| Collection: | Corinth | |
| Type: | Basket | |
| Name: | Nezi Field, context 5403 | |
| Area: | Nezi Field | |
| Context Type: | Wall | |
| Title: | East-west running late Roman wall | |
| Category: | Cut | |
| Notebook: | 1101 | |
| Context: | 5403 | |
| Page: | 0 | |
| Date: | 2008/05/08 | |
| Description: | Structure materials: limestone blocks, roof tiles. Material size: orthostate 0.62x0.94x0.41m; block 0.28x0.36x0.24m;. Material finish: mixed. Material construction: mixed. Material bonding: mud plaster. Features: door filling, pit disturbance. | |
| Notes: | Average dimensions for each of the three material types are: Orthostates W 0.26m, L 0.91m, D 0.41m; Limestone blocks W 0.28m, L 0.36m, D 0.24m; Roof Tiles W 0.11m, D 0.03m (we were unable to get a length because no complete tiles were exposed). Finish of stones: combination of mostly squared blocks with some roughly hewn blocks and some unworked blocks. Masonry style to the west of the western orthostate (0.65m from western end of wall) is random coursed. Masonry style to the east of this orthostate is random uncoursed. Special features include a possible door filling in between west end of wall and western orthostate. A large pit to the north of the eastern end of this wall may have caused changes in the eastern end of the wall due to settling or errosion. This section of the wall is lower than the rest and very messy looking. Notes added later: (9/5/08 CWP) After our operations around the eastern end of the wall (5410, 5414 and 5417) it can be seen that this wall continued beyond where we initially thought (and drew it). It appears that it may have continued into the next room where the excavations in the 1960s may have removed it. Furthermore, we also discovered that this wall and its foundation trench cuts wall 5346. In relation to other walls in this structure, the surviving east end was built over by a N-S running Ottoman period wall (5435). Wall 5403 seems to continue west into the next two rooms. In the room immediately to the west of our room (the other side of W22) the foundation trench for this continuation of 5403 (at this point called W32) was excavated in 1961. The continuation of the wall in the second room to the west was studied last session of the 2008 season by Nate Andrade and Matt Baumann, giving it the number 5216. They also excavated its foundation trench as deposit 5260 in cut 5269. Also, with regards to the possible doorway, in a conversation today, the director said it couldn't be a doorway but more likely fill between the orthostate and the end of 5435. (12/5/08 CWP) The soil of 5260, which was excavated on the same side of the same wall, but two rooms to the west, was a different color, according to the excavation notes, than that of the soil excavated in the trench of wall 5403 (deposits 5397, 5414, 5417, 5419 and 5433). The inclusions of our deposits, however, were similar to those of 5260, although we do not sem to have cement or mudbrick. The deposit 5260 is described as "surrounded" by a reddish brown, harder soil as is ours. Not much more seems comparable between the two. Revised interpretation 15/5/08 ACF: Mr. C.K. Williams' plan from 1964 (Dwg 140-128c 1964) shows this wall and 5484 as part of the southern exterior wall of a Frankish House. Guy Sanders independently suspected that the wall was Frankish based on construction technique (orthostates filled in by rubble). It is possible that 5403 and 5484 are the same wall but we are unable to see the juncture because 5435 obscures it. It is clear that 5403 goes under 5435 and it appears 5403 was cut back to accommodate the building of 5435. Cleaning of 5484 with trowel reveals an unfinished surface abutting 5435. Since it is not finished, it too could have been cut back to accommodate 5435 and may be the same wall as 5403 (i.e., there is no evidence to contradict this hypothesis yet). The irregular filling in between the western end of 5403 and its western orthostate may have happened after this wall was cut to accommodate 5435 (rather than filling a doorway). Note: the lowest point of 5403 is 84.38 and the lowest point of 5484 is 84.25 - close enough to support the hypothesis that this is the same wall. Revised interpretation 4.6.08 ACF: The foundation trench to the east of wall 5483 has been found, so the trench for 5403, if there is one, must be underneath. Sot his supposts our hypothesis that 5403 is earlier than 5483. The foundation trench for 5403 on the north side, when found, will be much lower than the trench on the south side (fills 5397, 5414, 5417, 5419), supporting the hypothsis that this area was terraced. Revised interpretation 9.6.08 ACF: We excavated foundation trench 5818 on the north side of wall 5403. Wall 5403 is definitely earlier than wall 5483. We found 3 coins in the foundation trench and hope to use them to get a good date for the wall. | |
| Period: | Middle Byzantine (802-1058 AD) | |
| Chronology: | 931-934 | |
| Grid: | 277.05-271.6E, 1022.65-1023.6N | |
| XMin: | 271.6 | |
| XMax: | 277.05 | |
| YMin: | 1022.65 | |
| YMax: | 1023.6 | |
| Site: | Corinth | |
| City: | Ancient Corinth | |
| Country: | Greece | |
| Masl: | 84.38-86.01m. | |
| References: | Report: Nezi Field 2008 by Anne C. Feltovich, Catherine W. Person and Emily M. Rush (2008-05-05 to 2008-06-14) |