Final Summary

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Excavation in North Terrace 2 and in the general area of North Terrace revealed after three and a half weeks of work a fossa approx. one meter deep and at present, at least thirty meters in length.  The fossa is packed with a mix of large rocks, small stones, pottery, and contains as well some architectural terracottas from the upper building.

In cross-section, the bottom of the fossa, which is defined by bedrock, lies at a depth approx. four meters below the surface of the foundation walls of the north extension building in T-18 and T-19.  The natural slope of the galestra from the Piano del Tesoro to the bottom of the fossa rests at a depth approx. one and a half meters measured perpendicular to the surface of the accumulation of rock packing and humus which forms the present

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slope of Poggio Civitate.The fossa has been excavated to its complete depth only in grids EFG/26-30.

The bulldozer operation of June 24 has cleared the topsoil and loose stone packing from above the fossa for the length of grids A-M/1-27.  In general, the presence of the fossa along the north side of the upper building parallels the fossa which was excavated to the west of the complex, and which contained numerous statue fragments and architectural terracottas.

There is good reason to believe that the fossa on the north of Poggio Civitate served the same purpose.  Whether the fossa was dug for the express purpose of serving as a dump for the statuary of the upper building when it was demolished, or existed prior to the destruction as a moat protecting

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the upper building is yet to be determined.

The extreme effort which was taken to fill the fossa with such an enormous amount of stone seems to indicate a deliberate attempt to bury or conceal something of importance.  A further season of excavation will be required to clear the complete length and depth of the fossa.