Methodology

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In Tesoro 76, the standard method of excavation will be as follows. Dirt will be picked with the small end of a pickaxe, broken into clumps, and the clumps will then be hand sorted with trowels. Should any features, architectural or otherwise, require special care in excavating, such as a tile packing or a floor surface, trowels and handpicks may be used to excavate. Any terracotta roofing tile found will be counted in bowls with an approximate diameter of 28 centimeters and a maximum depth of 13 centimeters. Once counted and recorded, these finds shall be discarded in a dump located immediately south of the Medieval road, approximately 20 meters to the southwest of Tesoro 76. Any pottery or bone found will be counted on site and brought down to the magazzino in latte boxes for cleaning and further study. Any tile found while sieving will be documented separately but discarded at the end of the workday, while any pottery or bone recovered from the sieve will be brought to the magazzino and documented separately. If any special finds are discovered, their coordinates and elevations in relation to the absolute elevation of the site shall be taken and recorded. A plumb bob will also be held over the find in order to obtain its elevation when a string, affixed to a datum with the known elevation of 27.56 meters in relation to the origin, with a line level attached, will be extended over the find, intersecting with the plumb bob line. The elevation will then be measured with a tape measure. A plumb bob will also be held over the find and the distance from the trench boundaries will be measured at a right angle in order to determine the north-south and east-west coordinates. Special finds are then sketched in the trench book on site and sent to the magazzino at the end of the day for cleaning, analysis, and possibly cataloging. Any special finds found in the sieve will be designated supplemental finds and the closest approximate range of coordinates and elevations will be provided. Excavation will be conducted stratigraphically, so close attention will be paid to the soil being dug throughout the duration of the excavation in Tesoro 76. Any changes in soil type will be noted in the trench book and a new locus will be defined, measured, photographed, and recorded. Additionally, the baulk walls will be trimmed periodically in order to gain a better understanding of the stratigraphy. Any architectural features will also be given their own locus. Most trenches excavated in 2015 will be adjacent to one another, to better reveal any features that extend beyond.

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