Trench: T90

Trench Book: KRK XVI

Locus: 53

Date and Page Opened: 28 July 2023; p. 207

Date and Page Closed: 28 July 2023; p. 209

Munsell: 10YR 5/4 yellowish brown

Description: Locus 53 consists of EPOC4’s plaster-rich floor surface. Locus 53 is an extremely compacted and level surface with high quantities of plaster integrated into it, giving it a peach color. It is situated in the southwestern quadrant of T90 and the floor surface meets with and underlies EPOC4’s southern foundation wall.

The plaster-rich floor surface of Locus 53 continues to the north, where it had been exposed in prior excavation seasons. To the north of Locus 53, the plaster-rich floor surface extended eastward, but transitioned into a beaten earth surface to the west, at approximately 105E on the site’s master grid. Excavations in Locus 45 in 2023 revealed that the plaster-rich floor surface of EPOC4, later designated Locus 53, terminates linearly at the western end of Locus 53, running perpendicularly to the southern foundation wall of EPOC4. This appears to be an intentional terminus to the plaster-rich floor surface, although it is unclear why the plaster-rich floor surface would end approximately 4.5 meters into the porch of EPOC4 and transition to a beaten earth surface.

Additionally, Locus 53 was cut by Locus 47. The cutting of Locus 47 is rectangular in shape and is situated along the western edge of Locus 53; in fact, the western edge of the Locus 47 cut also is the western edge of the plaster-rich floor of Locus 53. The cut of Locus 47 is oriented to the cardinal directions. However, material culture recovered from within the cut did not clarify why occupants of EPOC4 decided to make such a cut into the building’s plaster-rich floor surface.

Locus 53 was cut by Locus 47. It underlay Locus 45 and is equivalent to Loci 8, 12, 14, 20, 34, and 37 from prior excavation seasons.

Locus 53 was not excavated but was left intact, in situ.

Cataloged Finds: None

Secure Context: Yes

Opening and Closing Coordinates: