Daily Log Entry for Monday, 26 July 2010

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MONDAY, 26 JULY 2010

MORNING : Light rain yesterday early in the evening. After the fruitless excavations on Poggio Aguzzo, work resumed in CA-68. A light (ca. 2-3 cm) pickpass was made throughout the trench. Attempts to pick in the southern ca. \xbd m were futile, and the pick bounced off rocks which appear to be bedrock. It is not a single sheet, but a highly fractured and dense concentration of rocks. The rest of the trench produced a grayish brown clay. We have moved through the humus layer throughout the trench, but organic material is still present in the form of roots, root rot, and insects. Due to the presence of the bedrock shelf in the southern ca. \xbd m of the trench, Dr. Anthony Tuck, PhD decided that CA-68 should expand 1-2 m to the north. A second pickpass was completed which did not drop the level of the trench but focused on leveling the floor. Baulk walls were trimmed and the bedrock was brushed in preparation for opening photos of the extension. Trench was extended 2 m to the N via triangulation. Ground was cleared and then Locus 2 was declared as

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the soil in the extension.

CA-68, Extension and Locus 2 Opening

(see diagram in JRV-III)

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LOCUS 2 OPENING ELEVATIONS:

1. 182 cm BD = 26.81 m abs elev

2. 193 cm BD = 26.70 m abs elev

3. 166 cm BD = 26.97 m abs elev

4. 162 cm BD = 27.01 m abs elev

Center: 173 cm BD = 26.90 m abs elev

LOCUS 2 MUNSELL

dry: 7.5 YR 3/2 dark brown

wet: 7.5 YR 2.5/2 very dark brown

Locus 2 Munsell Coordinates:

(50.83 W, 31.83 N)

171 cm BD = 26.92 m abs elev

A pick pass was made across Locus 2 . The soil is typical of topsoil and contains humus and a layer of fibrous roots extending across the surface. Many roots (less than 1 cm ca 5 cm thick) extend horizontally across the surface of the trench. A few very small, worn, & amorphous chunks of terracotta were recovered as was 1 sherd of ceramic. A second pick pass was made in Locus 2 , from ca 31 N -32 N, across the entire width of the trench. Results were similar, but there were fewer roots. Deeper thrusts of the pick started to reveal the lighter soil already present in the S half of the trench. Some dirt loose on the surface of Locus 1 was removed and additional rocks were uncovered.

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AFTERNOON : After lunch two pick passes were made in Locus 2 . The soil is still consistent with Locus 2 ; it is a dark brown color. Lots of roots are still present, as are insects. Some more worn and amorphous sherds of terracotta were recovered, as was a coarseware handle fragment. The stump in the center was defined to level the floor some more in the center. Some patches of very yellow clay were recovered from beneath it. Another pick pass was made in Locus 2 on either side of the stump in the center to level the floor of the trench & to expose the bedrock. Soil was consistent with Locus 2 and a few small worn amorphous fragments of terracotta were recovered. Bedrock was further exposed in the southern half of the trench and was defined. Nearly the entire southern half of the trench is now bedrock.

Closing Elevations:

NW Corner: 187 cm BD = 26.76 m abs elev

NE Corner: 189 cm BD = 26.74 m abs elev

SE Corner: 153 cm BD = 27.10 m abs elev

SW Corner: 148 cm BD = 27.15 m abs elev

Center: 173 cm BD = 26.90 m abs elev

FINDS :

Locus 1

• 5 pcs terracotta (1/20 bowl)

Locus 2

• 20 pcs terracotta (1/10 bowl)
• 2 pcs ceramic (1/20 latte box)

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