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Conclusion:

The excavation of T 62 in the 2014 was highly successful towards the understanding of the topography and stratigraphy of the Tesoro West area. Within the original bounds of the trench, a thin linear rock formation, approximately four meters long and stretching from the northwestern corner diagonally at a shallow angle towards the southeast, was uncovered. The stones which comprised this feature were small--between ten and forty centimeters in length and width. In search of any possible northern or southern parallel features, both T 61 and T 62 were extended to the south two meters. Though neither extension caught a similar thin, linear, stone feature, in the eastern baulk wall of T 62's extension three stones emerged appearing to be placed in an arcing arrangement.

In order to explore the area south of the thin linear feature, a ten centimeter deep cut was made across the entire southern area in the original trench and first extension. Materials removed from south of the linear rock feature included an almost full profile impasto base ( 20140129

20140129 ), coilmade impasto fragments (including 20140074 20140074 ), bucchero fragments, a rocchetto fragment ( 20140089 20140089 ), two spindle whorls ( 20140064 20140064 and 20140079 20140079 ), bronze fragments (including a rectangular shaft, 20140061 20140061 ), burned bone, and diagnostic bone fragments. Such artifacts might be expected from an area of small scale domestic habitation, though weather prevented the full excavation and exploration of this material rich area during the 2014 season.

At the same time, to investigate the western-eastern extent of the linear feature as well as the arcing rocks uncovered in the first extension, a second extension of T 62 was made two meters to the east in order to adjoin it to the western baulk wall of T 63. The thin, linear, stone feature was seen to continue in a more robust form of approximately eighty centimeters in width until it disappeared beneath a large stump in the extension and was not seen

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to continue in T 63. Weather prevented the excavation of the area south of the linear feature in the second extension to a level at which it could be explored whether or not this space was as material rich as the area south of it in the original trench and first extension.

The level which was able to be achieved in the second extension revealed that the three stones which appeared to arc in the first extension were part of a roughly circular stone feature of approximately one meter in diameter. To investigate the nature of the feature, and any intentionality behind its placement, the interior was excavated. Beneath the original circular stone feature a second course of rocks appeared, slightly inset from the upper course, thereby narrowing the diameter of the feature to about eighty centimeters.

The circular stone feature circumscribed an area which was heavily infilled with artifacts including a large quantity of pan and cover roofing tiles, as well as decorative elements from the Archaic phase of the site including frieze plaque ( 20140107

20140107 , 20140112 20140112 , 20140113 20140113 , 20140115 20140115 , 20140116 20140116 , 20140123 20140123 , 20140124 20140124 ) and sima fragments ( 20140094 20140094 , 20140111 20140111 , and 20140114 20140114 , 20140121 20140121 , 20140122 20140122 , 20140127 ). The pottery recovered from the circular feature included primarily worn, body sherds of impasto and coarseware vessels. Very little bone was recovered from Locus 13 , but many of those found were diagnostic. The feature's shape, coursing, and included materials offer strong parallels to other places of Archaic period deposition on Poggio Civitate including the pits filled with Archaic material in CB 15 ( PS I ), CB 27 ( EN IV ), CB 32 ( JAL I ), CB 39 ( ARR II ), but especially to the well in CA 42 (LS I, MG II), the aperture of which was of similar size and sealed with hundreds of terra cotta elements.  It is likely that the feature in T62 is also a well, but further excavation is required in subsequent seasons to confirm or deny this hypothesis.

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While the excavation of T 62 did not directly lend itself to an explanation of the potential non-elite housing and metal working phenomena seen in CA 72, 73, and 78, excavation of its circular feature in the coming season may elucidate the type of activities occurring in the area, as well as potentially foster an understanding of the interaction between non-elite and elite populations on Poggio Civitate.

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