Descriptive Attribute	Value(s)
Top (m)	Opening elevation: 894.960 m (average).
Architectural or Soil Locus?	Soil
Phase	XIV XI XII X IX XIII
Location	bined with: for collapse elements – Loci 1, 4, 2, 8, 9, 19, 20, and 21; for fill – Loci 8, 9.
Phase Description	Phase XII: Use levels, robbing and abandonments continue. Phase X: Site abandonment post major collapse dating to the Byzantine period from the CE 4th to 5th c.... Phase XIV: Modern period marked by Bedouin activity and the accumulation of recent debris. Phase XI: Further collapse post- CE 5th c., possibly the result of the earthquake of CE 512. Major collapses... Phase IX: Major CE 363 earthquake leads to the collapse of the West Colonnade directly on top of the... Phase XIII: Major collapses continue into the Islamic period.
Definition	Lowest level of the fill deposit containing architectural elements, between the east and west walls (Loci 28, 11) of the West Cryptoporticus East
Overlies	Locus 13.
Stage Description	Major collapse.
Bottom (m)	Closing elevation: 893.860–893.910 m.
Description	The lowest stratum between the east and west walls (Loci 28 and 11) of the West Cryptoporticus East containing collapsed architectural elements is defined as Locus 10. This layer produced primarily wall ashlars, arch stones, pier stones, column drums, and limestone capital fragments, with only a few examples of other architectural elements being recovered. Evidence of the collapse found in Locus 10 differed from that in Locus 9 by lacking any instances of order in the fall pattern amongst the architectural fragments. One of the four elephant-headed capitals was excavated from Locus 10, from a position beneath two of those recovered in Locus 9. Many fragments of elephant heads were also discovered amongst the capital fragments found throughout the locus. A selection of all types of small finds emerged, most notably a substantial amount of metal. The metal artifacts included coin evidence as well as many pieces of iron and bronze. The only inscriptional evidence from Trench 97, two pieces of column stucco with several Greek letters, was also extracted from Locus 10. There was an irregular distribution of the collapsed architectural elements in the locus, with the heaviest concentration being found north of the 14th arch springers [referred to elsewhere as Locus 10 (north)]. Analysis of the distribution suggests that there may be evidence of two collapse events in Locus 10. The first appears to have been a minor event affecting a localized section of the West Cryptoporticus East, approximately between the 11th and 14th arch springers [referred to elsewhere as Locus 10 (south)], and has been assigned to Stage 5. In this area, a scattering of broken arch stones and wall ashlars were found resting on the floor, in proximity to a damaged section of the Middle Pier Wall (Locus 11) and the depression (Locus 26). These were the only significant architectural elements found on the floor in the entirety of Trench 97. All of the arch and pier ashlars recovered from Locus 10 (south), as well as the sole fragment of an arch slab, had suffered substantial damage. It is possible that during this earlier event a portion of the Middle Pier Wall collapsed, compromising several of the arches and creating an opening in the floor of the overlying colonnade, but leaving the overall integrity of the West Cryptoporticus East and its superstructure intact. The undamaged stones from this collapse event could have been subsequently removed for reuse (perhaps Site Phase VIII), explaining their absence from the excavation. This may also be the period when the two sections of floor pavers (Loci 22 and 23) were robbed out, as this probably occurred prior to the advent of major sedimentary deposition of the fill. That this event created an opening in the roof is posited for two reasons. The first is the presence of an arch slab fragment amongst the broken arch stones in this area and at this level. The second is the level of fill between these architectural elements and the others found in the same locus. All of the other Locus 10 collapse elements were found at slightly higher elevations, resting on 0.20–0.40 m of fill. Clearly some circumstance had to exist which allowed up to nearly a half meter of fill to be deposited midway into the West Cryptoporticus East prior to the main collapse event(s). The rest of the architectural elements, those in the upper portion of Locus 10 (south) and all of those from Locus 10 (north), appear to derive from the main collapse event(s) in Stage 6. None of these were found less than 0.20 m above the floor, and the majority came to rest north of the 14th arch springers in disarticulated jumbles. The bottom layer of architectural fragments in Locus 10 (north) consisted of column drums [see sketch of 20/VII/04], suggesting that the velocity at which they fell was sufficient to propel them to come to rest prior to the cryptoporticus elements through which they must have fallen. The overall lowest elements found in Locus 10 (north) were obtained from the north most edge of Trench 97, and represented shattered portions of intrusive architectural fragments jutting downwards from Locus 9. Several unique discoveries were, however, recovered from Locus 10. These included the elephant-headed capital already mentioned, as well as several column drums at the north, which had retained most of their original stucco decoration. Also of note were the six pieces of sandstone cornice recovered from the area of Locus 10 (north); the noticeable absence of similar elements further to the south in the trench may suggest that these fragments originated on the Propylaeum superstructure. The fill in Locus 10 was homogenous with that of Locus 9, consisting of compacted sand and silt of a fine texture. The Munsell Color ranged between 7.5 YR 6/4–5/4 (Light Brown-Brown), and was generally less moist than the lowest stratum (Locus 13). As with Locus 9, assigning the fill deposition to a single stage is problematic. The lowest 0.10–0.15 m of the fill in Locus 10 possibly originated in Stage 5 with the earlier collapse event. The depositing of the remaining fill is likely to have begun at the time of the main collapse event(s) in Stage 6, but must also have continued throughout subsequent stages.
Stage	Stage 6
Underlies	Locus 9.