2004 TRENCH PC 20 Ivo van der Graaff, Field Supervisor Sarah Titus, Assistant Field Supervisor Week 7: Field Students: Nicole (CoCo) Berastequi Jeff Edwards Lindsey Lindley Volunteer: Fiametta Calosi Ivo van der Graaff, Bradley Schneider, and Jeff Edwards making final drawings of PC 20. The last week of excavation did not produce any major new surprises except for new insights into the dynamics of the events surrounding the time frame of our unit. After some initial difficulties we managed to ascertain that we may have identified a major foundation trench for the construction of our southern terracing wall. It became clear as we dug down that our black layer (also present on the northern side of the wall), probably formed the fill of this trench as it is sitting into what probably is an earlier deposition layer. This stratum at this point seems to be part of the occupational event which probably produced the black layer used to fill the area in the subsequent development of the site. The nature of the new level seems to be that of a trash pit or a fill of some sort due to finds we have uncovered, such as large bone fragments, charcoal inclusions and broken pottery. We have however reached what seems to be bedrock in one of the corners of this area. Further excavations in the adjacent locus will be required next year to help us clarify the exact dynamics of these events which still seem somewhat unclear at this point, especially because we picked up from such a low point in the stratigraphy this year. New research in the unexcavated fresh stratigraphy of the trench will certainly help us clarify further what is happening in our unit. View of Trench PC 20 from the southwest.   Foundation trench, large blocks, and dark soil in scarp of south locus of PC 20. As we were now in the last week of excavation, most of the work has actually consisted in finishing off the final passes in the various locations of the trench and making sure that the administration of the various materials we pulled up this year was completely and formally updated. This task, due to the massive amounts of finds we have had this year, was not an easy one but the trench pulled together and again we managed to complete the work. The final stages of the fieldwork consisted of back filling the trench. This is a communal effort of everyone on the site, as every trench is required to complete the same task. In this process we re-fill the individual units with the earth we have removed from it throughout the season and the prior excavation events, so that they reach the normal ground level again. We conduct this process in order to protect all the architecture and information in the trenches until they are reopened to new excavation in the following seasons. Ivo van der Graaff drawing one of dozens of finds from a day's work in PC 20.   Bucket brigade during 2004 Poggio Colla backfill. This season has been an exciting and apparently short one. I would like to thank the team that was always happy to accept any challenge, especially that daunting one posed by our unit this season. I also would particularly like to thank Sarah and Bradley for helping me run the trench inside and outside of the field. Their efforts were remarkable, adapting to every situation as it presented itself and never shying in the face of new challenges. In all I consider the past few weeks very successful in clarifying some of the questions we had posed at the start of the season. However new questions have arisen during our excavation, as is normal during archaeological research. They have to remain largely unanswered until renewed excavation of the area will take place in the following years. Assistant Field Supervisors Sarah Titus and Bradley Schneider.   Ivo van der Graaff gives the final tour of Trench PC 20.   Above and below, views of the south end of Trench PC 20 as seen from the northwest.   South locus of Trench PC 20 as seen from the south.   Center of Trench PC 20 viewed from the west.   Center of Trench PC 20 viewed from the south.   North end of Trench PC 20 as seen from the west.   View from the south of Trench PC 20 at the end of the 2004 field season.   Survey plan of Trench PC 20 (prior to addition of hand drawn details).   For photographs of key finds from trenches in the recent season, see Finds. 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