Stratigraphic Summary

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The 1997 excavations in South Flank were limited to areas below the floor level of the Upper building.  The stratigraphy within the orientailzing structure and below its floor is quite clear.  However, the stratigraphy outside of the structure is not so readily understandable.  This is due to the fact that the area outside the south orientalizing wall is limited by the Southern Upper Building wall -- there is only a small triangular area between the two walls, which is approximately a meter wide at its greatest extent.  Also, approximately 20-30 cm of the soil beneath the archaic floor in this area was removed in previous excavations (see PS II ).  Finally, excavation in this area was very limited in order to preserve both the orientalizing and archaic walls and not cause them to become eroded and undermined.

The area between these two walls was excavated as Loci 2 and 4.

In the remainder of this season's South Flank excavations, the stratigraphy began at the floor level of the archaic period.  This floor level and its packing, a medium brown soil with some pottery

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and tile, had a large number of tree and grass roots running throughout.  This stratum was the thickest (20-22 cm) and extended over the entire trench, including the orienalizing wall with the exception of the previously excavated area mentioned above.  Loci:  1, 3, 5, 7, 17, 18, 21, 27

Below this, within the cnofines of the orientalizing building, was an approximately 10 cm thick layer of a yellow brown soil with a somewhat sandy  texture and occasional flecks of carbon.  Material recovered from this stratum was limited.  Loci:  9, 19, 22, 23

The next stratum, a layer of medium to dark brown soil with high carbon and plaster content, was also approximately 10 cm thick.  This stratum produced a large quantity of decorated bucchero, a statue fragment, and several bits of bronze -- the only metals recovered from the trench.  This layer produced the greatest quantity of material in the entire trench.  This carbon-filled layer seems to have been resting directly above the floor of the orientalizing building.  Loci:  10, 11, 16,20, 23, 29

Excavation below the orientalizing floor level was limited.  However, four other strata were visible.

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Immediately below the burn/destruction layer mentioned above, and perhaps forming the packing of the orientalizing floor, was a stratum of yellowish-brown soil approximately 6-8 cm thick.  Material, although in limited quantities, was recovered from this layer  There were also occasional flecks of carbon.  Loci: 12 and 24.

Below this was a thin (approx. 6-8 cm) layer of greenish brown soil with heavy carbon inclusions.  The material recovered from this stratum also showed signs of burning.  Loci: 13 and 25.

Underlaying this stratum were two sterile soil layers.  The first is a thick (20-25 cm) layer of areddish clay, with very infrequent flecks of carbon.  Immediately below this, appearing only in patches, was a yellowish galestra-like soil.  Loci: 14 and 26; 15.

The extent of these last four strata below the orientalizing floor is difficult to determine due to the limited excavation below the floor.  Therefore, it is not certain whether they are limited to the confines of the structure or not.