Introduction 

In 1969, a trench designated Tesoro 6F (IE II) was excavated through the area of what would later be recognized as the southern flank of the 60 x 60 meter Archaic Building.  In the southeastern sector of the south facade of the building, the original excavation team discovered a feature comprised of convex and concave fragments of terracotta.  Through further exploration and removal it was concluded that these were twelve sections of nesting terracotta pipes of a large diameter (0.54 meters).  The terracotta drainage piping feature stretched about 9.5 meters, beginning in the interior courtyard of the Archaic Building, extending beneath the southern wing, and discharging just outside the southernmost wall of the 60 x 60 meter section of the building.  The original excavator documented that the drainage pipe feature seemed to have been flanked by stones of the southernmost wall, but also noted a few stones found above the pipe, making it unclear if the feature cut or pierced the wall.  Found both above and beneath the terracotta drainage pipe fragments--all of which were removed in original excavation--were Archaic frieze plaque and gorgon antefix fragments.  

During a reexamination of this feature in 2022, there was renewed interest in determining the relationship of the drainage feature to the southernmost wall of the 60 x 60 meter extent of the Archaic building as well as the route that draining material took after exiting this feature.  To that end, Tesoro 101 was laid as a two by four meter trench positioned overtop of the stones of the southernmost wall which flanked the terracotta drainage feature.  The previously excavated area will be cleared of debris which has accumulated since 1969.  Furthermore, as dictated by what is found in clearing, the old southern baulk wall of T6F will be cleaned down to reveal if anything such as an ancient cut representing something like a ditch is visible there.  An additional baulk cleaning may be done along the northern baulk wall of a later trench, Tesoro 22 West Extension (NM V, JB VI, MS I, KLH II), as necessary, again as dictated by the results from investigation of former Tesoro 6F.

The goals of Tesoro 101 in the 2022 season are as follows:

• to clarify the relationship between the southernmost wall of the Archaic Building and the terracotta drainage feature.
• to uncover possible evidence of a channel or channels which would have directed discharged water and other material away from the southernmost wall.
• to understand more about the general topography of this area.