Daily log: July 7, 2016

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Thursday, July 7 2016

Locus 4

Am

Locus 4 was opened to explore the stone feature revealed in the Northern-central area of the trench. The Locus was strung and photos, elevations, and coordinates were taken. Locus 4 was opened in order to separate the stone feature from the soil of Locus 3 that surrounds it. Work will therefore treat Locus 3 and Locus 4 in isolation. Locus 4 is the stone feature. One stone in the Northernmost part of Locus 4 is the highest, resting higher than the other stones, which are all medium or palm sized stones laid compactly together. The stones appear to be irregularly shaped and not uniformly horizontal on the soil surface. The Northernmost stone appears to be situated vertically on the soil surface, while the remaining stones are not. The soil appears uniform with that of Locus 3 . Some

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(Drawing)

terracotta is visible from the surface.

Locus 4 Opening Elevations:

- (72.29S/55.63E) = 23.31mAE

- (72.22S/55.50E) = 23.32mAE

- (72.23S/55.32E) = 23.30mAE

- (72.25S/55.19E) = 23.32mAE

- (72.61S/55.26E) = 23.31mAE

- (72.67S/55.36E) = 23.33mAE

- (72.78S/55.50E) = 23.31mAE

- (72.77S/55.59E) = 23.34mAE

- (72.69S/55.62E) = 23.34mAE

- (72.63S/55.72E) = 23.30mAE

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- (72.55S/55.69E) = 23.31mAE

- (72.48S/55.71E) = 23.31mAE

- (72.42S/55.78E) = 23.32mAE

Work begins in Locus 4 by trowels to define the stone feature and to begin to remove the stones and soil in order to level it with the rest of the trench and Locus 3 . The soil is similar to that of Locus 3 , a dark medium brown, but is more compacted. There are some terracotta inclusions and a few sherds of pottery. Smaller stones are interlaced around and between the larger stones. The smaller stones that interlace are less-than-palm-sized to the size of a hand. There appears an almost linear edge on the Western portion of the stone feature. There are smaller stones behind the large vertical stone and also abutting it. A large, angled stone abuts the vertical stone on its Northeastern flank. There are some roots

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running through the locus.

Stones are being carefully removed from Locus 4 as the soil is removed and the stones fully exposed. One stone has been found lying seemingly horizontal underneath one of the surface stones. There are some sherds of pottery and fragments of terracotta, but significantly smaller than in Locus 3 , averaging fingernail-sized. Work continues to trowel below the surface. Soils is hand-sorted into buckets and dumped into a wheelbarrow.

While defining the soil around the stones in Locus 4 , a crucible fragment (Special find #1) was found.

Special Find #1 :

- Locus 4

- 55.40E/72.71S

- 23.66mAE

- Crucible fragment

- Drawing

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Once all of the soil associated with Locus 3 was removed from the top of Locus 4 , a soil of the same dark medium brown was revealed. However, this soil is much more compacted and claylike than that of Locus 3 . Underneath the large stones on the top of Locus 4 was the seemed layer of smaller stones, as previously mentioned, and beneath that were a small number of scattered stones measuring approximately 3cm average. Because no more stones appear to have been revealed, work will continue a scraping of Locus 4 to confirm this potential change. At the same time, baulk walls of Locus 4 are being trimmed.

The stones have all been removed and the flock of Locus 4 scraped down to ensure that all stones have been taken out from the Locus. Because Locus 4 of stones has been taken out,

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and the soil appears compacted, and more so than in the surrounding Locus 3 , Locus 4 will be closed and Locus 5 opened below it.

PM

Locus 4 has been closed, and opening photographs, as well as opening elevations have been taken for Locus 5 . Locus 5's coordinates are contiguous with Locus 4 .

Locus 5 Opening Elevations:

- (72.29S/55.63E) = 23.58mAE

- (72.22S/55.50E) = 23.60mAE

- (72.23S/55.32E) = 23.60mAE

- (72.25S/55.19E) = 23.59mAE

- (72.61S/55.26E) = 23.60mAE

- (72.67S/55.36E) = 23.63mAE

- (72.78S/55.50E) = 23.63mAE

- (72.77S/55.59E) = 23.62mAE

- (72.69S/55.62E) = 23.60mAE

- (72.63S/55.72E) = 23.59mAE

- (72.55S/55.69E) = 23.61mAE

- (72.48S/55.71E) = 23.60mAE

- (72.42S/55.78E) = 23.59mAE

With locus 5 opened, the soil will be lowered via trowels, then sorted by hand into buckets, then dumped into the

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dump to the Southwest. The soil of locus 5 is clay-like, with some small inclusions. Additionally, the soil is dotted with white inclusions, mottled, and very compacted, and contains trace amounts of pottery.

Work continued in Locus 5 , using trowels to lower, and with soil being sorted by hand. While troweling, a fragment of slag was recovered, (Special Find #2)

Special Find #2 :

- Locus 5

- 55.54E/72.51S

- 23.51mAE

- Slag Fragment

- Drawing

Locus 5 Closing Elevations:

- (72.29S/55.63E) = 23.49mAE

- (72.22S/55.50E) = 23.49mAE

- (72.23S/55.32E) = 23.50mAE

- (72.25S/55.19E) = 23.49mAE

- (72.61S/55.26E) = 23.49mAE

- (72.67S/55.36E) = 23.51mAE

- (72.78S/55.50E) = 23.51mAE

- (72.77S/55.59E) = 23.51mAE

- (72.69S/55.62E) = 23.51mAE

- (72.63S/55.72E) = 23.51mAE

- (72.55S/55.69E) = 23.50mAE

- (72.48S/55.71E) = 23.49mAE

- (72.42S/55.78E) = 23.50mAE

Locus 3 Finds:

- Tile: 1/25 bowl

- Pottery: 5 sherds

- Bone: 0 fragments

Locus 4 Finds:

- Tile: 1/50 bowl

- Pottery: 26 sherds

- Bone: 0 fragments

Locus 5 Finds:

- Tile: 1/120 bowl

- Pottery: 19 sherds

- Bone: 0 fragments

Note: no baulk wall work was done today, and thus, no finds were recovered there.

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