T26 Conclusion 

T26 was reopened in the 2022 excavation season with the following goals:

• To further reveal the depression to the north of the floor surface revealed in 2019
• To better understand the building techniques employed in OC2
• To determine the nature and function of the small auxiliary stones of OC2
• To excavate the soil within a linear break in the floor surface 

Excavation during the 2022 season focused on two main areas of investigation, layers beneath the floor surface of the OC2/Workshop and layers to the north of the structure. The layers beneath the floor surface revealed interesting features of the OC2/Workshop structure. A previously unknown cut (Locus 21) in the floor surface (Locus 4) was found in the southeastern extent of the trench. The function of the cut may have been to allow a vessel or an element of architectural support to be countersunk into the floor surface, though no clear function is immediately indicated. 

The cut may relate to the larger cut in the floor surface (Locus 22) which was previously revealed in the 1980s excavations. The cut is known to extend in the floor surface to the east of T26. It is possible that the two cuts are related to drainage necessitated by the production occurring within the space. Further excavation is necessary to determine the possible relationship between the cuts in the floor and the depression that was found to the north of the building in 2019. 

Locus 22 was excavated in the 2022 season from the southern face of the limestone column pad (Locus 5) and its extent to the southern baulk wall. The cut (Locus 22) and the fill (Locus 3) appear to have continued to the north of the column pad (Locus 5). Further excavation is needed to clarify the relationship of Locus 5 to the feature of Locus 22. It is not clear how the presence of the column pad would have interfaced with the possible drainage occurring within Locus 22. 

A layer of soil revealed under a section of the floor surface that was removed in 2019 was excavated in the 2022 season. Locus 7 was a heavily carbon-included dark brown soil that contained a high volume of bone, 41% of all bone found within T26 in 2022. It is not clear why such a high quantity of bone was found beneath the floor surface. The layer appears to have functioned as a leveling course that was constructed in preparation for the creation of the plaster floor surface. The dark soil beneath the floor may be equal to the dark soil found in Locus 13 in addition to the soil visible within the baulk walls of the two cuts. It may also be the same layer of dark soil noted in T27. 

To the north of the OC2/Workshop, excavation continued to investigate the depression running east to west along the northern edge of the floor surface that was revealed in 2019. Locus 8 revealed a tile fall immediately to the north of the OC2/Workshop floor that was found to extend to the fallen pan tiles of Locus 12. The tile fall is most likely from the collapse of the OC2/Workshop structure and is equal to the tile fall found in Locus 14. Further investigation is needed to better reveal the changes in elevation between the tile fall of Locus 8 and Locus 14. 

In Locus 14 a roofing tile fall with a number of tiles preserving full widths was excavated. The tiles found in the northernmost extent of Locus 14 were found laying flatly on a plaster and soil surface, which must have been the northern exterior surface contemporary with the OC2/Workshop occupation and use onto which its roof collapsed during destruction. These flat tiles were found to continue to the north, within Locus 3 of T100. A full width pan tile was found extending under Locus 20, sloping 0.22m from west to east. The tile packing preserves courses of tiles, including at least 4 courses of pan tiles within the collapse, and 3 courses of cover tiles. Further excavation is needed to determine the extent of the tile fall and its relationship to the depression found to the north of the structure. 

Further investigation is needed to clarify the function and chronology of Locus 21 and 22 within the OC2/Workshop floor. Additionally, excavation beneath the floor surface is necessary to determine the construction techniques utilized in the creation of the floor and the activities occurring in the area that predate the OC2/Workshop structure. To the north of the structure, further excavation of the depression and tile fall is necessary to reveal the full dimensions of the feature and illustrate the elevation changes of the surface to the north of the building.