2002 TRENCH PC 23 Robert Vander Poppen, Field Supervisor Josh Moran, Assistant Supervisor Week 6: Team of 2002 Trench PC 23, left to right: Lynn Makowsky, Mike Glover, Tamee Bollinger, Sarah Titus, Joshua Moran, Robert Vander Poppen, and Liz Wallace. This week has been exciting and dry in PC 23. The rain has finally departed and work returned to its normal schedule. We have continued to concentrate on the area to the north of our large blocks as well as the central area of the trench. Near the area of the blocks Sarah, Tamee and Lyn all removed pieces of a large terracotta object which may be an architectural element. In addition, the stratigraphy now seems to favor the association of the blocks with the second phase of use of the building. In addition to this feature, we have also discovered a large circular patch of soil to the north of the blocks. This feature appears to be a footprint related to an object once heated to a great degree. Possibilities for the function of this feature include a burned out post or a ritual basin. The idea that the feature represents a post base is supported by the discovery of one block that extends below the feature. However, the circular, bowl shaped depression seems to fit the profile of a ritual basin far closer. One final pass in the locus should reveal whether the remainder of the feature indeed sits on top of a stone base. View of Trench PC 23 from the east during Week 6. The other area of the trench which has received work is the central portion. Here we have also had a productive week. Tamee, Sarah, and Liz uncovered what seems to be another layer of decomposed mud brick at the bottom of Stratum 3. This line of decomposed mud brick may represent the floor level of the second phase of the building. If so, the correlation between the floor level and the blocks would be very attractive in that the blocks would then have been exposed to a depth of about 5 to 10 centimeters above the floor. To the north we have now exposed the extent of the ancient pit. Mike and Josh have defined its limit and begun to peel back the soil around the feature. We have also begun to discover badly corroded bits of metal from the ancient pit, suggesting that this is similar to the material removed from the trench by the clandestini. Hopefully, one final pass in this area will reveal more about our robbery two seasons ago. Circular feature in Trench PC 23. View of Trench PC 23 with Liz Wallace, Sarah Titus, Joshua Moran, Tamee Bollinger, Lynn Makowsky, Mike Glover, and Susan McIntyre taking a pass during Week 6.   Robert Vander Poppen dressing for success.   Diagonally in foreground: Liz Wallace, Sarah Titus, and Tamee Bollinger. Behind them: Josh Moran, Lynn Makowsky, Susan McIntyre, and Mike Glover.   Assistant Field Supervisor Josh Moran advises Lynn Makowsky and Mike Glover in PC 23.   Liz Wallace holds the prism pole for the Total Station survey which locates finds within the trench and overall site plans. Josh Moran digs in the foreground.   View of Trench PC 23 from the east (with PC 19 and 22 in background). Left to right: Tamee Bollinger, Sarah Titus, Josh Moran, Liz Wallace, Susan McIntyre, and Lynn Makowsky.   Tamee Bollinger excavating around the large blocks in Trench PC 23.   Sarah Titus taking a pass in Trench PC 23.   Administrative Intern Susan McIntyre excavates and sifts in Trench PC 23 some days, and works in the magazzino on others.   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