Daily log, July 19

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Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Locus 8

AM

Work begins after the 3-day weekend with a pick pass starting in the easternmost meters of Locus 8 heading west. To sort the soil, we use our hands and buckets, which are then dumped into a wheelbarrow. A fragment of burnt terracotta (Special find #1), possibly vitrified tile, was recovered while sorting.

Special find #1 :

- Locus 8

- 72.75S/56.15E

- 23.18 mAE

- Burnt tile

- Drawing

Another fragment of burnt terracotta (Special find #2), or possibly vitrified tile, was recovered in the same area while sorting, as well.

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Special find #2 :

- Locus 8

- 72.40S/56.67E

- 23.17 mAE

- Burnt tile

- Drawing

A pick pass was conducted in the central meters of the trench and sorted by hand. Soil is dense and dry from the sun, but appears to retain the mottled olive brown color with white, black, and grey inclusions as before. There are some less-than-palm-sized stones, terracotta, some pottery, and no bone found so far.

A pick pass was made in the westernmost meters of the trench, and the soil sorted by hand. While pick passing in the easternmost

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meters of the trench, a large sherd of pithos rim was revealed. It is larger than any sherd we have found so far, and was found in the southeastern extent of the trench. A few more possibly associated sherds have been revealed as well.

Another pick pass was conducted in the central meters, followed by another in the western meters of the trench. The southwestern corner of the trench is revealing large fragments of terracotta, in particular. Rotted tree roots have been dug up in the western meters close to Locus 7 .

Soil appears to have more grayish-blue inclusions, along with black and white as seen in other passes. Stones are appearing larger, fist-sized on average, with larger fragments of terracotta.

Another pass was made in the central meters of to level out the trench floor. Roots were clipped.

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167

PM

A pick pass was done in the Central-Western extent of the trench. Notably, stones seem to be emerging throughout the trench; typically laying horizontally.

Another pass was conducted in the Western flank of the trench. A high concentration of large terracotta is emerging in the Southwest corner of the trench. Soil in the West is becoming a dark blue/black color.

A third pass was conducted in the Central-Eastern extent of the trench. Soil color is becoming blue in hue, with brown and black also being present. Less terracotta is being recovered, as well as pottery. However, more terracotta is being recovered than pottery. Palm-sized stones are turning up as well, in higher amounts than before.

A fourth pick pass was conducted in the Eastern extent of the trench. Blue-gray soil is continuing to be revealed throughout the trench. Inclusions within the pass included larger terracotta fragments, fewer sherds of pottery, and palm-sized stones. While sorting, another large sherd of pottery (Special find #3) was revealed, seemingly

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connected to the sherd detailed on page 165.

Special find #3 :

- Locus 8

- 73.56S/56.13E

- 23.03 mAE

- Large Pottery Sherd

- Drawing

Large stones seem present in the central extent of the trench.

Detail work of the stones was done.

Closing Elevations, Locus 8 :

- NE: 23.07mAE

- NW:

- (72S/54.55E): 22.99 mAE

- (72.26S/54E): 22.99 mAE

- (72S/54E): 23.73 mAE

- SW: 23.02 mAE

- SE: 23.13 mAE

Locus 8 Finds:

- Tile: 2 and 5/6 bowl

- Pottery: 65 sherds

- Bulk Slipped Pottery: 1 sherd

- Bone: 0 fragments

No baulk wall work was done today, nor was any work done on Locus 7 .

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