Daily Log

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July 24, 1978

Morning

Because it is likely that the last of Tesoro 23's ivories were found in D-7, it was decided to try to discover whether or not this material was deposited within the walls of a room. In this way, it may be possible to discern more about the nature and function of Tesoro 23's bronze and ivory.  For this reason, work this morning began by beginning a topsoil cut in meters AA-CC/8-9.  A grid system was established in this area on the morning of July 11 (see p. 33-35 for a description of the area AA-HH/7-9, which was designated as an extension of Tesoro 23 on July 11).

See sketch of trench.

The topsoil layer in meters AA-CC/8-9 was completed this morning.  Nothing notable was excated from this area.

Next, in order to complete the excavation of meters ABC/0-10, meter C-10 was excavated (this meter had been left intact because it was dominated by a large stump).  When the stump and the dark brown layer had been excavated, a seive was used to

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excavate the Red layer. Neither an ivory nor a bronze was found in C-10.  A few courseware sherds were found.  However, one notable point about C-10 is that it produced a tremendous amount of tile.  Two cassetta were collected from the Red layer -- and the tile continued into the gray layer.  The upper half of the gray layer consisted of a heavily burned soil.  A great deal of carbon was found.  Between bedrock and this burned area, the soil was simply gray and it contained a few sherds.

19780171

19780171

• Find #1
• D-9
• Red layer / depth of 70 cm
• Stray find
• An impasto rocchetto, preserved in two joining pieces; one end is badly chipped
  • drawing
  • photo

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Afternoon

Work began by continuing the Red layer cut, DEF/8-9.  The Red layer in DEF/8-9 was extremely red and chunky -- and it contained a large quantity of tile.  Some large stones were also removed -- the floor at this level appears to be made up mostly of large rocks.

DEF/8-9 produced no ivory.  The bronze in this area consists of a few fragments of sheet and one complete bronze tack.  Some pottery was found -- several red ware sherds, and dark impasto -- almost no bucchero.

The most notable find of the afternoon is a terracotta statue head -- it is fairly large and appears to be the head of a male.  Two eyes, a nose, and a finished upper lip are preserved.  This, like the bronze nail, was found in E-8.

When the Red layer cut in DEF/8-9 was completed, the gray layer cut in the same area was begun.  In meters D/8-9, the gray layer was removed and

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bedrock was exposed.  The bedrock in D/8-9 is at a depth of approximately 1 meter.  The gray layer in D/8-9 contained little tile and almost no pottery.

Tile: 4 cassetta

Pottery: 2 1/2 boxes

19780180

19780180

• Find #1
• E-8
• Red layer / depth of 70 cm
• Almost complete bronze tack; fragment of the head is missing; large, round, flat head
  • drawing
  • photo

19780163

19780163

• Find #3
• E-8
• Red layer / depth of 60 cm
• Fragment from a terracotta male statue head; eye, nose, and a finished upper lip are preserved (find #3 joins with this fragment -- thus, both eyes and the nose are complete)
  • drawing
  • photo

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