Daily Log Entry for Wednesday, 29 July 2009

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Daily Log Entry for Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Morning:

Started work with a light pick pass in Locus 12 . The rocks in the western part of Locus 12 are becoming more exposed. The soil is definitely darker and will be declared a new locus. The soil is darker, almost more of a black color, and it is more clayey in appearance & texture than the finer, more brown-colored soil of Locus 12 . In order to see if the darker soil extended south (it mostly appears in the area north of the rocks) a light pick pass was attempted in the SE \x93leg\x94 of Locus 12 . The soil there proved to be not only darker, but also highly mottled w/ pinkish-orange, black, & white inclusions. (The pinkish-orange is plaster or terracotta & the black is carbon. The white inclusions are decayed limestone). The first pick pass revealed a lot of pottery (nearly \xbd box) & many small (peanut to hazelnut sized) chunks of plaster as well as smaller-sized fragments of terracotta. The rim of what could be an intact vessel was also recovered in the south leg of Locus 12 during the first pick pass. (Find #1).

Trowelled dirt down in the S area of Locus 12 to define the vessel. It

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appears intact. Also trowelled in the northern part of Locus 12 to see if the darker dirt appearing there is also mottled. It is. Finds still include, plaster & terracotta, bone, & ceramic. Trowelling in the north part of Locus 12 also uncovered a loomweight fragment (Find #2). Quickly trimmed baulks of N & E wall with mini-pick to cut back the \x93ledge\x94 that forms at their base in preparation for photos. Levelled floor of trench w/ a trowel.

Declared mottled, darker soil Locus 15 . Took opening photos & measured points. Continued to trowel in north to define the rocks there & in the south to define the vessel. Took photos of the vessel in situ. Trowelling in the north also revealed a small fragment of bronze (Find #3) and a ceramic gaming die (Find #4).

Continued to trowel Locus 15 . Soil is still mottled, and there are pockets of white, decayed limestone. Finds include bone, terracotta, plaster, & lots of ceramic (nearly 1 full box before lunch.) The vessel was lifted & sent down to the magazino for cleaning & conservation.

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T-56, Locus 15 Opening

(see diagram on pg 175 of JRV-II)

Locus 15 Opening Elevations:

abs elev

NW Corner: 172 cm BD = 27.28 m

NE Corner: 185 cm BD = 27.15 m

1. 175 cm BD = 27.25 m

2. 175 cm BD = 27.25 m

3. 171 cm BD = 27.29 m

4. 169 cm BD = 27.31 m

Locus 15 Opening Coordinates

1. 137.67 E, 39.39 S

2. 137.14 E, 39.41 S

3. 137.15 E, 38.84 S

4. 136.31 E, 38.44 S

Morning Finds:

Find #1

Impasto Vessel

Locus 12 & 15

(Top & Center Point)

174 cm BD = 27.26 m abs elev

137.25 E, 39.09 S

NW : 181 cm BD = 27.19 m abs elev

137.18 E, 39.01 S

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NE: 185 cm BD = 27.15 m abs elev

137.29 E, 30.00 S

SE: 183 cm BD = 27.17 m abs elev

137.39.11 S

SW: 183 cm BD = 27.17 m abs elev

137.19 E, 39.9 S

Find #2

Loomweight Fragment

Locus 12

169 cm BD = 27.31 m abs elev

137.42 E, 38.34 S

20090235

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Find #3 Bronze Fragment

Locus 15

173 cm BD = 27.27 m abs elev

137.21 E, 38.34 S

Find #4

Gaming Die

Locus 15

180 cm BD = 27.20 m abs elev

137.01 E, 38.35 S

20090248

Afternoon:

Continued to trowel in Locus 15 . Photographed rocks & then removed them. Levelled soil in the southern leg & kept trowelling in the north. Finds still include bone, ceramic, plaster & terracotta, and a piece of bone w/ cut marks. (Find #5). Soil is still very dark, claylike in texture, & contains inclusions, terracotta, plaster, ceramic, & bone.

Three pick passes were made in Locus 15 . All three were light & shallow, due to the confined space. All three revealed more of the soil indicative of Locus 15 , which is dark, claylike, and contains black, yellow, & white inclusions. Finds include bone, terracotta, plaster, & ceramic, and a piece of bronze (Find #6).

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There is less terracotta in Locus 15 than in 12 , but there is considerably more plaster. Both types of material, however, were only recovered in small fragments. For the rest of the day, the baulks were trimmed in preparation for the stratigraphic section & closing photos.

Finds:

Baulk Trim: 1/3 Bowl Terracotta

1 Latte Box Ceramic

3 pcs Bone

Locus 12: 1/3 Bowl Terracotta

2/3 Latte Box Ceramic

\xbc Latte Box Bone

Locus 15: 1/10 Bowl Terracotta

2 Latte Boxes Ceramic

1/5 Latte Box Bone

Find #5

Bone w/ Cut Marks

Locus 15

178 cm BD = 27.22 m abs elev

136.64 E, 38.53 S

Find #6

Bronze

Locus 15

184 cm BD = 27.16 m abs elev

136.49 E, 38.47 S

Closing Elevations:

NW Corner: 185 cm BD = 27.15 m abs elev

NE Corner: 185 cm BD = 27.15 m abs elev

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Addendum:

Munsell Readings for Locus 15:

7.5 YR 3/2 dark brown (dry)

7.5 YR 4/1 dark gray (wet)

Point of Soil Sample for Munsell Readings:

173 cm BD = 27.27 m abs elev

137.46 E, 38.64 S

Find #7 Inscribed Rocchetto

Locus 15 Baulk Trim

168 cm BD = 27.32 abs elev

136.28 E, 38.05 S

20090256

Find #8 Ridged Impasto

Baulk Trim

No coordinates available

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