July 4th, 2024

AM: Due to heavy rains yesterday we began excavations with a two hour delay. The rain dampened the soil, making it softer and easier to pick than yesterday. We ran pickpasses in 1m increments (E-W) starting N to S. So far soil texture, inclusions and color remain consistent. After starting our 4th pickpass of the day in the northernmost meter we encountered multiple pieces of tile in the center against the northern edge of the trench. This tile seems to be less eroded than previously found pieces. Although at the same elevation we found more eroded tile. Also, more pottery was found in the northwestern corner of the trench. This morning, we have continued to pickaxe about a meter at a time E-W) starting from N, shoveling the soil into wheelbarrows and sorting by hand. We have encountered less rocks than yesterday and slightly more pottery in comparison. Terracotta finds have remained consistent. The soil has been less dry than yesterday, it looks to be a slightly lighter brown. We think we will be approaching a soil change promptly.

PM: We began this afternoon by axing beginning from the center E-W meter. The soil is slightly drier than this morning. We have identified a clay-like soil close to an olive green color in the area that slopes up around the stump in the southwest. We think this layer may be uncovered elsewhere in the trench after additional pickpasses. Our finds remain consistent although we have identified a few ceramic fragments of finer impasto. The amount of rocks encountered is decreasing slightly as well as the size of them. Rocks have been about 2-3cm on average. We axed some of the larger roots deriving from the stump in the SW. The soil is more compact and wet, but a new locus has not been encountered throughout the trench. A higher amount of cookware has been encountered in the western meter.

Closing Elevations:

SW corner: 27.90m AE NW corner 28.02m AE NE corner 27.96m AE SE corner 27.97 AE

Closing totals: - terracotta 1 1/3 bowl- BF10 - pottery 85- BF11 - bone 0- BF12