213

27 July 2022

AM

The morning began with continued work in Locus 7.  Hand picks and trowels are being used to lower the level of the soil.  The rocks ca. 0.15m in length were removed.  A large amount of diagnostic bone continues to be found (Special Finds #113-119).

Special Find #113

Locus 7

175.93m E

68.22m S

26.57m AE

Diagnostic Bone

Special Find #114

Locus 7

175.88m E

68.07m S

26.57m AE

Diagnostic Bone: 2 Teeth

Special Find #115

175.92m E

Locus 7

68.02m S

26.56m AE

Diagnostic Bone

Special Find #116

Locus 7

175.82m E

67.81m S

26.52m AE

Tooth

215

Special Find #117

Locus 7

175.73m E

67.69m S

26.60m AE

Diagnostic Bone

Special Find #118

Locus 7

175.85m E

67.50m S

26.58m AE

Diagnostic Bone

Special Find #119

Locus 7

175.75m E

67.71m S

26.62m AE

Diagnostic Bone

Work is also ongoing in Locus 3.  The leveling of the locus continues working to the south.  The hard compacted clay layer appears to slope slightly to the north.

In Locus 7 one additional pick pass was completed with a hand pick and a fragment of iron (Special Find #120) was found.  Two large teeth (Special Find #121) and one small tooth (Special Find #122) were also found.

Special Find #120

Locus 7

175.83m E

67.27m S

26.66m AE

Iron fragment

PC20220079

217

Special Find #121

Locus 7

175.80m E

67.50m S

26.66m AE

Diagnostic Bone: 2 Teeth &4 associated fragments

Special Find #122

Locus 7

175.83m E

67.44m S

26.6m AE [?]

Tooth

In Locus 20 the linear stone feature is being removed in order to reveal a possible elevation change within the tile packing revealed by Locus 14.  The medium and small sized stones were removed along with two larger stones measuring 0.27m x 0.19 x 0.11m and 0.25m x 0.19m.  The compacted brown clay like soil around the rocks was removed, revealing a continuation of Locus 14 underneath.

In Locus 3 a fragment of vitrified pottery was found (Special Find #123).

Special Find #123

Locus 7

174.74m E

71.06m S

26.73m AE

Vitrified Terracotta

219

A fragment of two teeth with two associated fragments were found in Locus 7 (Special Find #124).

Special Find #124

Locus 7

175.78m E

67.52m S

26.62m AE

Two Teeth with two associated fragments

In Locus 19 a large fragment of slag was found (Special Find #125).

Special Find #125

Locus 19

172.05m E

69.89m S

26.49m AE

Slag

Locus 7 was lowered to the level of the surrounding floor surface.  Small rocks and frequent bone continue to be found.  A tooth was also found (Special Find #126)

Special Find #126

Locus 7

175.81m E

67.65m S

26.64m AE

Tooth (2 fragments)

221

The tile packing of Locus 14 continues to be defined.  Additional tiles were found extending to the west.  Tiles were defined along the extent of the locus along the border of Locus 20.

PM

In the afternoon work continued in Locus 19 to level the soil to the same elevation as the compacted clay.  The soil along the baulk walls of Locus 19 is darker in color and appears to be similar to the soil in the baulk wall of Locus 3.  While baulk walling a fragment of vitrified terracotta was found (Special Find #129).

Special Find #127

Locus 19

174.54m E

71.86m S

26.50m AE

Vitrified Terracotta

In Locus 3 the entirety of the locus was lowered to the level of the compacted soil.  While sorting a fragment of ribbed lead was found with one end folded over (Special Find #128).

Special Find #128

Locus 3

174.19m E

71.16m S

26.52m AE

Ridged Lead fragment

PC20220076

The large pan tile on the eastern extent of Locus 14 was found to continue under the linear rock feature of Locus 20.  The pan tile is exposed to a width of 48cm.  While lowering the soil of Locus 20 and defining the newly exposed tiles a fragment of a fine

223

impasto base that was possibly cut into a circle was found (Special Find #129).

Special Find #129

Locus 14

176.35m E

65.63m S

26.59m AE

Possibly cut Fine Impasto Base

As general cleaning of Locus 19 was completed, including leveling and baulk walling, a fragment of cover tile with two possible fingerprints was found (Special Find #130).  A fragment of vitrified terracotta was also found while leveling (Special Find #131).

Special Find #130

Locus 19

172.60m E

69.05m S

26.67m AE

Tile with possible finger swipe

225

Special Find #131

Locus 19

172.96m E

69.60m S

26.54m AE

Vitrified Terracotta

In Locus 14 the full extent of the pan tile was found on the sourthern edge of the tile.  The northern extent remains covered by the soil of Locus 20.  Plaster pressed into the tiles was found while definding.  One example of a cover tile fragment attached to plaster (Special Find #132) was found.

Special Find #132

Locus 14

176.55m E

65.30m S

26.54m AE

Cover Tile fragment with attached plaster

(not to scale)

227

The cut of Locus 3 was swept and the southern baulk wall was created marking the end of the section of the soil fill to be excavated this year.  The trench was swept and photos were taken of 3 tile fragments lying vertically along the edge of the cut.

In Locus 7 the baulk walls were improved and the area was swept.  The level of Locus 7 has been lowered to the level of the trench floor in 2019, equal with the bottom of the northern face of Locus 5 (the column base).  Within the soil that was swept 3 fragments of vitrified terracotta and one bone fragment are visible but will be left in as excavation will stop in the locus for the season.

Closing elevations Locus 3:

N: 26.50m AE

S: 25.83m AE

Closing elevations Locus 7:

SW: 26.60m AE

N: 26.60m AE

SE: 26.57m AE

Closing elevations Locus 14

E: 26.65m AE

W: 26.63m AE

Closing elevations Locus 19

NW: 26.42m AE

SW: 26.43m AE

SE: 26.45m AE

NE: 26.50m AE

Closing elevations Locus 20:

NW: 26.67m AE

SW: 26.56m AE

229

SE: 26.57m AE

NE: 26.65m AE

Closing Totals Locus 3:

Pottery: 87 pcs/ 1 latte

Bone: 3 pcs

Plaster: 1/2 bowl

Tile: 1/2 bowl

Closing Totals Locus 7:

Pottery: 33 pcs

Bone: 76 pcs/ 1/2 latte

Tile: 26 pcs

Closing Totals Locus 14:

Pottery: 17 pcs/ 1/4 latte

Bone: 2 pcs

Plaster with reed impressions: 7 pcs

Tile with slip: 44 pcs

Vitrified terracotta: 90 pcs

Plaster: 1 bucket

Tile: 1/3 bowl

Closing Totals Locus 19:

Pottery: 43 pcs/ 1 latte

Bone: 3 pcs

Vitrified terracotta: 1 pc

Plaster with reed impressions: 1 pc

Large plaster fragments: 4 pcs

Plaster: 1 bowl

Tile: 1/5 bowl

231

28 July 2022

AM

Work continued under the under the removed stone feature of Locus 20.  The layer of Locus 14 continues under the linear stone feature and the tile packing has been found to extend to the west and the east.  The eastern baulk wall of Locus 20 was scarped, pushing the wall back 5cm along its extent.  The full extent of the pan tile was exposed.

The trench is being cleaned in preparation for closing photos.  Locus 19 was baulk walled and leveled.  The extension of Locus 19 that connects to Locus 3 was lowered to the level of Locus 3 and Locus 19.  The small area contained small amounts of plaster, terracotta, a few fragments of pottery, and small rocks.  The soil is consistent with the brown clay of Locus 3 and Locus 19.  While sorting a fragment of diagnostic bone (Special Find #133) was found.

Special Find #133

Locus 3

26.59m AE

171.81m E

70.12m S

Diagnostic Bone & 4 associated fragments

233

The baulk walls of Locus 19 were improved using hand picks, trowels, and brushes.  The trench floor of Locus 19 was leveled.  The area of Locus 14 that extends to Locus 3 was leveled and the baulk walls were improved.  A fragment of vitrified terracotta (Special Find # 134) was found.

Special Find #134

Locus 19

172.6m E

70.4m S

26.52m AE

Vitrified Terracotta

In Locus 4 the baulk walls were improved and the exposed tile packing was defined.  While defining a fragment of a rim with two rdiges was found (Special Find #135).

Special Find #135

Locus 14

176.84m E

64.81m S

26.55m AE

Ridged Pottery fragment

In preparation for photos the tiles were defined.  All areas of the trench are being baulk walled and cleaned in an ongoing manner.

235

PM

The defining continues in Locus 14 to fully reveal the tiles in the tile packing.  The trench and the surrounding area was swept.  While sweeping in Locus 13 [?] a diagnostic bone (Special Find #136) was found.

Special Find #136

Locus 13

174.85m E

67.35m S

26.71m AE

Diagnostic Bone

It was decided to remove a full width cover tile in fragments on the top surface of the tile packing.  The tile was defined and a detailed photo was taken.  The fragments of the tile were removed and saved as Special Find #137.

The trench was prepared for final photos.  All baulk walls were improved, the tiles in Locus 14 were defined, and the entire area of excavations was swept, and roots were clipped.  The trench was tarped.

Closing Totals:

Locus 3:

Pottery: 29 pcs

Bone: 1 pc

Locus 14

Pottery: 44 pcs

Bone: 23 pcs

Vitrified plaster: 17 pcs 

Plaster with reed impressions: 10 pcs

Tiles with slip: 37 pcs

Plaster: 1 bowl

237

Special Find #137

175.05m E

65.30m S

26.68m AE

Full width Cover Tile (18 fragments)

PC20220111

239

Locus 19:

Pottery: 13 pcs

Bone: 1 pc

Plaster: 1.5 bowls

Tile: 1 bowl