Daily Log Entry for Friday, 26 June 2009

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DAILY LOG ENTRY FOR FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2009

MORNING:

Continued picking in 3 passes ca. 50 -75 cm wide towards south boundary of trench. The soil is a lighter brown in color than that in the north and lacks the distinctive layer of leaves ca. 3 cm beneath the surface. The soil is still clayey, but is smoother when picked and does not form as larger of dirt chunks. A few (less than 10) pieces of terracotta and 2 unimpressive fragments of ceramic have been recovered. Due to the different color & texture of the soil in the southern half of the trench, it will be declared a new locus soon. It still contains organic materials such roots & insects. The soil also contains small rocks (ca. 5-7 cm long) scattered throughout with a few larger ones as well. Stephanie Sayce disagrees with Ed Clark and says that the dirt dump from the SF trenches for 2008 was located further away, but that some dirt may have been spilled on what is now T-56. Since T-56 overlaps a depression that is clearly an old trench, perhaps from the initial excavation of Tripartite building, the lighter

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dirt from the southern half of T-56 is dirt dumped from 2008 in an effort to fill the older trench. The student say that the soil in the northern half is redder, while that in the south is more yellowish. Students took Munsell readings for the soil in the southern half, which will be declared Locus 2 . Munsell readings were 10 YR \xbe Dark Yellowish Brown (dry) and 10 YR 3/3 Dark Brown (wet). We leveled the floor of the trench in preparation for declaring Locus 2 . After leveling, Locus 2 was declared & opening photos were taken.

LOCUS 2 OPENING

(See diagram on pg 21 of JRV-II)

(cm BD) (abs. elev.)

1. 63 BD = 28.35 m abs elev

2. 63 BD = 28.35 m abs elev

3. 63 BD = 28.35 m abs elev

4. 73 BD = 28.25 m abs elev

5.(SE corner) 69 cm BD = 28.29 m abs elev

6. (SW corner) 89 cm BD = 28.09 m abs elev

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AFTERNOON:

Took opening coordinates & elevations for Locus 2. Picked in Locus 1 again. First pickpass in the northernmost \xbd m has revealed lots of small, fine roots, with a few larger ones as well, with a diameter of ca. 2-3 cm. A few sherds of ceramic and some terracotta were recovered. A second pickpass in the same area had similar results. A pickpass in second \xbd meter of the trench from the northern edge produced a few sherds of coarseware & terracotta & a piece of modern glass. There are still many roots and pockets of decayed organic material, including a very large earthworm. A yellowish clayey soil seems to be appearing at the western edge of the trench, ca. 1 m south of the northern edge. Another pickpass in the northernmost \xbd meter of the trench continued to uncover reddish-brown clayey soil w/ lots of roots. There were still a few large worms but less decaying organic material. Small rocks (3-5 cm across), a sherds of ceramic, a tooth, & some more terracotta were recovered.

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FINDS:

Locus 1: Terracotta: 1 latte box (used latte box since terracotta bowls weren't yet on the hill)

Pottery: 1/3 latte box

Bone: 1 piece

CLOSING ELEVATIONS:

NW Corner: 67 cm BD = 28.31 m abs elev

NE Corner: 55 cm BD = 28.43 m abs elev

SE Corner: 84 cm BD = 28.14 m abs elev

SW Corner: 64 cm BD = 28.32 m abs elev

Center: 64 cm BD = 28.34 m abs elev

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