Monday, July 31 2017

AM

As we removed all the compacted red deposit of Locus 9, the burnt deposit of Locus 10 now extends across the section through EPOC4’s floor.  We began to excavate through the burnt deposit.  We excavated Locus 10 using trowels.  The surface slopes downward from NE to SW and is bordered to the N by bedrock.  The soil is loose and dark grayish brown in color.  There are numerous charcoal inclusions as well, which has led us to conclude that we are excavating a burnt deposit.  This deposit continues to the south and is visible in the baulk walls and southernmost floor of the T66 2016 sounding.  As we already know that there are high quantities of vitrified terracotta, slag, and bronze from when we trimmed the 2016 section baulk walls on Thursday, we will bulk find all these materials in Locus 10.

As we began excavating, we found high quantities of plaster, pottery, and slag, along with moderate quantities of vitrified terracotta.  In addition to slag, we also found other evidence of metalworking; we began the day by finding five crucible fragments (Finds #163-167).  We also found a fragment of cut bone (Find #168).  We are screening the first five buckets of soil through a 1 cm gauge sieve and saving the soil for flotation.  All remaining soil also will be screened through a 2 mm gauge sieve.

As we continued to excavate the burnt deposit, we continued to find greater evidence of metalworking.  We found six more crucible fragments (Finds #169, 170, 173, 174, 175, 176), along with an iron fragment (Find #177).  In addition, we found another fragment of a bone plaque that might be associated with Find #137 from Friday (Find #172) and in the pottery box, we found what may be a neonatal humerus (Find #171).  In addition, we found a diagnostic long bone (Find #178) and two more crucible fragments (Finds #179, 180).

Special Finds

Find #163

• Locus 10
• 107.76E/42.98S
• 26.45m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #164

• Locus 10
• 107.73E/43.80S
• 26.53m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #165

• Locus 10
• 107.62E/43.05S
• 26.43m A.E.
• Crucible fragments

Find #166

• Locus 10
• 108.29E/42.18S
• 26.59m A.E.
• Crucible fragments

Find #167

• Locus 10
• 107.75E/42.87S
• 26.41m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #168

• Locus 10
• 107.70E/43.01S
• 26.42m A.E.
• Cut bone

Find #169

• Locus 10
• 107.66E/42.84S
• 26.45m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #170

• Locus 10
• 107.52E/43.02S
• 26.39m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #171

• Pottery box find
• Locus 10
• 106.76-107.44E/43-43.86S
• 26.39-26.45m A.E.
• Possible infant humerus

Find #172

• Locus 10
• 107.64E/42.95S
• 26.39m A.E.
• Bone plaque

Find #173

• Locus 10
• 107.68E/43.57S
• 26.34m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #174

• Locus 10
• 107.53E/42.93S
• 26.39m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #175

• Locus 10
• 107.31E/42.97S
• 26.31m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #176

• Locus 10
• 107.68E/42.85S
• 26.42m A.E.
• Crucible fragments

Find #177

• Locus 10
• 107.75E/43.15S
• 26.37m A.E.
• Iron fragment

Find #178

• Locus 10
• 107.44E/42.54S
• 26.41m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone

Find #179

• Locus 10
• 107.82E/43.15S
• 26.45m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #180

• Locus 10
• 107.88E/43.37S
• 26.40m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

PM

We continued working in Locus 10, using trowels to excavate the burnt deposit.  The soil remains relatively loose, with many charcoal inclusions, which gives the deposit its dark gray color.  We are hand sorting soil in the trench and screening soil through 1 cm and 2 mm gauged sives.  We are finding high quantities of plaster, vitrified terracotta, and slag, along with lots of coarseware ceramics and some tile and bone.

We are beginning to uncover some medium-sized flat stones that are lying at roughly the same elevation.  These are not densely packed and are situated in the burnt Locus 10 soil; the burnt deposit is both above and below these stones.  Therefore, they were removed as part of Locus 10.  Beneath these stones, we also found two shards of glass (Find #181) and a possible vertebra or scapula (Find #182).  To the north of these stones, we found another fragment of a bone plaque (Find #183), a crucible fragment (Find #184), and a diagnostic long bone (Find #185).  Additionally, we found one more set of crucible fragments (Find #186).

Locus 10:

• Tile and plaster: 1 ½ bowls
• Pottery: 110 sherds
• Bone: 17 fragments
• Bronze: 4 fragments
• Vitrified terracotta: 63 fragments
• Slag: 384 fragments

Special Finds

Find #181

• Locus 10
• 107.00E/43.76S
• 26.31m A.E.
• Glass shards: possible alabastron neck

Find #182

• Locus 10
• 107.36E/43.62S
• 26.29m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone: scapula?

Find #183

• Locus 10
• 107.64E/42.94S
• 26.37m A.E.
• Bone plaque fragment

Find #184

• Locus 10
• 107.81E/43.37S
• 26.38m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #185

• Locus 10
• 107.48E/43.32S
• 26.34m A.E.
• Diagnostic long bone

Find #186

• Locus 10
• 107.92E/43.27S
• 26.43m A.E.
• Crucible fragments

Find #187

• Tile bowl find
• Locus 10
• 106.76-108.50E/42-43.86S
• 26.29-26.49m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

Find #188

• Slag box find
• Locus 10
• 106.76-108.50E/42-43.86S
• 26.29-26.49m A.E.
• Crucible fragment