23 July 2018

AM

Work began with observation of the trench. Due to a rainstorm overnight, the soil is damp, as is the surrounding area of the T-22 west extension. To better determine the nature of the soil, the trench was scraped down with trowels. As the new soil change has appeared in the western section of the trench, a pick pass focused on the eastern section of the trench, peeling back half of the trench from the east to west, to determine if the soil change is present here, too.

The soil so far is of a harder consistency and is less clay-like, despite the rain: this soil is consistent with Locus 5.

While removing the loose soil, an unusual piece of terracotta was recovered.

Special find #46: unusual terracotta

27.32 m.AE

46.80 S / 170.34 E

The piece is flat on one side with possible vitrification. There are two worked surfaces that converge into an almost triangle-like shape on the other side.

A second pick pass focused on the remaining section of the eastern half of the trench. The center section of the trench is beginning to show the more clay-like, heavily-included soil associated with the new locus.

A third pick pass was thrown, peeling back the soil from east to west with the intention of revealing more of the new locus in the eastern half of the trench. Clay-like soil with inclusions of terracotta, plaster, and charcoal is now present throughout the locus with the exception of the easternmost 1/3 of a meter. Light baulk-walling tidied the eastern boundary; further baulk-walling along the north and a further pick pass will occur after lunch.

PM

A pick pass was thrown in the eastern section of the trench, peeling back the soil from east to west for approximately 1 meter. While sorting, an abnormally large piece of charcoal was discovered. Fragments were removed to be taken down to the magazzino for analysis and excavation will continue around the remaining piece in situ. A second pick pass cleared the baulk bordering T-91 to the east, in preparation of Locus 6, as the soil change is now present throughout the trench. The trench was then lightly scraped to expose the new locus.

Opening coordinates for Locus 6 were taken as follows:

NW (46 S / 168 E) – 27.23 m.AE

NE (46 S / 171 E) – 27.29 m.AE

NE2 (47.81 S / 171 E) – 27.27 m.AE

SW 3 (46.82 S / 168 E) – 27.31 m.AE

A light pick pass peeled back the soil of locus 6 from east to west. A bigger pick pass tomorrow morning will be used to more accurately describe the soil; the remainder for the afternoon will be used to scrape down and tidy the area of the T-22 west extension, which was disturbed due to rain this season.

End of day totals are as follows:

Locus 5:

Pottery – 122 pieces

Bone – 50 pieces

Tile/plaster – 2/3 bowl

Locus 6:

Pottery – 4 pieces

Bone – 0 pieces

Tile / plaster – 6 pieces

Baulk trim:

Pottery – 6 pieces

Bone – 8 pieces

Tile – 22 pieces

T-22 west extension cleaning:

Pottery – 0 pieces

Bone – 0 pieces

Tile – 6 pieces

While cleaning the T-22 west extension, a possible gorgon hair fragment was discovered which may be a fallen baulk wall find from the south. As its origin is unknown, an estimate of elevation and coordinate was taken:

Supplemental find #47: Possible Gorgon hair fragment

Aprx: 26.82 m.AE

Aprx: 40.10 S / 169.36 E

The fragment is finished on one side with what appears to be three strigils corresponding to three tendrils of hair on the other.

In addition, 5 buckets (aprx. 40 liters) of soil were set aside for archaeobotanical analysis of Locus 5.