Descriptive Attribute	Value(s)
Overlies	Locus 10.
Architectural or Soil Locus?	Soil
Phase	XIV XI XII X IX XIII
Combined with	for collapse elements – Loci 1, 4, 2, 8, 10, 19, 20, and 21; for fill – 1, 4, 2, 8, 10, and 16.
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.
Underlies	Locus 2.
Stage Description	Major collapse.
Definition	Middle level of the fill deposit between the east and west walls (Loci 28, 11) of the West Cryptoporticus East, containing a dense layer of architectural elements related to the main collapse event(s)
Description	Locus 9 defined the heaviest concentration of collapse-related architectural elements. Present were numerous wall ashlars, stylobate slabs, floor pavers, arch stones, and pier stones. Fifty-two column drums were excavated, many of which were found partially seriated allowing the direction and sequence of their collapse to be identified. This locus contained three of the four nearly complete elephant-headed capitals recovered from Trench 97, which were found in locations commensurate with the collapse sequence charted for the seriated columns. One of the capitals also possessed the first intact pine cone boss ever found in situ. In addition, Locus 9 produced many limestone capital fragments, including several elephant heads and other pinecone bosses. The north end of Locus 9 also included several arches collapsed in a series, which were defined as separate loci (Loci 19 and 21). An entire range of small finds was obtained, including several coins, a complete lamp, a piece of decorated glass, and a section of an enigmatic ivory tube. The fill consisted primarily of compacted sand and silt of a fine texture. The Munsell Color ranged from 7.5 YR 6/4–5/4 (Light Brown, Brown), and was generally less moist than the lower strata. The relative uniformity of the fill revealed little about the deposition processes, making it difficult to assign this locus to a single stage. It is likely that the collapse elements should be assigned to Stage 6, but that the fill must be considered to derive from Stages 6–8, since its deposition could have begun at the time of the collapse event, but certainly continued during the subsequent stages.
Top (m)	Opening elevation: ca. 896.260 m. (average).
Location	Center, from the north balk of Locus 8 to the north end of Trench 97, from the top of the preserved arch springers down to the top of the 4th ashlar course visible in Loci 11 and 28 above the floor.
Stage	Stage 6
Bottom (m)	Closing elevation: ca. 894.960 m. (average).