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2009 TRENCH PC 34
and PC 28
Field Supervisor: Andrea Summers, University of North Carolina
Field Supervisor
Andrea Summers
Opening
Report:
Since the students
arrived on Saturday, we have all been hard at work on the hilltop
sanctuary of Poggio Colla. Despite a few passing rain showers,
the weather has been sunny and warm. The students are quickly
developing their excavation skills, such as interpreting stratigraphy
and how to identify artifacts. They are working on everything
from sifting dirt to defining delicate features. Over the next
six weeks they will be exposed to a variety of archaeological
methods that enable us to interpret this ancient Etruscan site.
This summer I am re-opening
trench PC 34, which was begun during the 2008 season in order
to better understand the architecture and role of the western
portion of the site. As the primary structure on the hill seems
to be an open-air courtyard, it will be fascinating to better
understand the network of surrounding rooms. In addition to several
Roman coins and countless ceramic vessels, last year the excavators
uncovered a series of three walls which correspond to the later
phases of the Poggio Colla structure.
Andrea
Summers explains PC 34 during trench tours
View from
the east of Trench PC 34 during Week 3
My goal this season is
to continue excavating around these walls in order to determine
their chronology and how these rooms relate to the rest of the
site. The students have been digging through cultural material
from the first day and we have already uncovered a series of
pithoi (large storage vessels) which appear to sit on a floor
level. This terrific discovery leads me to believe that I am
excavating a series of storage rooms that were associated with
the sanctuary. We will take soil samples from these pithoi in
order to determine what they held at the time of their destruction.
As we continue to dig in the coming weeks, I am hoping that we
will also encounter remnants of the earliest phases of occupation
at Poggio Colla, which at this point has only consisted of a
few scattered remains. PC 34 promises to be very exciting as
we have much more to learn from the western side of the hill.
Andrea
Summers with fragments of pithoi in PC 34
Fragments
of roof tile and pithoi in Trench PC 34
PC 34 team
at work during Week 3
PC 34 Team
- back: Matt Elverson and Andrea Summers. Front: Natalie Fiegel,
Ian Hagmann, Katie Breen, Molly Palmison, Alison Crevi, and Al
i Neugebauer
View from the southwest of progress in Trench PC 34 during Week
4
Students busy in PC 34
Molly Palmison excavates a vessel in PC 34 (butterfly passing
by)
Katie Breen
excavating a pithos in Trench PC 34
Ian Hagmann excavating a circular stone in PC 34
Natalie Fiegel digging in a complex locus of PC 34
Alison Crevi (right) in PC 34
Ali Neugebauer in PC 34
Students digging in Trench PC 34 on Poggio Colla
Ali Crevi sweeping in PC 34
Molly
Palmison excavates the base of a pithos in PC 34
Conservators consolidate pithos in north scarp of PC 34 prior
to opening adjoining locus
Natalie Fiegel builds a support for the base of the pithos in
PC 34
Final
Report
Andrea
Summers with pithos fragment from PC 34
After 5 weeks of intense
excavation, we have finally completed work in PC 34 and our extension
into PC 28. Looking back now, I am amazed at all we have accomplished
this season. Our success is entirely due to the hard work of
my students: Katie, Ali, Ian, Natalie, Ali, and Molly. Along
with my assistant Matt, we have made a truly great team.
PC 34 Team - back: Andrea Summers, Matt Elverson, Katie Breen,
Ian Hagmann
Front: Molly Palmison, Alison Crevi, Natalie Fiegel, and Al i
Neugebauer
It is clear now that
we are studying a network of western storage rooms surrounding
an open-air courtyard on Poggio Colla. The building appears to
have experienced a major destruction event. We excavated a thick
stratum of mudbrick, which I believe came from the mudbrick walls
which seem to have collapsed and burned in our storage room.
Ironically, this devastating event over two millennia ago preserved
a vast amount of cultural material for us to study today.
View from the east of Trench PC 34 in Week 4, with conservators
working on pithos
Over these past few weeks,
we have been able to define a series of three walls which stretch
throughout PC 34. Our angled western wall is particularly interesting,
as it sits above the mudbrick deposit. In other words, the wall
seems to have been constructed after our destruction event. This
discovery implies that there may have been activity on Poggio
Colla later than previously thought.
View from the south of the team at work in Trench PC 34 during
Week 6
From the first day of
excavation the students began uncovering fascinating material.
Our earliest finds included two giant ceramic vessels called
pithoi. One was fragmented, while the other was incredibly well
preserved (albeit sticking out the side of our trench wall).
After several days of detailed excavation work, we were able
to lift over 150 pieces of the fragmented pithos. During this
process, we also found nearly 20 weaving implements called loom
weights. Unfortunately, excavating the intact pithos would not
be so easy.
Fragments of pithoi in north scarp of Trench PC 34 at the end
of Week 4
Pithos in PC 34 prior to excavation of vessel interior
We were all very eager
to discover what was stored inside the pithos, but in order to
continue excavating we needed to extend PC 34 to the north. Thus
began work in one quadrant of PC 28. With only 5 days to dig,
the students successfully excavated four strata of this extension
and exposed the back half of our giant pithos.
Opening new locus of PC 28 to excavate interior of PC 34 pithos
in scarp
View
from Trench PC 34 looking north into the newly opened locus of
Trench PC 28; students taking levels
Once we could finally
excavate the interior, we found a substantial collection of seeds,
which filled over four buckets. Our paleobotanist will have a
chance to study these seeds in the future. After emptying out
the interior, we were able to examine the pithos in an entirely
new light. Much to our surprise, we were not excavating the base,
but rather the rim of an upside down pithos. Needless to say,
this discovery has intrigued everyone on site and we are still
discussing various explanations for the odd placement.
Completed level in PC 28 in Week 5
Katie Breen, Cathy Yoon, and Matt Elverson complete excavation
in PC 34
Natalie
Fiegel excavates the interior of a huge pithos in Trenches PC
28 and 34
PC 34 and PC 28 turned
out to be fascinating trenches full of pithoi, loom weights,
and even a Roman coin. I have had a fabulous time this season,
mostly because of the positive attitude and good humor of my
students. I can't thank them enough for their tireless efforts
and supreme work in the trench. I certainly will never forget
this amazing season.
Natalie Fiegel and Matt Naiman excavate pithos fragments in PC
34
Alison Crevi excavates a coin in the new locus of Trench PC 28
Katie Breen completing
excavation of wall in Trench PC 39
Measuring finds in Trench PC 34 for entry in Andrea Summers'
field notebook
After the rain: Matt Elverson measuring for final Trench 28 scarp
drawings
Final photo from the south of lid and pithos in Trenches PC 28
(background) and PC 34
Final photo of Trench PC 28, from the north
Final photo of Trench PC 28 (foreground) and PC 34, from the
north
Final photo of Trench PC 28 (upper right) and PC 34, from the
east
Final photo of Trench PC 28 (background) and PC 34, from the
south
Final photo of Trench PC 28 (left) and PC 34, from the west
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