27 July 2023

AM: Excavation began in Locus 24, 33, and 35. In Locus 24 tiles were defined in preparation for removing the pan tile in the east. A detail photo was taken of the pan tile and the recently revealed full width cover tiles.

In Locus 33 removal of the plaster dense pinkish brown soil continues in order to reveal the very dark brown soil below. A significant amount of plaster and tile continues to be removed from Locus 33.

In Locus 35 hand picks and trowels are being used to lower the dark brown soil to the same level as Locus 32. While sorting, a fragment of a large bone (special find #46) was found while leveling Locus 35 close to the rock on the eastern border of the Locus. The bone was removed and lowering the Locus continued. Baulk walls are improved.

Special Find #46 Bone (2 fragments) 177.42E/69.13S 26.53m AE Locus 35

In Locus 33 the tiles and plaster on the northern extent of the Locus were defined in order to more fully reveal the large pan tile to the north in Locus 24. While using a small handpick, a fragment of antler was found (Special Find #47).

Special Find #47 Antler fragment 176.80E/63.01S 26.36m AE Locus 33 PC20230101

In Locus 33 a fragment of a cover tile with adhered plaster on the interior was found and recorded as special find #48.

Special Find #48 Cover tile with adhered plaster 176.90E/69.36S 26.48m AE Locus 33 PC20230087

In Locus 35 the level of the soil is ca 5 cm higher than the level of Locus 32. While troweling a fragment of an impasto rim on two joining fragments (special find #49) and a diagnostic bone (special find #50) were found.

Special Find #49 Impasto rim in two fragments 177.77E/69.70S 26.61m AE Locus 35

Special Find #50 Diagnostic bone 177.78E/70.40S 26.50m AE Locus 35

In Locus 24 the pan tile was defined. The full width cover tile to the north of the pan tile was defined. The cover tiles in the northeastern corner were defined for removal but were found to be covered by an upside down pan tile extending into T103. The newly revealed pan tile was defined and found to have collapsed in the middle. The full pan tile was prepped for removal by numbering each fragment with tape. A photo was taken and the pan tile was removed.

Special Find #51 Full dimension pan tile 176.80 E / 64.85 S 26.50 m AE Locus 24 PC20230128

In Locus 35 a fragment of a courseware tim with 2 joining fragments and 3 associated pieces were recorded as special find #52.

Special Find #52 Courseware rim (5 fragments) 177 E / 70.155 S 26.55 m AE Locus 35

In Locus 33 work continues to lower the higher soil containing plaster and tile. A fragment of possibly cut tile (special find #53) and a possible antefix fragment (special find #54) were found.

Special Find #53 Possibly cut tile 177.48 E / 66.58 S 26.41 m AE Locus 33

Special Find #54 Possible antefix fragment 176.77 E / 66.30 S 26.53 m AE Locus 34

In Locus 24 the pan tile found along the eastern baulk wall was defined. The tile is positioned upside down and is broken in the center at a lower elevation. The tile was numbered using tape and a photo was taken. The pan tile was removed and recorded as Special Find #55.

Special Find #55 Full width pan tile 177 E / 65.04 S 26.39 m AE Locus 24

The pan tile was removed from the trench and closing elevations were taken.

Closing elevations Locus 24: E: 26.61 m AE W: 26.38 m AE

Closing elevations Locus 33: NW: 26.50 m AE NE: 26.53 m AE SE: 26.44 m AE SW: 26.49 m AE

Closing elevations Locus 35: NW: 26.52 m AE NE: 26.51 m AE SE: 26.51 m AE SW: 26.54 m AE

Closing totals Locus 24: 266: Terracotta - 2 bowls 267: Plaster - 1 bowl 268: Pottery - 8 pcs 269: Plaster with reed impressions - 26 pcs 270: Vitrified plaster - 0 pcs 271: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 272: Bone - 3 pcs 273: Burnt bone - 1 pc

Closing totals Locus 33: 274: Terracotta - 1 bowl 275: Plaster - 4 bowls 276: Pottery - 38 pcs 277: Plaster with reed impressions - 11 pcs 278: Vitrified plaster - 23 pcs 279: Vitrified terracotta - 11 pcs 280: Bone - 18 pcs 281: Burnt bone - 0 pcs

Closing totals Locus 35: 282: Terracotta - 2 pcs 283: Plaster - ⅛ bowls 284: Pottery - 60 pcs 285: Plaster with reed impressions - 1 pc 286: Vitrified plaster - 0 pcs 287: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 288: Bone - 23 pcs 289: Burnt bone - 0 pcs

28 July 2023 AM Excavation continues in Loci 24, 33, and 35. In Locus 35 the surface of the sounding was swept and Locus 32 was expanded. Locus 35 was closed and Locus 32 was extended to encompass the reddish brown soil.

Locus 35 closing elevations: NW: 26.61 m AE NE: 26.51 m AE SE: 26.63 m AE SW: 26.55 m AE

Locus 32 extension opening coordinates: NW: 176.8 E / 69.10 S NE1: 176.55 E / 69.10 S NE2: 177.87 E / 69.30 S SE: 177.80 E / 70.56 S SW: 176.80 E / 70.51 S

Locus 32 opening elevations: NW: 26.63 m AE NE1: 26.64 m AE NE2: 26.60 m AE SE: 26.53 m AE SW: 26.61 m AE

Locus 32 extension opening drawing

Excavation in Locus 24 continues to define and remove the tile fall in order to investigate the extent of the possible depression found in Locus 33 and in T103. A full width cover tile (Special Find #56) was removed from the east of the trench along with a full width cover tile from the west of the trench (Special Find #57).

Special Find #56 Full width cover tile 176.27 E / 64.67 S 26.53 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #57 Full width cover tile 176.70 E / 64.52 S 26.49 m AE Locus 24

An additional full width pan tile (Special Find #58) was removed from the western extent of the trench. The tile was fragmenting and was numbered before removal.

Special Find #58 Full width pan tile 174.60 E / 64.82 S 26.72 m AE Locus 24

In Locus 24 tiles that do not belong to a reconstructable full width continue to be removed A fragment of a flange with two joining fragments (Special Find #59) preserving two fingerprints was found resting on top of a full length pan tile.

Special Find #59 Flange with two fingerprints 176.66 E / 66.52 S 26.47 m AE Locus 24

In Locus 33 small handpicks and trowels are being used to lower the soil along the slope in the east. A fragment of slag (Special Find #60) was found along with 10 associated fragments.

Special Find #60. Slag + 10 associated fragments 177.17 E / 66.58 S 26.47 S Locus 33 PC20230112

In Locus 33 a large amount of plaster continues to be found, amounting to a whole SL bucket. A fragment of a pan tile with two fingerprints (Special Find #61) was found, along with a fragment of a tile with a finger swipe (Special Tile #62).

Special Find #61 Pan tile with 2 fingerprints 174.81 E / 65.03 S 26.56 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #62 Tile with possible finger swipe 174.73 E / 65.11 S 26.58 m AE Locus 24

Also in Locus 24 a flange fragment with two fingerprints (Special Find #63) was found. Additionally, a full width cover tile (Special Find #64) was removed from the east of the trench and a full width cover tile from the northeast of the trench was removed (Special Find #65).

Special Find #63 Flange fragment with two finger prints 175.30 E / 65.25 S 26.70 m AE Locus 33

Special Find #64 Full width cover tile 176.27 E / 64.67 S 26.53 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #65 Full width cover tile 176.94 E / 66.59 S 26.43 S Locus 24

In Locus 33 a fragment of a flange with a fingerprint was found and recorded as Special Find #66.

Special Find #66 Flange fragment with fingerprint 176.94 E / 66.59 S 26.43 m AE Locus 33

An additional full width pan tile (Special Find #67) and two full width pan tiles (Special Find #68 and Special Find #69) were found.

Special Find #67 Full length pan tile (23 associated fragments) 175.47 E / 65.30 S 26.67 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #68 Full width cover tile 176.79 E / 64.81 S 26.42 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #69 Full width cover tile 176.94 E / 64.93 S 26.35 m AE Locus 24

PM In Locus 24 a fragment of a handle was found close to the east in proximity to the findspot of a similar type in T103 (Special Find #70). Two fragments of vitrified terracotta that appear to be warped pan tiles with a curving protrusion (Special Find #71 and Special Find #72) were also uncovered.

Special Find #70 Handle with 4 joining fragments 176.94 E / 62.94 S 26.37 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #71 Vitrified tile 175.30 E / 65.52 S 26.62 m AE Locus 24 PC20230102

Special Find #72 Vitrified tile 175.19 E / 65.65 S 26.57 m AE Locus 24 PC20230103

In Locus 33 a fragment of possible slag was found within a plaster dense area of the Locus. The slag will be recorded as Special Find #73.

Special Find #73 Possible slag 176.97 E / 66.46 S 26.44 m AE Locus 33

In Locus 32 the reddish brown soil was removed and dark brown highly compacted clay was revealed within the entire section. Locus 32 was closed and the brown clay was opened as Locus 36:

Opening coordinates Locus 36: NW: 176.8 E / 44.43 S NE: 178.8 E / 68.38 S SE: 178.8 E / 70.61 S SW: 176.8 S / 70.51 S

Opening elevations Locus 36: NW: 26.61 m AE NE: 26.51 m AE SE: 26.63 m AE SW: 26.55 m AE

Opening drawing Locus 36

Opening Locus 36 Munsell Designation: 10 YR 5/3 - Brown

Excavation began in Locus 36 using a large pick. The soil is highly compacted and does not appear to contain many inclusions. In Locus 24 the tiles were removed from the tile fall and the area was swept. Two additional full width cover tiles (Special Find #74 and Special Find #75) were removed.

Special Find #74 Full width cover tile 176.14 E / 64.95 S 26.50 m AE Locus 24

Special Find #75 Full width cover tile 176.58 E / 64.69 S 26.42 m AE Locus 24

Closing elevations Locus 24: NW: 26.53 m AE NE: 26.66 m AE SE: 26.41 m AE SW: 26.44 m AE

Closing elevations Locus 33: NW: 26.50 m AE NE: 26.50 m AE SE: 26.48 m AE SW: 26.43 m AE

Closing elevations Locus 36: High point: 26.48 m AE Low point: 26.53 m AE

Closing totals Locus 24: 290: Terracotta - 18.5 bowls 291: Plaster - 2.5 bowls 292: Pottery - 40 pcs 293: Plaster with reed impressions - 29 pcs 294: Vitrified plaster - 14 pcs 295: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 296: Bone - 5 pcs 297: Burnt bone - 51 pcs

Closing totals Locus 33: 298: Terracotta - 3 bowls 299: Plaster - 1 bowl 300: Pottery - 49 pcs 301: Plaster with reed impressions - 68 pcs 302: Vitrified plaster - 92 pcs 303: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 304: Bone - 0 pcs 305: Burnt bone - 5 pcs

Closing totals Locus 34: 306: Terracotta - 0 pcs 307: Plaster - ⅛ bowl 308: Pottery - 25 pcs 309: Plaster with reed impressions - 0 pcs 310: Vitrified plaster - 0 pcs 311: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 312: Bone- 14 pcs 313: Burnt bone - 0 pcs

Closing totals Locus 36: 314: Terracotta - 0 pcs 315: Plaster - 0 pcs 316: Pottery - 3 pcs 317: Plaster with reed impressions - 0 pcs 318: Vitrified plaster - 0 pcs 319: Vitrified terracotta - 0 pcs 320: Bone - 0 pcs 321: Burnt bone - 0 pcs