Daily Log

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July 21, 2003

A.M.

A new soil is evident in the east end of the trench underneath where the stump was removed.  However, the west half of the trench is still medium brown soil of locus 4.  THe difference in the two soils is very obvious, especially after a pick pass brought up fresh soil not bleached out by the sun. The new soil is very pinkish throughout, not just where terracotta exists, with small chalky bits of yellow and white.  Before going into this new soil, which will be locus 6, I will clear the locus 4 soil in the west half of the trench, following the slope that seems to be present, until we find the pinkish soil throughout.

In excavating and clearing the west end of locus 4 soil we found small amounts of terracotta and pottery, and one special find.

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P.M.

We have finally reached the pinkish soil at the west end of the trench.  It is significantly lower down than the east side of the trench (ca. 38.5-39.5 cm. difference).  The whole layer must be in a dip, as was suspected, throughout the area because the corresponding slope upwards is evident in T 33 (RWW III) , only 3 meters to the west of T 32.  Now that we have exposed the pinkish layer throughout the trench floor I will close locus 4. The baulk walls were trimmed and evened off on the bottom and straightened.

Today in locus 4, material yield was half cassetta terracotta, 21 sherds of pottery, 5 pieces of bone and 1 special find (small piece of bronze).

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Locus 4 Summary :  Open July 14th to July 21st 2003

Opening elevations for locus 4 are as follows: Drawing

Meter Depth

E167/S58.5                                   27.50

E168.5/S58.5                                27.55

E170/S58.5                                   27.555

E167/S60.5                                   27.53

E168.5/S60.5                                27.56

E170/S60.5                                   27.525

Closing elevations for locus 4 are as follows: Drawing

Meter Depth

E167/S58.5                                   27.135

E168.5/S58.5                                27.21

E170/S58.5                                   27.34

E167/S60.5                                   27.125

E168.5/S60.5                                27.23

E170/S60.5                                   27.35

Material Yield:

2  Cassetta terracotta

86 Sherds of pottery

8  Pieces of bone

2  Special finds - Bronze bracelet (7/14, find #1, p. 31 ),  Bronze bit (7/21, find #1, p. 51 ).

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The soil of locus 4 was light-medium brown with some rocks and roots.  It ws similar to a topsoil like layer, but deeper in the stratigraphic sequence and uner a redeposited galestra-like layer.  It held more bone and a little carbon compared to the absence both in the upper layers.  The material yield was fairly low.

The interesting aspect of locus 4 and therefore also locus 6, located directly beneath, is the topography present.  As the ending elevations show, on the east side of the trench the pink layer (locus 6) begins significantly higher than at the west end (ca. 39.5 cm.s higher).  The top of the layer at the high point slopes down at a fairly even grade form east to west.

This same slope shows itself in the next trench 3 meters to the west (T 33, RWW III ) where it slopes back up from east to west.  However, in T 33 the slope seems to show only a 5-7 cm. difference from one end to the other.  Excavation would

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be interesting between the two trenches, a 3 meter wide area, to define the whole slope.

The slope of this soil seems to be evidence of an effort to fill and flatten the plateau in antiquity.  The locus 4 soil, having little material in it (except for the bracelet) other than a few bits of pottery and terracotta, may suggest an intentional fill layer.  With the possible Orientalizing period scrape directly below, this would correspond to the possibility of a levelling operation taking place for building the archaic complex on the hill.

These are possibilities for waht is occuring in this stratigraphic layer, however, further excavation is necessary to fully understand the topography and stratigraphy.  There is likely not enough time to excavate and fully understand this area in 2003, therefore, excavation will have to continue here next season.

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The afternoon ended with clearing the first cut into locus 6.  I am now opening locus 6.

Opening elevations (absolute) for locus 6 are as follows: Drawing

Meter Depth

E167/S58.5                                   27.135

E168/S58.5                                   27.21

E169/S58.5                                   27.34

E170/S58.5                                   27.43

E167/S60.5                                   27.125

E168/S60.5                                   27.23

E169/S60.5                                   27.35

E170/S60.5                                   27.41

We didn\'t have much time for excavating this layer, therefore the day ended after this one pick pass and clearing.

Total finds in locus 6 today 7/21:

1.25  Cassetta terracotta

Sherds of pottery