F1JP08112002

Daily Trench Journal

Area F, Trench 1

August 11, 2002

Where we dug today:

We took down the cobbles which were to the South of the still alive wall L1069. These cobbles were part of L1086. After we took off this portion of the locus we were surprised to find even more cobbles. These cobbles seemed to have a definite break from the rest of 1086, as well as being underneath the other cobbles. We believe that they are in fact new cobbles. We will have to get a spider shot on these cobbles as well. These cobbles are new L1097. In coming down upon these cobbles we screened all dirt from L1086, the cobbles above the newer cobbles. We found no artifacts during screening.

We dug the locus 1082 down to level with surface L1089. After making the area level we were able to ascertain that the areas appear to be quite different, L1089 being a hard packed clay surface which we believe is over some ash. The area where we came down on L1082 is an area which appears to be more soft dirt than this hard packed clay area. Just to make sure we began digging down in this area, changing the locus and making it L1095. We chose an arbitrary point of 1.5 meters out from the S baulk as the limits of our digging today, but we will find out where the soft dirt ends and the hard clay begins in the next day or two. Also in L1082 we removed the pedestal circular base object thing which was made out of rocks and two rather large pottery pieces. We saved the pottery pieces, although they didn’t appear to be diagnostic. Screened all dirt that was enclosed by this circular base. Found nothing screening. So, to conclude, went down in L1082 in the small area which remained and then started L1095 by going down also to see why it was different than the surface 1089. Another indication that this may be a different area is the inclusion in my trench of several large (12 to 15 cm) rocks which are a very rare part of my trench.

We also had uncovered an oven in the past couple of days which we started on Aug 8th. We began excavation of this oven, L1090, today. Imagine our astonishment when our plans to follow the oven down for two meters ended rather abruptly when the oven appeared to end after about 2 to 3 cm.  The soil of the oven was a very dark color (7.5 yr 3/1 dark gray), but after only a couple of centimeters it ended. We continued digging in this locus for about 5 to 10 cm in a very dark reddish orange soil (not munselled yet) which we hoped would continue to be the oven, but it doesn’t appear to continue. This locus then probably ends before we dig more there, although the red dirt may be indicative of being under a heated area, so it may be different than just fill, and instead be fill underneath the oven.

Plans for the next couple of days:

1.  Get a plan shot on the cobbles, the new ones.
2.  Push towards the north baulk from the south one to see where the surface 1089 begins and the other dirt area ends.
3.  Flick away said surface for awhile trying to show the black ashy layer which we think is underneath it.

CM