Daily Log

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Tuesday, July 5 2016

AM

We continued to work in Locus 2 , in order to bring the elevation of the extension level with that of Locus 1 and to expose the full extent of the rock-packing feature. We used trowels and handpicks to excavate. Soil remains a medium olive-brown and claylike, with many charcoal inclusions. Two carbon samples, Soil Samples #1 & #2, were collected. The density of carbon inclusions increased as we got lower in elevation and approached the upper surface of the rock feature. Soil was sorted by hand directly into buckets in the trench. Very little tile was found and all fragments are very small, but relatively high quantities of pottery and bone were recovered. Additionally, we found a sherd of fluted bucchero (Find #1), a knuckle-bone (Find #2), a sherd of coil-made pottery (Find #3), and a vertebra (Find #4).

Once we brought the elevation of Locus 2 down to approximately the same elevation as Locus 1 , we began to define the boundary and surface of the rock feature. The soil surrounding the feature was noticeably looser and sandier than the claylike soil of Locus 2 , however the soil directly atop and between the rocks is very dense, compacted, and tacky.

Once the rocks were sufficiently defined, it became clear that they were placed in a sort of elongated diamond shape. Additionally, an upside down coarse-ware base is lying atop one of the southernmost rocks. The rock feature, including the upside down coarse-ware base that was just exposed, along with the larger coarse-ware base found yesterday, are being drawn by one of the artists, to be added to the overall plan of the building. Notably, the feature is situated in the middle of EPOC 4\x81fs rear room, halfway between the northern and southern walls. The feature will be photographed this evening, when the light is soft and even, and so until then, excavation of the feature & Loci 1 & 2 will be halted. Also, it is worth noting that directly east of the rock feature, there is a dense red deposit. This appears to be decaying rock and contains no material culture. It may be a form of galestra, in which case the area of the rock feature would have been dug out, then capped with stones. This interpretation is supported by the presence of the loose soil surrounding the feature.

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Special Finds

20160050

1. Find #1

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 94.33E/39.04S
• \x81 26.77m A.E.
• \x81 Fluted bucchero
• \x81 Drawing

2. Find #2

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 94.91E/40.30S
• \x81 26.68m A.E.
• \x81 Knuckle-bone
• \x81 Drawing

3. Find #3

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 94.65E/40.12S
• \x81 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 Coil-made pottery
• \x81 Drawing

4. Find #4

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 93.99E/40.25S
• \x81 26.68m A.E.
• \x81 Vertebra
• \x81 Drawing

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PM

The SW corner of the locus hadn\x81ft been excavated in the morning, in order to allow the artists to complete a 1:20 scaled drawing of the feature. The SW corner was excavated this afternoon using handpicks and trowels. Soil is medium olive-brown and claylike, with many small stones in this corner. Small quantities of tile but more pottery and bone were found, including a piece of cut antler (Find #5). Lastly, a piece of what may be the cover bowl of a biconical urn was found resting against the reddish galestra-like deposit in the NE corner of the locus (Find #6).

At this point, excavations have been halted for the day, so that the rock feature can bye photographed this evening in soft, even light. The feature will be excavated as its own locus and all surrounding soil from both l oci 1 & 2 will be excavated as a single locus. Therefore, both Loci 1 & 2 were closed. Closing elevations for both loci were taken and closing photos will be taken tomorrow morning, when the light is better.

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Closing Elevations: Locus 1

• NW corner (92.60E/39.40S): 26.68m A.E.
• \x81 NE corner (95E/39.40S): 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 SE corner (95E/40S): 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 SW corner (92.60E/40S): 26.54m A.E.

Closing Elevations: Locus 2

• \x81 NW corner (93.50E/40S): 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 NE corner (95E/40S): 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 SE corner (95E/40.50S): 26.68m A.E.
• \x81 SW corner (93.50E/40.50S): 26.70m A.E.

Special Finds

20160013

5. Find #5

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 93.61SE/40.20S
• \x81 26.70m A.E.
• \x81 Antler
• \x81 Drawing

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20160015

6. Find #6

• \x81 Locus 2
• \x81 94.67E/40.09S
• \x81 26.71m A.E.
• \x81 Possible cover bowl
• \x81 Drawing

Locus 2 :

• \x81 Tile: 28 fragments
• \x81 Pottery: 109 sherds
• \x81 Bone: 7 fragments

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