30 July 2015

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30 July 2015

AM

Photographs taken of the circular feature, Locus 19 , and the worked stone fragment in situ. Drawing made of the interior stones and diameter profile stones. Daily elevations of Locus 19 taken:

NW Corner: 22.26m A.E.

NE Corner: 22.28m A.E.

SE Corner: 22.25m A.E.

SW Corner: 22.26m A.E.

In preparation for the hopeful removal of the large fragment of worked stone via mechanical device, several preparations are being made. First, brush south and southeast of the trench is being cut down and removed or raked away. The rocks from the interior of the circular feature which were being saved to the east of the trench are being moved to the western side, about three meters back from the western baulk wall. Some stones which had been placed along the western

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baulk during excavation of the loci abutting the circular feature (i.e., not stones from the interior or exterior of the circular feature) are being removed and deposited across the road in the Civitate B property zone about fifteen meters southeast of T 62. Several stones, now that they have been documented, must be removed to facilitate the later extraction of the large worked stone fragment. Removal begun on the southern edge. Two already loose stones, one 15cm in length and the other 35cm, taken out from about 1.5 and 1m above the trench floor. Now a section of courses from about 1.5m-1m above the trench floor

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being worked on. One 30cm stone removed from about 1.5m above the trench floor. Two small 5-10cm stones removed around it as swell as a 20cm stone from below. From below those stones a 40cm stone removed as well as a 35cm stone taken out. Two 5-10cm stones removed from in front of a stone directly below those before that stone itself removed and found to be 40cm in length. From about 60cm above the trench floor three stones--25cm, 5cm, and 10cm in length--removed. From the same area two more, a 15 and 10cm stone, removed. A 10cm stone removed from about 40cm above the floor as well as a 30cm and a second 30cm stone. The newly exposed rocks in the southern edge of the profile cleaned and defined. A hammer and chisel used to crack in half two stones along the northern edge of the feature about 1m above the trench floor, also with the purpose of creating more space for removal of the large fragment of worked stone. The fragments of these stones removed measure 25cm and 15cm respectively. Also a 10cm stone removed from behind them. Additionally, Locus 19 soil which has become impacted on the bedrock shelf at the floor of the trench cleaned up, removed by bucket, and sorted in the wheelbarrow. Lastly, in order to create more space for maneuverability on the trench floor, the base of the safety steps and the southern baulk wall are being trimmed back.

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In order to preserve all the non-decorative architectural terra cotta which was removed from the circular feature for weighing and other analyses, the terra cotta packed up in 19 buckets for transportation to the magazzino.

PM

Attention concentrated once again on slicing back the safety steps and southern baulk wall in order to create more room along the trench floor for maneuvering the large worked stone fragment during its removal. Additionally, two more rocks are being halved in order to allow for more space to remove the large worked stone fragment. A stone overhanging the worked stone and sticking out of the southern edge about 1.20m above the trench floor chiseled and a fragment 20cm in length sheared off. From directly in front of it a 7cm rock removed. Along the northern edge of the feature a stone about 70cm off the trench floor broken also; about

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10cm of it removed.

Using a mechanical front end loader and straps, the large fragment of worked stone was removed and transported to the magazzino on a flat bed.

Find 1: Worked Stone Fragment

95.50E/54.23S

22.14m A.E.

Locus 19

Drawing (not to scale, not life sized)

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Daily Totals:

Locus 19:

Terra cotta: 3 fragments

Pottery: 3 fragments

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