2004 TRENCHES PF 5, 6, 9, & 14 Robert Belanger, Field Supervisor Brad Schneider, Assistant Field Supervisor Robert Belanger and Brad Schneider overseeing their trenches. Week 1: Trenches PF 6, 9, & 14 represent the latest in a series of MVAP excavations in the Podere Funghi, a lightly sloping hill approximately 500 meters southeast of the main hilltop arx of Poggio Colla. The initial decision to excavate this now fallow field (a former cornfield still affectionately referred to as the "Field of Dreams," or "FOD" for short) in the Colle al Bosco was determined in the Spring of 1998 during a field-walking survey done after mechanical deep plowing of the area revealed several zones of high ceramics concentration. During the excavation of Trench PF 1 that year an impressive array of domestic Etruscan ceramic wares were discovered in a presumed midden site in the western center of the field, prompting further expansion northward with 1999's Trench PF 2. After two seasons in this area, and with subsequent test Trenches PF 3 & 4 in the center of the field reaching bedrock, the decision was reached in 2000 to excavate a particular zone of high tile concentration 50+ meters away on the northeast crest of the hill in the hopes of discovering the remnants of an Etruscan structure. The results were highly rewarding -- Trench PF 5 conclusively certified Etruscan occupation of the Podere Funghi with its three intersecting foundation walls, circular hearth, and varied ceramic, metal, and bone finds. Considering the location of the hearth in the northeast profile and the abutting walls protruding into the northeast and southwest profiles, in 2001 two Trenches were mapped out in the Podere Funghi - Trench PF 6 concentrated on the 5 x 5 meter grid square to the north, while Trench PF 7 occupied the 5 x 5 meter grid square to the west. Podere Funghi trenches as seen from the west at the end of the 2003 season .These results were even more intriguing - Trench PF 6 established the continuance of the two northeasterly running foundation walls, a large tile fall within a thick pocket of burned carbon (most likely the decayed roof timbers of the structure), and a quarter of a kiln footprint in the immediate northwest corner; while Trench PF 7 unearthed a complete footprint for an updraft kiln, two terminal corners of the foundation walls, and a final kiln footprint straddled by the northeasterly-running foundation wall between Trenches PF 5 & 7. The following year, in 2002, it was determined that the discoveries in Trenches PF 5 -7 necessitated the expansion of the excavation scope to include the 5 x 5 meter grid squares to the north, east, and west of Trench PF 6, designated Trenches PF 9, 10, & 11 respectively, in order to better define the full dimensions of the building. The southern half of Trench PF 9 revealed an extensive series of three updraft kiln footprints in its southeast quadrant, as well as the extension of the west and east foundation walls further north. Trench PF 10 proved the extension of the eastern foundation wall further north and east as well, accentuated by a thick carbon feature to its east surrounded on three sides by sterile soil; while Trench PF 11 turned up almost entirely sterile, excepting a small quarter of the kiln footprint visible in the northwest corner of Trench PF 6 and continuing into the southwest corner of Trench PF 9. Finally, midway through the season Trench PF 6 was reopened and its tile feature, presumably an early roof collapse left in-situ as the packing layer for a new floor level, was removed in its entirety to reveal seemingly sterile soil below. Last year, the 2003 excavations reopened work in Trenches PF 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, & 11 to continue investigating the interior of the structure and address questions about the featural anomalies of its exterior. To further understand the extent of the structure's foundation walls, Trench PF 14 was opened to the east of Trench PF 9, Trench PF 15 to the east of Trench PF 15, and Trench PF 16 south of Trenches PF 5 & 7. The interior space of the structure, contained within Trenches PF 5, 6, 7, & 10, was excavated down to remove an early rubble packing level comprised primarily of tile fragments and coarseware sherds, but also containing several diagnostic tiles and painted, glazed pottery. To the west of the western foundation wall, quartered by PF Trenches 6, 9, 11, & 13, a well-preserved ceramics kiln footprint was bisected and the northern half excavated, yielding a high amount of diagnostic black glaze wares amid a fill context. To the east of the eastern foundation wall, several post holes and anomalous intrusive pits were discovered in Trenches PF 10 & 15. Trench PF 16 showed no evidence of foundation wall continuance to the south, demarcating the southern border of the structure's foundation. However, evidence of parallel northerly running rock formations in Trenches PF 9 & 14 are suggestive of lower stone formations continuing northward as well as extending into the interior of the structure. At this juncture the 2003 season ended. After reviewing the data of the past six years, the goal of the next few field seasons will be to concentrate on the completion the excavation of the Etruscan structure at the northern end of the field, rather than expand into other areas of the field. Despite the bittersweet success of the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys undertaken midway through the 2001, 2002, and 2003 seasons, leading to the excavation of the exploratory Trenches PF 8 in 2001 and PF 12 in 2002 (the former yielding a northeasterly-running, stone covered deep modern (1930s) drainage ditch and the latter a series of thick clay deposits), GPR, field-walking, and resistivity surveys have generally been inconclusive as of this time as to Etruscan habitation in other areas of the field. As such, work in the 2004 season will center on working downward in the areas of the structure already previously excavated, moving to the north, west, east, and south. This excavation record will follow the work being done in the previously excavated loci of Trenches PF 5, 6, & 9 and the western half Trench PF 14, as well as the unexcavated southern half of Kiln 1 (quartered between Trenches PF 6, 9, 11, & 13). The aim of these Trenches is to further define the context of the kilns, better understand the stratigraphy of the structure's interior levels, and determine the extent of the northeasterly running lower stone anomalies. The resulting information will be critical to ultimately define the dimensions, form and function of the Etruscan structure(s) situated on the northern crest of the Podere Funghi. In sum, the excavation of these trenches should prove to be an invaluable component for the site's history during the Etruscan occupation of the Podere Funghi, and one of critical importance to the site's eventual publication.   Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 - Final Report Director, Gregory Warden gwarden@mail.smu.edu Director, Michael Thomas michael.thomas@tufts.edu While the team is in Italy during the summer field season, send e-mail to: mvap3@dada.it To email an individual on the team, enter the person's last name in the subject heading. Excavation house phone: 055-844-9834, or, when calling from the US: 011-39-55-844-9834. Introduction | 2004 Field Season | Poggio Colla Field School | What’s New | Staff | Students Site History | Directors' Diaries | Student Diaries | Excavation Friends | Facilities | Conservation | Surveys Robert Belanger | Katherine Blanchard | Josh Moran | Caitlin Vacanti | Ivo van der Graaff | Robert Vander Poppen QuickTime VR | Site Set-Up | Dig Daily Life | Excavation Process | Field Manual | Lectures | Season's End Archives | Finds | Research Projects | Publications | Bibliography | Mugello Area | Home