locus 12. Locus 14 is equivalent to Locus 12 and Locus 20, as well as Locus 8 from the 2017 excavations. Locus 14 overlaid Locus 15.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180008: Small fluted spindle whorl fragment

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 15

Date and Page Opened: 19 July 2018, p. 129

Date and Page Closed: 19 July 2018, p. 143

Munsell: 5YR 5/4 brown

Description:

Locus 15 was a reddish brown, plaster-rich deposit located in the center of T90. A cobbling of fist-sized stones were revealed in the excavation of Locus 15, and are contiguous with the stones found in Locus 13. The cobbling contains large tile fragments amongst the stones. High quantities of plaster were found, along with moderate quantities of pottery, bone, slag, and vitrified terracotta, and small quantities of bronze and iron. Locus 15 is equivalent to Locus 9 from T90 2017 excavations.

Cataloged Finds: None

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 16

Date and Page Opened: 20 July 2018, p. 145

Date and Page Closed: 20 July 2018, p. 147

Munsell:

Description:

Locus 16 consisted of a small portion of the preserved southern wall of the small rectilinear structure built over EPOC4’s front porch. Specifically, Locus 16 consisted of the four easternmost preserved stones of this southern wall. This section was removed in order to expand the excavation section to EPOC4’s southern wall. No soil or deposits were excavated in the removal of these stones.

Locus 16 is equivalent to Loci 2 and 3 from the T90 2017 excavations.

Cataloged Finds: Not applicable

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 17

Date and Page Opened: 20 July 2018, p. 147

Date and Page Closed: 24 July 2018, p. 163

Munsell: 2.5Y 4/4 olive brown

Description:

Locus 17 is an olive-brown, claylike deposit located just to the north of EPOC4’s southern wall and just south of the sections made to EPOC4’s porch in 2016 and 2017. Numerous fist-sized stones populated the southern half of Locus 17, which are not as densely packed as the cobbling found within Locus 15, but could potentially be a subfloor for the small rectilinear building that lies atop EPOC4’s porch. In excavating Locus 17, more of the northern face of EPOC4’s southern wall was revealed. Moderate quantities of pottery and bone were recovered, as well as small quantities of tile, plaster, and vitrified terracotta. Locus 17 underlaid Locus 16 and overlaid Locus 18. Locus 17 is equivalent to Loci 4 and 5 from the T90 2017 excavations.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180057: Fluted bucchero rim
• 20180025: Bronze bead

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 18

Date and Page Opened: 24 July 2018, p. 163

Date and Page Closed: 25 July 2018, p. 181

Munsell: 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown

Description:

Locus 18 was a mottled, claylike deposit that was medium brown in color with plaster, limestone, and charcoal inclusions. It laid just to the north of EPOC4’s southern wall and just south of the sections made to EPOC4’s porch in 2016 and 2017. In excavating Locus 18, small rocks were uncovered in the northwest corner of the section, which are not as densely packed as the cobbling found in Loci 14 and 15 and which are also at a higher elevation than the aforementioned cobbling. In the southern part of Locus 18, larger stones were uncovered that appear to have once been a part of EPOC4’s southern wall, and which had perhaps spilled over to the north and potentially landed on the southern extension of beaten earth surface 2. These stones were defined as we excavated Locus 18, using trowels and hand picks. Moderate quantities of plaster, pottery, and bone were recovered, as well as small amounts of tile, slag, and vitrified terracotta. Locus 18 underlaid Locus 17 and overlaid Locus 19. Locus 18 is equivalent to Locus 11 and Locus 6 from the T90 2017 excavations

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180029: Folded bronze sheet
• 20180017: Projecting handle

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 19

Date and Page Opened: 25 July 2018, p. 181

Date and Page Closed: 31 July 2018, p. 213

Munsell: 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown

Description:

Locus 19 was an orange-brown, claylike deposit located just to the north of EPOC4’s southern wall and just south of the sections made to EPOC4’s porch in 2016 and 2017. The orange color was caused by high quantities of plaster in the deposit. A few fist-sized stones were revealed in the northern section of Locus 19, and seem to be a continuation of the stone cobbling found in Loci 14 and 15. Locus 19 was significantly deeper (approx. 7cm) in its northern extension as compared to its southern extension. This difference in depth created a shelf of the charcoal-rich deposit (Locus 20) that was infilled by the plaster-rich deposit that is Locus 19. Found within this shelf was a rectangularly-shaped charcoal fragment surrounded by dense, compressed, and compacted plaster (Charcoal Sample #8). This charcoal fragment could potentially be a preserved burnt beam that was sunk into the plaster. Exceptionally high quantities of plaster were recovered, as well as moderate quantities of pottery, bone, and slag, and small quantities of vitrified terracotta and bronze. Higher quantities of slag were recovered in the southern section of this locus at the interface between Locus 19 and what laid beneath. Locus 19 underlaid Locus 18 and overlaid Locus 20. Locus 19 is equivalent to Locus 7 from the T90 2017 excavations.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180160: Stamped bucchero fragment
• 20180048: Crucible fragment

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations:

Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XIII

Locus: 20

Date and Page Opened: 31 July 2018, p. 213

Date and Page Closed: 31 July 2018, p. 225

Munsell: 5Y 3/2 dark olive grey

Description:

Locus 20 is a dark grey-brown, charcoal-rich, claylike deposit located just south of the rectangularly-shaped charcoal fragment found in Locus 19. It is located in the central meters of the trench, along the western section excavated in 2018 (106.50E on the master grid). A continuation of the compressed and compacted plaster surrounding the potential beam from Locus 19 was discovered. High quantities of coarseware pottery were recovered, as well as moderate quantities of slag and small quantities of vitrified terracotta and bronze. Locus 20 underlies Locus 19 and is equivalent to Loci 12 and 14, as well as Locus 8 from the T90 2017 excavations.

Cataloged Finds:

• 20180053: Possible coil-made pottery

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates and Elevations: