Monday, July 30 2018

AM

Continued working in Locus 19, to try and remove the plaster rich deposit and expose the charcoal-rich dark grey deposit or packing of stones beneath. We used trowels and hand picks to excavate and hand sorted soil into the trench. Soil was passed through 1cm and 2mm gauge sieves. As we work deeper into the deposit, the deposit is getting more plaster rich and more similar in appearance to Locus 14. The extremely plaster-rich part of the deposit also seems to be the bottom of the deposit, as the charcoal-rich dark grey deposit is situated directly underneath. We also are recovering high quantities of bone and vitrified terracotta. Additionally, we recovered two crucible fragments (Finds #124, 127), a piece of plaster with reed impressions and a corner angle preserved (Find #125), three examples of diagnostic bone (Finds #128, 130, 131), a possible brazier or akroterion fragment (Find #126), and a painted pithos sherd (Find #129).

Special Finds

• Find #124
• Locus 19
• 106.80E/44.66S
• 26.36m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

• Find #125
• Locus 19
• 108.00E/46.90S
• 26.22m A.E.
• Plaster with preserved corner and reed impressions

• Find #126
• Locus 19
• 107.76E/46.52S
• 26.24m A.E.
• Brazier or possible akroterion fragment

• Find #127
• Locus 19
• 107.98E/46.73S
• 26.19m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

• Find #128
• Locus 19
• 107.21E/46.47S
• 26.28m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone

• Find #129
• Locus 19
• 107.10E/46.43S
• 26.29m A.E.
• Painted pithos

• Find #130
• Locus 19
• 107.79E/46.10S
• 26.36m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone

• Find #131
• Locus 19
• 107.03E/45.44S
• 26.34m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone

PM

Continued working in Locus 19, excavating out the plaster-rich orange deposit. The deposit has become more plaster-rich and vividly orange in color, as we work deeper into the deposit. Locus 19 is especially deep in the northern area of the locus. Here, a few larger stones that likely are a continuation of the locus 14 packing have begun to appear, but these stones peter out after app. 30cm into Locus 19.

Furthermore, beneath the lower plaster-rich layer of Locus 19, we have exposed a new, dark grey, charcoal-rich deposit. We currently are working to remove the last of the Locus 19 soil, while also defining any stones that may be part of the Locus 14 packing. Additionally, there are some larger stones (max. dimension app. 45cm) in the southern area of the locus. Some of these are stacked regularly and seem to be a part of EPOC4’s southern wall, while others are positioned haphazardly. These seem to be wall collapse and so we are removing them, to have a clearer profile of the north face of EPOC4’s southern wall.

While removing the last of Locus 19, we excavated using trowels and handpicks. Soil was hand sorted in the trench, then passed through 1cm and 2mm gauge sieves. We recovered high quantities of pottery and plaster, along with moderate quantities of bone and slag. We also recovered a large sherd of vitrified pottery (Find #132), three fragments of plaster with reed impressions (Finds #134, 135, 137), a possible horse tooth (Find #133), and we found a fragment of diagnostic bone (Find #136) in the sieve.

Most of the plaster-rich deposit of Locus 19 was removed; the deposit only remains in the northernmost area of the locus, near the border with Locus 14. We continued working here, while also worked to define the stones of EPOC4’s south wall and the section’s baulk walls. While working in the northern area of Locus 19, we recovered a piece of plaster with reed impressions (Find #138), as well as a large piece of charcoal, which was collected as charcoal sample #7. While defining the stones of EPOC4’s S wall, we found a flange (Find #139) and a crucible fragment (FInd #140), while we found a diagnostic bone (Find #141) along the E section wall.

Charcoal Sample #7

• Locus 19
• 106.79E/45.19S
• 26.35m A.E.

Locus 19:

• Tile + plaster: 1 bowl
• Pottery: 72 sherds
• Bone: 19 fragments
• Slag: 24 fragments
• Vitrified terracotta: 4 fragments

Special Finds:

• Find #132
• Locus 19
• 107.35E/46.61S
• 26.21m A.E.
• Vitrified pottery

• Find #133
• Locus 19
• 106.77E/46.20S
• 26.24m A.E.
• Horse (?) tooth

• Find #134
• Locus 19
• 106.74E/44.80S
• 26.28m A.E.
• Plaster with reed impressions and rounded profile

• Find #135
• Locus 19
• 107.08E/46.10S
• 26.23m A.E.
• Plaster with reed impressions

• Find #136
• Locus 19
• Sieve find
• +/- 15cm: 107.25E/46.10S
• App. 26.23m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone

• Find #137
• Locus 19
• 106.87E/44.78S
• 26.25m A.E.
• Plaster with reed impression and curved profile

• Find #138
• Locus 19
• 106.88E/45.03S
• 26.36m A.E.
• Plaster with reed impressions and flat surface

• Find #139
• Locus 19
• 106.90E/46.78S
• 26.33m A.E.
• Flange

• Find #140
• Locus 19
• 106.91E/46.81S
• 26.30m A.E.
• Crucible fragment

• Find #141
• Locus 19
• 107.89E/46.31S
• 26.36m A.E.
• Diagnostic bone