Methodology

The primary tool of excavation, especially in strata not expected to have an abundance of ancient material, will be the pickaxe, used to break up soil. Soil will be shoveled and moved into buckets using trowels and dustpans, and sorted over the buckets, which will be dumped into wheelbarrows and taken to the dirt dump located 9 meters east on top of trench CC 8. Terracotta roof-tiles and plaster will be counted by bowls. A bowl has a 31 cm diameter and maximum depth of 8.5 cm. Once counted, the terracotta will be discarded in a tile dump meters to the south-east of the trench. Pottery and bone will be counted individually and brought down in latte boxes, to be separated after dry-brushing. For special finds, coordinates will be taken by holding a plumb bob over the find spot, and extending a tape measure at a right angle from the baulk walls to the find spot under the plumb bob. For the elevation, a string with a line level is extended from a fixed datum point, held taut and level, so that it intersects with the plumb bob string. The elevation relative to the datum point is then determined with a tape measure. The absolute elevations will be noted later once the elevation of the datum point on the master grid system is known.