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"","","Corinth","","Danielle Smotherman; Temple E, Southeast Excavations; Session I; Unit 2, Room 2; N: 1066.50 N, S: 1065.00 N, E: 119.27 E, W: 116.57 E; Unit 2, Room 9; N: 1086.73, S; 1079.10 N, E: 132.85 E, W: 126.83 E; 21-28 April 2015; ; 2015 Session I, Late Byzantine - Early Frankish activity in Unit 2, Room 2 and Frankish fill in Unit 2, Room 9; This is the final summary of the first session excavation for the 2015 season in Room 2 of Unit 2 and Room 9 of Unit 2 in the Frankish quarter, Temple E Southeast. Guy Sanders (director) and Larkin Kennedy (field director) supervised. Danielle Smotherman (area supervisor) recorded. On the last day of excavation, Danielle was assisted by Alžbĕta Lorenzová. The workmen were Thanasis Sakellariou (pickman), Christos Sakellariou (shovelman), and Panagiotis Rontzokos (barrowman, sieve). ; On account of the delayed permit, the first half of Session I was spent on research and development of a webpage for the Frankish Quarter of Corinth as well as cleaning the areas for excavation in Unit 2. Excavation during Session I was limited to six days. ; Excavation work focused in Room 2 and then moved to Room 9. In Room 2, the space was subdivided and only the northern portion of the room was excavated this session. The full extent of Room 2 is bounded by walls 556, 557, 558, and 559 (N: 1066.50 N, S: 1061.55 N, E: 119.27 E, W: 115.30 E), and the area under excavation is: N: 1066.50 N, S: 1065.00 N, E: 119.27 E, W: 116.57 E. In Room 9 the area of excavation was bounded by the walls of the room, which have not yet been numbered (N: 1086.73, S; 1079.10 N, E: 132.85 E, W: 126.83 E). Excavation in both rooms was done in order to clarify the dating and the relationship between the walls of those rooms to the other areas of Unit 2 in preparation for the area being presented to the public as part of the Frankish Quarter. Consolidation and restoration work continued contemporaneously to the excavations. ; ; Room 2 was previously excavated in 2014 Session III by E. Wilson and J. Swalec. During the first session of the 2015 season, only the northern part of the room was excavated on account of the limited time available. The goal was to find a foundation trench or means of dating the construction of the North wall of the room (Wall 556: N: 1067.50 N, S: 1066.10 N, E: 119.80 E, W: 114.20 E) to better help our understanding of the date of construction  of Room 2, its function, and how it relates to the rest of the complex. This was also facilitated by sectioning the room. As part of the restoration work of Unit 2, portions of  the N, E, W and S walls (Walls 556, 557, 558, and 559) have all been restored since the 2014 excavation season, leaving a c. 20 cm wide construction trench abutting each reconstructed wall in the room. At points, these construction trenches cut contexts and obscured relationships between the walls and contexts. The construction trench for the N wall of the room did not cut across the one original block of the wall, thus contexts that bordered the wall at that point were still able to be discerned. Excavation in Room 2 ceased when it was clear that we had not found a foundation trench for Wall 556 and that we were now in Byzantine period levels, which appear to be earlier than the construction of the wall.  ; Excavation then turned to Room 9, which had not been excavated since 1996 (NB888 P1-46). The final two days of Session I excavation, 27th and 28th of April, were spent in Room 9. During those two days, we removed the surface that had been exposed since 1996 throughout the room, cleaned the edge and sides of the big pit, removed two construction fills and stones resting on the surface, and defined the edges of a previously unexcavated pit in the S part of the room that will be excavated in Session II. Excavation will continue in Room 9 during Session II. ; ; Unit 2, Room 2, excavated 21/4/2015-27/4/2015; ; Middle Byzantine Period (AD 802-1058):; During the Middle Byzantine period, there was a small patch of hardened fill (Context 627; 1066.90 N, 119.05 E, L. 0.9 m, W. 1.35 m). Shortly after the deposit of this hardened fill, the floor level was raised. Only an iron tack, a bronze strip, and two very small pieces of glass were found in this layer. ; Late Byzantine Period (AD 1058-1210):; During the Late Byzantine period, a deep fill (D. 0.29 m) with cobbles, tiles, and pottery was dumped to raise the floor level (Context 620), although the floor the boundaries of this room were different during this period. The material of the fill dates from the late 11th to the early 12th centuries by pottery and included coins from the Late Roman period (Coins 2015-25, 2015-27). The plastered floor (1066.60 N, 118.17 E, L. 1.6 m, W. 2.86  m, Context 617), dating to the second half of the 12th century by pottery, surmounted this raised level and appears to go under Wall 557, indicating that the room as it was excavated belonged to a later period. Two separate fills cover the floor (Contexts 612 and 614), related to use activity of the space during the Late Byzantine period, in particular the mid to late 12th century by the pottery. The activity layers contained few finds other than the pottery, although the earlier layer had a piece of glass making waste and a piece of iron slag.  ; ; Frankish Period (AD 1210-1458): ; A robbing trench for wall 556 cuts through the Byzantine fills (1066.60 N, 118.60 E, L. 3.2 m, W. 0.23 m, D: 0.26 m, Cut 643, Context 608). Previous excavations along the wall had encountered a robbing trench dating to the Turkish period (Context 553, Skeleton 562, NB839 B13, B15, B24). The excavated trench (Cut 643, Context 608) represents an earlier robbing activity in the room, which was then cut by the later robbing trench. The trench included pottery dating to the mid-13th century. This fill is consistent with the overlying context (Context 603) and could represent a slump of this fill. ; The continued use of the room during the Frankish period is indicated by five separate deposits of fill in the space (Contexts 593, 599, 602, 603, and 607), likely to continue raising the floor level, which are all dated to the mid 13th century by pottery. These deposits include coins dating from the Greek (Coin 2015-20), Late Roman (Coins 2015-11, 2015-12, 2015-13, 2015-14), Byzantine (Coins 2015-9, 2015-21), and Frankish (Coins 2015-15, 2015-16) periods. The two Frankish coins date between 1250 and 1278 (both from Context 603), which corroborates the date of the pottery. A bronze pendant, generally dated to the Byzantine period, was recovered in the earliest lense of fill in the room (MF-2015-3). Its decoration includes an inscribed circle on the body of the pendant with an inscribed cross with letters at the ends of each arm of the cross. The vertical axis (top to bottom) reads Chi and Rho. The horizontal axis (left to right) reads Theta and Epsilon. In the later lenses of fill, domestic items such as a bronze crochet hook and bronze and bone sewing needles were recovered along with industrial refuse, including iron slag, glass wasters, and crucibles, indicating a mixed origin for the fill material. ; ; Conclusions:; The dates for the construction of Room 2 and, in particular, the N wall of the room are still uncertain, but must date to the Frankish period since the Late Byzantine floor goes under the later eastern wall of the room. The excavations revealed that the space had been used as an indoor space since at least the Late Byzantine period, albeit with different boundaries. The robbing trench indicates that there was some robbing activity of the N wall of the room during the mid-13th century, which may have also included some rebuilding as the space continued to be used as a room afterwards, and is distinct from the later robbing activity of the wall.; ; Future goals:; 1.    Excavation in Room 2 this Session revealed another large block under the orthostate in the North wall (Wall 556). If excavation were to be resumed in the room, continuing excavation along the N wall to find the bottom of the original wall could aid in the understanding of the development of the space and dating of the room.; 2.    The southern portion of the room was not excavated this session. Further excavation in this area could help clarifying the dating of the Frankish levels. In particular, if Context 620 is continued in the southern part of the room, further investigation of the fill could help clarify if the date of the fill represents the date of the dumping activity or if the material was brought in from elsewhere in the site that contained earlier materials. The dating of the East and West walls would be important for understanding the change in the use of the space from the Late Byzantine to Frankish periods.; ; Unit 2, Room 9, excavated 27/4/2015-28/4/2015; ; Frankish Period (AD 1210-1458):; All contexts excavated in the two days of excavation in Room 9 date to the 14th century by pottery. Multiple layers of fill, unevenly distributed in the room, were excavated and represent multiple depositional activities in the space during the 14th century (Contexts 628/634, 638, and 639). The earliest fill removed contained a Latin imitative coin dating 1204-1261 (Coin 2015-43). A reused threshold block (L. 0.596 m, W. 0.510 m, H. 0.157m, N: 1086.45 N, S: 1085.30 N, E: 131.25 E, W: 130.50 E, Context 631) rested on a 14th century floor, perhaps also represented by by a small patch of tile floor left over from the 1996 excavations (NB888 B33 P37; NB888 B38 P42; NB888 B41 P45-46). The threshold could have been used as a step up to a doorway, as previously thought, although there does not seem to be evidence for a doorway in that wall.; The tile floor encountered across the room in the previous excavations (NB888 B33 P37; NB888 B38 P42; NB888 B41 P45-46) had a bottom elevation of 85.03 m and rested on a clay surface that was left exposed for 19 years, [the remnants of ?] which may be included in Contexts 628 and 634. The bottom elevation of the floor, (85.07) is very close to the top elevation of Context 628 (85.05 m). The difference between the elevations most likely is a result of weathering during the 19 years of exposure of the area. The pottery of Contexts 628/634 dates to the 14th century and included one 18th century intrusion, probably from the central pit previously excavated. A pit was identified in the SW portion of the room and its edges defined; excavation of the pit, however, was left for the next session. Above the tile floor, the previous excavators encountered a layer of destruction debris, primarily tiles which was originally dated to the late 13th-early 14th century and now thought to be 14th century in date (NB888 B32 P36, NB888 B37 P41) providing evidence for when the room went out of use. ; ; Early Modern:; The big pit in Room 9 is a later intrusion (NB888 B18 P22-23; NB888 23 P26; NB888 B24 P27; NB888 B25 P28). It was excavated in 1996 to a total depth of 0.80 m and the material of the fill dated primarily to the 18th and 19th centuries, with some earlier materials included (a 12th century coin, Coin 1996-150, and some 16th century pottery). The final lense in the pit contained 13th century pottery, but this most likely indicates material disturbed by the cut of the pit rather than the date of the pit itself. Only the edges and sides of the pit were cleaned during Session I, but it may need revisiting in Session II. ; ; Future goals:; 1.    Assign wall numbers to each of the walls in the room to facilitate discussion of their dates and relationships with the use periods within the room. ; 2.    Determine the relationships of the walls to one another within the room and to the walls of the other rooms, such as Wall 156 that abuts the southern wall of Room 9. Was Room 9 a later addition to the complex or was it a free-standing building at one point? When were the walls subdividing Room 9 from the rooms to the north and west added? ; 3.    Complete cleaning of the pit excavated in 1996 which has been exposed since 1996. ; 4.    Explore the unexcavated pits in Room 9: the pit in the SW corner and the pit N of the big pit. ; 5.    Further excavate the room to get a better understanding of its function.","2015 Session I, Late Byzantine - Early Frankish activity in Unit 2, Room 2 and Frankish fill in Unit 2, Room 9","Report","Corinth:Report:Temple E, Southeast 2015 by Danielle Smotherman (2015-04-21 to 2015-04-30)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Temple E, Temenos | Temple E, Southeast","Temple E, Southeast 2015 by Danielle Smotherman (2015-04-21 to 2015-04-30)","",""
"","","Corinth","","This is the final report for the area excavated by the green team in Temple East – Southeast during the first session of excavation of 2014. Guy Sanders (director) and Jody Cundy (field director) supervised. The excavation team consisted of Colin Whiting (recorder), Thanasis Notis (pickman), Panos Rontzokos (shovelman), and Marios Vathis (sieve). Our excavation area was the unexcavated baulk that formed the north and west boundaries of Harris and Johnson’s previous investigations in 1995 (NB 873) and Brogan’s in 1993 (NB 859). The area extended from the edge of the scarp at (roughly 115E) to a modern rubble wall running north/south at 111.75E (context 11). The adjacent area west of the rubble wall was investigated by the blue team with Hans Hansen and Alex Seufert as recorders. The excavation scarp at (1076N) formed the southern limit of the area which extended to a martyr at (1080.1N). The martyr was created by the need to preserve a pine tree and its roots that we do not yet have permission from the authorities to remove. North of the baulk is the modern museum courtyard, constructed in the 1930s.; ; The goal of this abbreviated excavation was to determine use patterns of the area above the so-called 'sterile red' layer which was sectioned in the previous excavations and confirm previous excavators' analyses of the surrounding areas. Brogan in particular was interested in more precise dating from debris in the northerly portions of the road (NB 859, p. 122). This was in service of the broader goals of the American School in Corinth, that is, the final excavation and consolidation of Frankish materials at Corinth in order to present the Frankish phase of Corinth to visitors to the site. When the materials above the 'sterile red' layer were removed, the area was turned over to Hansen and Seufert to continue the excavation of the area as a complete unit. The general course of use in this area was fairly straightforward and can be presented in two phases.; ; Early Modern Roads, 16th-19th c.; ; This phase of use is represented by a sequence of superimposed north-south oriented roads which covered the whole of the excavation area (111E-115.5E, 1075.5N-1080.5N). ; ; The earliest road had a somewhat irregular surface and its construction was not particularly sophisticated such that it might reflect the result of surface compaction (context 48). The road was originally approximately 3.5m wide, according to Brogan’s excavations directly south (NB 859, B14, 58; p. 121). The dating of this road is somewhat difficult. The pottery within the surface itself suggests a date in the late 14th or early 15th c., but a Venetian coin (2014-61) excavated just below it by Hansen and Seufert (within context 141) dates to the late 15th c. Brogan had put the date of this road between the 16th and18th c. previously (NB 859, B14), but his interpretation based apparently on elevations. In his summary, Brogan allowed for dates as early as the 15th c. (ibid., p. 122) but describes dating this road as “tricky.” Harris and Johnson excavated a small part of the road south of the lime pit but offer no particular date (NB 873, B47). Just beneath this surface they also found a 15th/16th c. sherd (NB 873, B48). Given the coin and the sherd, it is likely that the road represents a very late 15th or early 16th c. result of rebuilding activity after a late 15th c. destruction. The pottery finds in this road contained very little cookware, particularly when compared to the similar, later road (context 24) that overlaid it. Perhaps this reflects settlement pattern in which this surface was some distance from residential areas or other areas of food production.; ; This earlier road had a dumped fill including large amounts of tile on top of it (context 38, 1075.95N-1080.10N and 111.75E-112.90E). Another dumped fill further east (context 42, 1076.05N-1079.20N and 113.35E-115.15E), which was further away from the wall (context 11 running north-south at 111.75E), and did not have significant amounts of tile in it. However, the eastern side of the road did have significant amounts of tile in a dumped fill on top of it, as reported by Harris and Johnson (NB 873, b49). This suggests that there was a significant period of disuse marked by the collapse of buildings along the both edges of the road and the solidification of the remains. The pottery in both dump fills above context 48 dates to the 18th c., and so suggests that the road went out of use for some time in the 18th c. before being deliberately reformed in the late 18th or early 19th c as context 24. A trowel found within context 38 may be related to this activity.; ; The presence of later metalled road (context 24) whose construction dates to the late-18th to the very early-19th c. points to a renewal of circulation in the area after a period of abandonment. The road is dated on the basis of the 18th-c. pottery contained in the leveling fill immediately below it (context 46) . Harris and Johnson excavated the eastern edge of the road south of the lime pit although they identified it as a floor (NB 873, B37). They date this surface to the 19th c. but offer no explanation as to why. This early 19th c. date is corroborated by the probable attestation of the road on a map of Corinth prepared by Peytier in 1829. According to Brogan’s excavations to the south, the road was also originally approximately 3.5m wide (NB 859, B11, B53; p. 121) and overlaid the extent of the earlier road (NB 859, p. 121). The center of the road was dipped in the center along the same north-south alignment as the road, possibly due to heavy traffic along the middle of the road compared to its sides. Two dumped fills (contexts 17, 1077.55N-1080.10N and 112.42E-113.96E, and context 18, 1075.90E-1079.48E and 113.15E-115.15E) overlaid the road in the center and east respectively. These both included large amounts of tiles, and suggest that there was also a period of disuse in the 19th c. during which buildings adjacent to the road collapsed and the collapse became solidified over time. The larger stones in context 18 that overlay the tiles suggest the building was on the east side of the road, as Brogan suggested when he excavated the eastern boundary of the road in 1993 (NB 859, b3). It is difficult to further specify when the road went out of use because the excavation of in lenses on top of the road did not yield more precisely datable material.; ; Modern Construction of the Museum, 1930s.; ; A modern lime pit (contexts 6, 9, and 10) reflects the latest activity in the area which took place in the northeastern part of the excavation area (1079.1N-1080.4N and 113.25E-114.4E). This was used to mix cement for the construction of the museum in the 1930s. The original size of the pit was approximately 2.5m east-west by 3.5m north-south, judging by present excavations and the excavations of the eastern half of the pit done by Harris and Johnson (NB 873, B35, B66). Due to the aforementioned need to preserve the tree, only the southwestern part of the lime pit was removed (the area bound by coordinates 1079.10N-1080.10N and 113.25E-114.40E). The northern extent of the lime pit is still visible in the scarp to the north (see top plan for context 9). The fill of the pit included several iron nails, perhaps also from the museum's construction.; ; Conclusions and Future Study; ; The excavations confirmed previous interpretations of the stratigraphy above the ‘sterile red’ layer, in particular the presence of two roadways occupying roughly the same space, one early modern and one somewhat earlier. Further excavations of the area have already continued under Hansen and Seufert with the full removal of the ‘sterile red’ layer (context 141 represented some general fill on top of the ‘sterile red’ layer, the ‘sterile red’ layer is context 148, and the tumble of rocks within the ‘sterile red’ is context 169). If the tree can be removed at some point in the future, then the remainder of the lime pit can be removed as well as the last of the remaining road surfaces.","Final Report - Green","Report","Corinth:Report:Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Colin Whiting (2014-04-07 to 2014-04-14)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Temple E, Temenos | Temple E, Southeast","Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Colin Whiting (2014-04-07 to 2014-04-14)","",""
"","","Corinth","","Sarah Rous, Rebecca Worsham; Session I; Temple E Southeast Excavations; N: 1087 N, S: 1075.25 N, E: 129 E, W: 116.5 E; 6–25 April 2014; ; Introduction; ; This is the final summary of the first session of excavation in 2014 in Rooms 6 and 8 N of the church in Unit II in the area of Temple E SE. Room 6 was last excavated in 1996 and recorded in NB 864 (p. 57–119). Room 8 was last excavated in 1995 and recorded in NB 877 (p. 73–198) and 845 (p. 33–75).  In Room 6 excavation was conducted from April 6 to April 23 of 2014, while Room 8 was excavated from April 23 to April 25 of 2014. Guy Sanders (director) and Jody Cundy (field director) supervised, and Sarah Rous and Rebecca Worsham recorded. In Room 6, excavation was carried out exclusively by Sarah Rous and Rebecca Worsham. In Room 8, Athanasios Notis and Panagiotis Stamatis were pickmen, Angeliki Stamati and Hekouran Çoli were shovel(wo)men, and Panagiotis Rontzokos was the barrowman.; ; Excavation in Room 6 was bounded by Wall Context 58 (1076.94–1083.30N, 117.20–118.12E), the W wall of the room, and by Wall Context 59 (1077.48–1084.33N, 119.64–121.55E), the E wall of the room, and its associated robbing trench. The S boundary was effectively a pedestal surrounding the reused Hymettian orthostate at the entrance to the narthex of the church to the S (1076.5N). The N boundary was artificially established at 1082.5 N as the northern extent of Room 6 is as yet unknown. Coordinates for our excavation area are: N at 1082.5 N, S at 1075.25 N, E at 122.5 E, and W at 117.5 E.; ; Excavation in Room 8 was bounded on all sides by walls. At the N was Wall Context 154 (1085.91–1086.65N, 124.04–126.17E) and the abutting Wall 166 (1086.27–1087.30N, 126.20–130.82E). At the E was Wall Context 155 (1079.23–1086.27N, 126.50–128.65E). At the S was Wall Context 156 (1077.50–1078.97N, 123.58–128.40E), and at the W was Wall Context 157 (1078.37–1085.05N, 122.55–124.63E). Coordinates for our excavation area are: N at 1088.00 N, S at 1077.00 N, E at 129.00 E, and W at 121.00 E.; ; We did not excavate in Room 7, between Rooms 6 and 8, at this time. Goals for the excavation season included the clarification of the function and phasing of the rooms N of the church to prepare them for consolidation.; ; Frankish (1210-1458 CE); ; Room 6; ; The earliest level reached in this room is the unexcavated Floor 7 of NB 864, previously exposed beneath NB 864 B62 on the E face of Wall 58. It may also have been revealed in a small area in the southern central portion of Room 6 under our Context 90 (possibly equal to later Floor 6; 1077.93–1078.76N, 119.62–119.93E), which dates to the late 13th to early 14th centuries. Floor 7 must therefore antedate the late 13th–early 14th centuries. Beneath Context 90 the surface was not finely finished, and so it may not be the same as the Floor 7 revealed by earlier excavations. ; ; Grave 2014-02, a child burial, was cut into this surface and filled also in the late 13th to early 14th centuries (Cut Context 125; 1077.96–1078.61N, 118.57–119.79E; Fill Context 71). The grave was a simple pit, 1.23m long, 0.38m wide, and 0.24m deep. The burial was oriented roughly W-E with the W end against Wall Context 58. It contained a fairly well preserved skeleton of a subadult (Skeleton Context 72) in a supine position with the head at the W. In association with the skeleton were a tile supporting the chin and a heavily worn Latin imitative coin (2014-48) made after 1204. This burial was overlying another unexcavated burial of which only the top of the skull and possibly part of another skull were visible at the W end of the grave. No cut was found for this earlier burial, and so it cannot be firmly associated with the chronology of this room. ; ; Apparently a short time after the filling of Grave 2014-02, another overlying burial was made, Grave 1996-5, which certainly truncated the cut of Grave 2014-02 at the W and may also have truncated the face of the skeleton associated with this burial (Context 72). Another infant burial was made to the N along the face of Wall Context 58, Grave 1996-6.  Neither of these graves contained closely datable pottery. All three of these burials were sealed by Floor 6 (NB 864 B62) of the previous excavations of Room 6, which the excavators had dated to the mid-13th c., but which clearly must post-date the fill of Grave 2014-02, which is dated by pottery to the late 13th to early 14th centuries. A probable portion of Floor 6 (Context 90) was dated by pottery to the late 13th–early 14th centuries.; ; Into Floor 6 was cut Grave 1995-2, which truncated the central portion of Grave 2014-02. The tibiae of this later grave seem to have been set almost directly on top of the femur of the earlier grave, indicating the heavily disturbed nature of this area and the extremely high density of burials, and may suggest a botched effort to re-associate disturbed bones with the correct skeleton. No date is given for this burial, but it was covered by a leveling fill (NB 864 B59, 1250s–1260s) for another floor, Floor 5 (NB 864 B56), dated by the excavators to the 1260s to 1270s, though again it must actually date somewhat later.; ; Several burials were then cut into Floor 5, including the previously excavated Graves 1996-1, 1996-2, and 1996-4, as well as Grave 2014-05. Grave 2014-05 was a pit grave (L. 0.65m, W. 0.20m, depth at least 0.14m) containing an infant burial cut into the floor against the E face of Wall Context 58, oriented roughly N-S (Cut Context 165; 1079.50–1080.14N, 118.03–118.37E). Pottery from the fill of this grave (Context 130) was not able to be dated before the end of the first session. The skeleton (Context 54), laid supine with the head at the N, was fairly well preserved and had tiles on each side of its skull, as well as a necklace of red glass beads in situ around its neck (MF 2014-16). ; ; This grave was truncated by the probably roughly contemporary Grave 2014-01, a tile-lined cist (L. 0.48m, W. 0.29m, depth 0.15m)containing the S-N oriented skeleton of a neonate (Context 37). The skeleton was positioned supine, slightly twisted to the right, with the head at the S. The fill of this grave (Context 13) was dated to the mid-13th c. by pottery. A lead disc with a string hole, probably an undecorated lead seal (MF 2014-01), was also found in association with this infant. The burying group was perhaps related to the burying group of Grave 2014-05, as an effort was apparently made not to disturb the bones of the earlier skeleton (Context 54), left in situ below, although the skull is at the same level with this later burial and must have been visible. The infant was then covered over with fragments of the same tile used to line the cut of the grave (Context 128; 1079.54–1079.99N, 118.08–118.44E). These burials were then sealed by Floor 4 (NB 864 B52, B53, and B54), dated by the excavators to the last quarter of the 13th c.; ; No further investigation of this room was conducted during the first session of the 2014 season.; ; Room 8; ; The earliest level reached in Room 8 was an unexcavated surface hardened by foot traffic (under Context 184) with flat-lying sherds, possibly extending across the S portion of the room (unexcavated, under Context 174 and 168). This surface was probably a part of a general fill, onto which a lens of inclusion-rich leveling material (Context 184; 1079.01–1081.51N, 125.99–127.63E) was spread. This construction fill is dated to the third quarter of the 13th c. by pottery. It abuts Wall Context 156 (1077.50–1078.97N, 123.58–128.40E), the S wall of the room, which should then be earlier. Because Wall Context 156 may bond with Wall Context 155, this fill may be related to the construction of both these walls.; ; Following the laying of this fill, the foundation trench of Wall Context 155 (1079.23–1086.27N, 126.50–128.65E), the E wall of the room, was cut into it (Context 182; 1079.24–1081.03N, 127.28–127.86E). Wall 155, the wall dividing Rooms 8 and 9, was then constructed. This wall seems to bond with Wall Context 166 (1086.27–1087.30N, 126.20–130.82E), which forms the N wall of Room 9, at its N end. It may however, also bond with the S wall of the room, Wall Context 156 (which otherwise seems to predate it). The foundation trench of Wall 155 was then filled (Contexts 176 and 177). This fill is dated by pottery to the late 13th–early 14th centuries. In the N preserved section of the foundation trench (Context 176), some disturbance represented by an unexcavated soft fill and a later red, stony deposit excavated in Context 183 (1082.59–1083.72N, 126.61–126.96E) intruded into the foundation trench. The red stony deposit is not closely datable, but contained a coin of 602–604 CE (2014-74) on its interface with the unexcavated level below (possibly the same as Context 181).; ; At the W side of the room, a firm fill including many cobbles was laid along the wall (Wall Context 157; 1078.37–1085.05N, 122.55–124.63E), possibly as a foundation for a bench (Context 175; 1078.93–1081.26N, 124.05–124.80E). A lens of ashy debris—remains of the earlier use of this room?—was laid against this foundation (Context 174; 1079.24–1081.07N, 124.39–125.27E) and contained a bronze weight (MF 2014-4) and a mould for lead seals (MF 2014-15). A more finely finished white clay floor was laid over the entire southern half of the room, excavated in Context 168 (1079.15–1083.27N, 124.90–127.76E).  With this floor was found a small bronze buckle (MF 2014-9). This floor covered the fill of the foundation trenches, and may continue in fugitive patches to the N, excavated in Context 153 (1081.41–1085.81N, 123.50–126.04E), though this context was marked by a much higher density of inclusions. Both of the contexts representing the possible floor are dated to the late 13th to early 14th c.; ; Into the N part of the room, a large pit was cut into this surface (Context 159; 1082.60–1085.07N, 124.30–125.80E). The fill of the pit (Context 162) was dated by pottery to the 14th c. A coin (2014-66, postdating 1204 CE) and a bronze earring with silver and gold plating (MF 2014-17) were recovered from the fill, along with discarded ceramics, bone, and iron. The upper elevations of this fill may have been composed of eroded floor surface.; ; On the S side of the room, some disturbance was caused perhaps by the installation of furniture along the N face of the S Wall 156. The first of these was a strip along the S wall that may represent a bench or perhaps untrodden soil along this wall (Context 151; 1078.93–1079.02N, 125.42–126.83E), similar in dimensions to the earlier bench excavated in Context 175. This context was dated to the late 13th c. by pottery, and contained a coin dating to after 1204 CE (2014-63). Both of these possible benches were later disturbed by a circular deposit, perhaps also representing furniture, in the SW corner of the room (Context 150; 1078.73–1079.15N, 124.65–125.39).; ; The so-called Frankish floor of the earlier excavations was found across the full length of this room as a well-preserved light clay floor. This was excavated in Context 140 (1078.58–1086.12N, 123.07–127.84E), though after years of exposure it was no longer recognizable as a floor. Within the make-up of this surface were deposited a number of significant finds, including a bone die (MF 2014-6) and a bronze weight (MF 2014-5) similar to that found with the ashy deposit against the bench (Context 174, MF 2014-4). Additionally, two coins (2014-59 and 2014-60) were recovered, both dating to the Byzantine period, the first to after 1204 and the second to 1143–1152 CE. The floor itself was dated by pottery to the 14th c.; ; The N wall, Wall Context 154 (1085.91–1086.65N, 124.04–126.17E), seems to have been laid on this surface, perhaps indicated by a lens of sandy clay directly beneath it that may be the ""Frankish floor."" The wall is therefore built without a foundation, directly on the surface of the room. It abuts Wall Context 166, the N wall of Room 9, and closing off Room 8 on the same line.; ; Following this, the room was abandoned, and tile fall (a small portion excavated in Context 149; 1079.04–1079.84N, 127.29–127.76E) covered the whole room (NB 877 B91, B92, B114, B149, B150, B167, Lots 1995-14 and 1995-16). This fall (nerk) has been dated to the late 13th–early 14th c. by pottery, and to ca. 1300 CE by the previous excavators. If the floor is 14th c., it must be later.; ; ; Conclusion; It is likely that the bottoms of the two sections of the foundation trench (Context 176 and 177) have not yet been reached. Context 181 was only partially excavated out of sequence and its relationship to the surrounding features should be established.; ; Recommendations for Future Excavation:; ; Room 6; 1. Finish removal of the skeleton Context 54 in Grave 2014-05. Finish removing the fill (Context 130) to the bottom of the cut (Context 165). Elevations must be taken beneath the skull and at the bottom of the cut. Read pottery. Take sample up to flotation.; ; Room 8; 1. The soft, dark soil surrounding and possibly interrupting  the foundation trench (Contexts 182 and 176) in the NE part of the room should be removed in order to continue the excavation of the foundation trench and because it seems to be the latest deposit in this area of the room.; ; 2. Clean the intersections of Walls 155 and 156 and 156 and 157 to see how these walls are bonded and abutting. The foundation trench for Wall 157 should be near the current excavated level.; ; 3. In the scarp on the N side under Wall 154, the grey clay floor visible in the sides of the cut Context 159 is clearly visible and apparently running under Wall Context 166. If it is going under this wall, how is it related to the foundation trench of Wall Context 155 at its N preserved section?; ; 4. Explore the interfaces of the red, pebbly soil along the S part of the room. A similar soil is visible in the center of the room under Context 184 (at the NW of this context) and at the N of the unexcavated area under Context 174.","Unit II, Room 6 and Room 8, Session I","Report","Corinth:Report:Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Sarah Rous, Rebecca Worsham (2014-04-06 to 2014-04-25)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Temple E, Temenos | Temple E, Southeast","Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Sarah Rous, Rebecca Worsham (2014-04-06 to 2014-04-25)","",""
"","","Corinth","","The following is a summary of excavations in three areas in North of Nezi: the courtyard of a Byzantine house, the room north of the courtyard, a room south west of the courtyard and a suite of rooms south of the room south west of the courtyard. ; The courtyard of the Byzantine house uncovered in the 1961 season in Agora SW-G by Steven Lattimore (Room 12 NB 230; NB 235) and Agora SW-F by Willam Berg (NB 229) was further excavated all three sessions of 2008.  Excavation of the courtyard was overseen in the first session by Josh Geiske and Laurie Kilker from April 11th to the 23rd, with Cleomenes Didaskalou picking and Vasilis Kollias as barrowman.   In the second session, from May 15th to 23rd,, Jody Cundy and Nate Andrade took over excavation of this area, with Thanasis Notis as pickman and Andreas Oikounomou as barrowman and siever.  In the third session Megan Thomsen replaced Nate Andrade and excavation of the courtyard continued from May 26th to June 13th. The courtyard extends from 1027.85 to 1035.70 N and from 265.20 to 273.5 E. The room North of the courtyard was excavated by Nathaniel Andrade and Jody Cundy in the second session.  It extends from 1035.4 to 1039.4 N and from 265.5 to 270.6 E and was included in Room 12 by Lattimore (NB 230 p.170).  ; The room southwest of the courtyard and rooms south of it were excavated in 1963 as Agora SW-J under the supervision of Daniel Geagan (NB 254; 262).  They were further excavated in the first session of 2008 by Matthew Baumann and Nathaniel Andrade, working with Thanasis Notis as pickman,, Vasilis (Bill) Papanikolao as shovelman and Andreas Oikonomou as barrowman.  Excavation in this area continued in the second session with Jody Cundy replacing Matthew Baumann. The area extends from 1020.00 to 1030.50 N and from 262.00 to 266.00 E.; The goal of excavation in these areas is to clarify the relationships between the various walls in North of Nezi, in particular their phasing, and to isolate the walls and spaces of the Byzantine house for later consolidation and presentation to the public.; This report will be divided both thematically and chronologically. ; ; COURTYARD OF THE 1961 BYZANTINE HOUSE:; Post-Byzantine:; The post-Byzantine levels of the courtyard were excavated by Steven Lattimore in 1961 (NB 230; 235).  Though it is not profitable to summarize all the levels previously excavated here, the features and deposit that have direct bearing on those excavated this season will be briefly discussed.  A marble wellhead, capping the built well 61-9  (NB 230 well #2), was identified on the 15th of May, 1961 at an elevation of 86.85 (NB 230 p.103, 151, 159-60, 170, 176, 180, 193-4, 196; NB 235 p. 16, 27-8, 33-44; neg. 61-6-17; 61-6-19; 61-6-20, photo log 18, p.30) .  The well-head was subsequently removed on  May 27th, 1961 (NB 230, p.167).  Lattimore’s excavation of the fill of well 61-9 (renamed structure context 5864) produced Turkish material, including a coin (61-507).  He interpreted the resting surface of the well-head as a Turkish courtyard (strosis 85.246, NB 230 p. 170).  While it is clear that well #2 was in use in the Turkish period, the date of the construction of the earliest phase of well 61-9 (5864), and the tunnels and vaulted chamber associated with it are earlier. Lattimore detected and excavated the fill of a circular cut around well 5864 (61-9), which produced mid-thirteenth century material lotted as 827 (NB 230 p.176). ; Excavation in 2008 began with the removal of two segments of a pi-shaped terracotta drain (structure 5213) and the vertical stones that lined the exterior of the drain wall. According to the excavation notes of William Berg (NB 229, p.192), the drain, which extended from 1034.16 to 1034.72 N and 271.66 to 272.84 E, with a top elevation of 85.16 and bottom 85.01, was associated with well 61-19 (5864).  The terracotta segments are individually 0.58m in length, 0.26 in width and 0.12 in height.  Though not evident at the onset of the 2008 season, the Travlos plan of the area (1963) shows the course of the drain extending eastward beyond the north-south rubble foundations (wall 5649) to a length equal to its westward extent. A photograph of the newly exposed drain confirms this (61-15-4, vol.18 p.25) and shows the drain overlying the rubble foundations 5649. The foundations for the terracotta drain were removed as contexts 5780 and 5847.  Although no pottery was collected from the removal of the drain segments and the excavation of the foundations produced no precisely datable sherds, the association between the terracotta drain and wall 5649 indicates that the drain was the latest feature in the courtyard left from the 1961 excavation campaigns.  ; Wall 5649 is the rubble foundations of a NS wall with three blocks from the first course preserved at a top elevation of  (@@) and bottom of (@@), extending from 1033.75 to 1035.75 N and 273.31 to 274.20 E.  Wall 5649 abuts the earlier EW wall 5741 (NB 230 wall 59) to the north and the NS wall 34 (NB 229) to the south.  Wall 5649 is interpreted as a blocking off of the entrance corridor to the courtyard from the East.  Permission to dismantle wall 5649 is awaited and it is expected that Frankish or later material will be recovered from that operation.  ; In the first session, a martyr left from the 1961 excavation campaign was excavated. It extended northward from wall 61 (structures 5883 and 5882) from 1030.68 to 1035.19 N and 271.25 to 273.53 E.  The preservation of this strip of unexcavated layers is likely due to the later wall 57 (NB 230, p.166), which overlaid them.  Lattimore established the leveling point GG at 85.515 on a stone in this wall (NB 230, p.166).  William Berg describes the excavation west of wall 34 (NB 229, p.156), he encountered a hard surface at 84.46 and changed baskets to continue down to a clay surface at 84.06 and then to earlier levels (NB 229, p.167).  From this it can be conjectured that the martyr was produced as a result of the pedestalling of wall 57-G and the preservation of leveling point GG.  This can be clearly seen in a post-season photograph of sections F and G (61-27-2, vol.18 p. 35).  Wall 57-G, however was not present at the opening of the 2008 season.  Excavation of the martyr began with a cleaning pass (5191, top elevation 85.25), and concluded with deposit 5264 (bottom elevation 84.91).  Of the thirteen contexts excavated in the martyr (...), the combination of root action and the truncation of the deposits made interpretation of the layers problematic.  Although these deposit produced mostly 12th century pottery, they are likely best understood as part of Lattimore’s strosis 85.246 (NB 230 p.164; 173), which produced the coins 61-794, -795, -795, and was lotted as 1961-827.  Strosis 85.246, was assigned a Frankish date.; Likely contemporary with the rubble wall 5649 that closes off the East entrance to the Byzantine courtyard are two pier rubble foundations identified by Lattimore as part of the EW wall 61.  The West pier foundations (structure 5784) have a top elevation of 85.14 and bottom of 84.59 and occupy the space from 1030.13 to 1030.72 N and 271.49 to 272.19 E. The pier foundations 5784 abut the eastern edge of the north wall of the staircase 5783 (NB 230 61).  The east pier foundations abut wall 34 (NB 229).  They are comparable in terms of elevation and dimensions with the west ones (5784).  Extending between these pier foundations and overlying them was a rubble wall, interpreted by Lattimore as part of wall 61-G, but it has eroded away since it was exposed in 1961.; Further enclosure of the Byzantine courtyard in the Frankish (or later) period is evidenced by the EW rubble wall 5508 (NB 230 wall 61).  Wall 5508 has a top elevation of 85.13 and bottom elevation of 84.80 and extends from 1030.20 to 1030.85 N and 265.85 to 269.65 E, and is composed of two random courses of rough-hewn blocks in reuse and fieldstone. Like the pier foundations 5784, wall 5508 abuts the north wall of the staircase 5783.  Permission to dismantle wall 5508 is awaited and, like wall 5649, expected to produce Frankish or later material.  ; Lattimore uncovered the remaining blocks of a NS wall 71 (renamed 5473) and the fill of the robbing trench for the rest of the wall (NB 235 p.19).   Wall 5473 (NB 235 71) has a top elevation of 85.73 and bottom elevation of 84.72 and extends from 1038.90 to 1037.56 N and 266.10 to 265.31 E. The robbing trench extends from 1037.56 to 1027.90 N and 265.55 to 266.70 E.   The robbing trench, which produced Frankish material, also lotted as 837, is clearly visible in a 1961 post-season photograph (61-26-6, vol 18, p.36).  More of the fill of this robbing trench was detected in the stretch south of wall 5508 (wall 61-G) and was excavated as deposit 5510 with a top elevation of 84.86 and bottom elevation of 84.67.  Consistent with lot 837, it produced Frankish material and was lotted as 2008-52.  It is imagined that wall 71 (5473) formed the west boundary of the level identified as strosis 85.246 by Lattimore.; Just west of well 61-9 (5864) is another EW wall (5443) of unknown function.  It extends from 1033.63 to 1032.95 N and 265.68 to 267.01 E.  Wall 5443, composed one large ashlar block in reuse and random coursed fieldstone, has a top elevation of 85.03 and bottom elevation of 84.57.  It seem that the fill of the foundation trench for wall 5443 was partially excavated in the 1961 campaign, and although no reference to the wall or this trench has been recovered from the excavation notes, the cut of the trench is discernable in the 1961 post-season photograph 61-27-4 (vol. 18, p.36).  The fill of the foundation trench was further excavated as deposit contexts 5550 and 5824 this season.  Though the highest level at which the cut was made for the construction of this wall is unknown, it was at least as high as the fill over highest of a series of pebble surfaces associated with the late Byzantine phase of the courtyard (5298, el. 84.99), to be discused below. The fill of the robbing trench for wall 71 presumably overlaid the western portion of wall 5443 and the foundation trench associated with it or truncated both.  Excavation of the fill of the foundation trench for wall 5443 revealed that this wall is built on top of an earlier structure (wall 5906) that also will be discussed below.;     In the portion of the courtyard that extends southward from the later curtain wall 5508, further enclosure of the space is evidenced by the NS wall 5360.  It extended from 1027.91 to 1030.29 N and 263.94 to 265.59 E with a top elevation of 85.26 and bottom elevation of 84.92.  Wall 5360, which consisted of a single course of rough hewn stones abutted the earlier EW wall 5411 to the S and EW wall @@ to the N.  The dismantling of wall 5360 produced Frankish pottery, lotted as 2008-51 including a Brundisi  proto-majolica bowl with a blue chevron pattern. The fill of an EW robbing trench 5506, that extends from @@ to @@ and produced Frankish material, demarcates the southern extent of the courtyard of the Byzantine house.  Of the Frankish levels associated with wall 5508 and 5360, only a single soft lens abutting wall @@, context 5527 (lot 2008-53) remained at the onset of the 2008 excavations. William Berg reports the excavation of hard fill in the area enclosed by wall 5360 (NB 229 wall 39), 5508 (61-G) to wall 34-F (NB 229, p.190) as basket 18 of the 8th of June (lot 61-680).  The removal of basket 18 revealed a surface at an elevation of 84.97 that is associated with a series of stairs rising from W to E.  ; ; Late Byzantine:; The late Byzantine courtyard of the 1961 house extends from the EW walls 5463 and 5741 in the N to walls 5411 and 5519 at it southern limit, from a NS wall indicated by the robbing trench @@ at the western edge, presumably to wall 34-F as the eastern boundary forming a regular rectangle.  The intrusion of later features, such as well 5864 and walls 5508, 5649 and 5543, discussed above as well as earlier excavation, in particular the removal of the deposits that abutted wall 34-F in the SE corner of the courtyard, complicate an understanding of the relationships between the deposits in the courtyard.  Nevertheless, it is possible to suggest the following:  the courtyard is characterized by succession of layers of pebbly and tile cobbled surfaces with evidence of leveling repairs, suggesting continuous use throughout the 12th century.  In this summary, I hope to be able to relate the various surface deposits to one another, to the features of the courtyard (wall 4442, wall 5906 and the EW drain 5863) and to points of communication with the adjacent rooms of the house (thresholds 5462, 5463 and @@)..; It is possible to phase the features associated with the courtyard of the 1961 Byzantine house in the following chronological sequence:; 1.    Walls 5463 and 5741, together with the threshold 586 are the earliest features; 2.    The courtyard installation (possible staircase foundations) wall 5906; 3.    Associated with the same stratum:; a.    The N wall of the staircase 5783; b.    The EW stone-lined drain ; 4.    Threshold with step 5462; 5.    Wall 5442; 6.    Wall 5443; It is worth noting, however, that the sequence of surfaces and repairs in the courtyard of the 1961 Byzantine house reflects continuous use over a period of about 100 years from the 11th through Early 12th centuries according to the pottery dates.; The primary characteristic of the deposits in the courtyard is the superimposition of surfaces.  On the basis of the sequence of floors, it can be said that the latest preserved surface in the courtyard was composed of flat lying roof tile fragments and cobbles excavated in 2 parts: surface 5300 is the segment N of  the EW wall 5508 (61-G) and surface 5630 (lot 2008-70).  Beneath the surface 5300=5630, was another tile-cobbled surface.  The portion N of wall 5508 (61-G) was excavated as deposit 5324 while the portion South of the wall remains to be excavated next season when wall 5508 is dismantled.  The tily surface 5324 transitioned gradually to a hard packed dirt surface excavated as deposit 5327.  Beneath the tile and cobble surface 5324 was a series of shallow lenses and pebbly patches intended to level depressions in the courtyard surface coordinated between deposits 5679 and 5685 (5633; 5634; 5635; 5657; 5661; 5664; 5668; 5669; 5672; 5674; 5665 lotted as 2008-69).;     In the NW corner of the courtyard where the robbing trenches 5549 and @@ intersect, a lens of dumped construction debris 5398 appears to coordinate with the leveling patches under the tile and cobble floor 5324.  Under this lens of debris was the pebble surface 5564 (top elevation 84.84).  It abutted wall 5463 and was cut through by the trench for robbing portions of that same wall (robbing trench fill 5545 and 5852; cut 5549).  The pebble surface 5564 also preserved some cement (5560), which lay on it, presumably residue from the mixing of this material for a construction project. ; Beneath the pebbly surface 4464 was another patched pebbly floor (patch 5565, pebbly surface 5566) and beneath it two more hard packed surfaces..  Because of the cut around well 61-9 (5864) and the cut of the foundation trench for wall 5543, the pebbly surfaces 5564 and 5566 and the dirt surfaces 5616 and 5618 are truncated and their relationship with the deposits on the E side of well 61-9 (5864) must be reconstructed. ; Preserved under pedestal of the terracotta and stone-lined drain (5213) in the NE corner of the courtyard was another sequence of pebble surfaces that continue under the NS rubble foundation (5649 ), 5291, 5293, 5641, 5645 and 5656.  These likely continued northward to meet the north wall of the courtyard 5741 (NB 230 wall 59) but were truncated by excavations in the 1960’s.   Due to comparable elevations and sequence of layers, the surfaces W of the cut for well 61-9 (5864) are imagined to represent the same stratigraphic sequence as those W of the well. ; The sequence of patched pebble surfaces in the NW and NE corners of the courtyard seem to be replicated in the area just N of wall the EW wall 5508.  The sloping surface 5679, surface 5683 (lotted as 2008-67), pebble patch and surfaces 5726, 5730 and 5757.  The foundation trench for the NS wall 5442 cut through a lens of fill 5728, overlying 5730 and abutting 5726.  The NS wall 5442 extends from 1031.83 to 1033.56 N and 267.09 to 267.66 E with a top elevation of 84.95 and bottom elevation of 84.43. The random courses of roughly hewn limestone blocks and a spoliated marble molding abut the EW wall 5443 to the N, forming a corner.  Like wall 5443, wall 5442 appears to be built on an earlier structure.  The function of the walls 5442 and 5443 is not clear.; The pebble surface 5291(?), pebbly surface 5697 and packed dirt surface 5651are cut by an EW trench that extends from under wall 5649 up to the cut around well 61-9 (5864).  This trench appears to mark the clearing out of an earlier EW drain with built stone walls (5863) that follows the same course as the later terracotta drain (5213).  The fill of the drain-clearing trench, deposits 5288, 5289, 5646 and 5908, was lotted as 2008-58. ; Deposit 5697, likely contemporary with the pebble surface 5656, is the resting surface of a limestone step associated with a threshold 5462 in wall 59-G (between wall 5463 and 5741).  The surface 5697 was overlain by 5696, which continued underneath the blocks of the threshold 5462 (1034.93 to 1035.72 N and 268.68 to 270.19 E; top el. 85.08 and bottom el. threshold 84.87, step 84.63).  The raising of the threshold and addition of the step likely marks the raising of the floor in the room N of the courtyard.  The threshold 5462, removed on May 29th, and the coordinated surfaces  (5697, 5656, 5651) appear to be contemporary. ; Under the pebbly surfaces 5697 and 5656 was another uniform surface extending between the drain-clearing trench (cut 5673) and wall 59-G (wall 5741 and threshold 5865), (deposits 5737, 5742 and 5800). Into this surfaces a large pit filled with ash and construction debris was cut (cut context 5702: 1034.08 to 1035.59 N; 268.89 to 272.42 E, top el. 84.72 bottom el. 84.04).  The differentiated fills of the pit, deposits 5699, 5704, 5705 and 5716, were lotted as 2008-59.  ; With the removal of the surface 5751, a series of lenses and patches (5690, 5691, 5692, 5694, 5709, 5748, 5756) and the martyr 5771, a rather continuous surface extending from the N wall of the staircase 5883 the line of the EW drain 5863 was revealed.  The material produced from the excavation of this surface, coordinated between deposits 5773 and 5764, was lotted as 2008-66. ; The excavation of the surface coordinated between 5773 and 5764 revealed an earlier pebbly surface 5803.  Through the surface 5803 S of the drain and 5799 (and perhaps 5797), a shallow linear cut was made outside the N and S line of the built stone drain (cut context 5781, 1033.31 to 1034.10 N, 269.85 to 271.91 E, top el. 84.65, bottom el. 84.56).  This cut appears to be intended for the laying of cover-slabs for the drain that were subsequently robbed out.   The foundation trench for the N wall of the staircase 5783 (NB 230 wall 61-G) was also cut through surface 5803.  The fill of the foundation trench 5795, lotted as 2008-65, was only partially excavated this season; it remains unexcavated where it continues under the rubble pier foundations 5782 and the pedestalled wall 5508. The build courses of limestone blocks and tile stringers that make up N wall of the staircase 5783, first exposed by Lattimore on Date (NB 230 p. wall 61-G) extend from 1030.08 to 1030.68 N and 269.77 to 271.52 E with a top elevation of 85.23 and bottom elevation of 84.39.  The foundation trench fill 5795 was slightly over-dug, revealing an earlier EW wall on top of which wall 5783 is built.  These blocks are also visible in the bottom of a rectangular pit E of the staircase (1029.00 to 1030.25 N and 270.60 to 271.25 E, top el.84.41, bottom el. 84.25) excavated as deposit 5518.  The pit fill 5518 abutted the N wall of the staircase 5783 to the N, the NS wall 38-F (NB 229 p.188) to the E, the rubble packing of the staircase to the W, and the unexcavated layers into which the pit cut 5521 was made to the S.  Excavation of the pit fill 5518, lotted as 2008-55, produced an iron adze (MF-2008-6), an iron ladle (MF-2008-3) and scalloped door plaque with keyhole and latch cuttings (MF- 2008-4).  ; The tops of the stones forming the walls of the drain 5863 (1032.83 to 1034.68 N and 269.35 and 273.60 E top el.84.60 bottom el.84.31) are flush with the surfaces 5823, 5836 and the unexcavated deposit beneath 5799.  Because no cut was discernable outside the line of the stones that line the drain, it is imagined that the walls of the drain 5863 were built directly against the walls of trench cut for its construction.  The drain 5863 appears to continue under wall 5649 into the eastern entrance corridor and the western extent is truncated by cut around well 61-9 (5864) with which the drain does not communicate.  The fill of the drain was excavated as deposits 5592 and 5651.;      The removal of the surface 5902, coordinate with the surfaces 5900 in the NW corner of the courtyard, revealed the foundation trench fill 5905 for the EW wall 5906 on top of which wall 5443 was built.  Both wall 5906, which extends from 1032.91 to 1033.53 N and 265.36 to 267.01 E  (top el. 84.61; bottom el. 84.23), and its foundation trench are truncated to the west by the robbing trench for the NS wall that form the W boundary of the courtyard (cut 5859).  Wall 5906 appears to be part of a courtyard installation of unknown function, perhaps the foundations for a staircase. Another pebble and packed earth surface 5956, 5857 and 5851, picked out with patches 5817, 5819, 5833 and the shallow ash filled pit 5829, was revealed by the removal of the surfaces 5803 and 5815 south of the line of the drain.  A patch of cement (deposit 5827) that is likely residue for cement mixing in the courtyard for a construction project in the house was also revealed.  The surface in the NE part of the courtyard excavated as deposits 5900 and 5902 likely corresponds to the surfaces S of the line of the drain excavated as deposits 5803 and 5815, which in are contemporary with the superimposed surfaces 5823 and 5961 in the NE.  The excavation of the surface 5823 produced a bronze ring with incised decoration (MF-2008-23).; The removal of the surface 5868 in the NW corner of the courtyard revealed the foundation trench fill 5873 running along the south face of wall 5741 (59-G). Wall 5741, also revealed by Lattimore (NB 230 p.178) and built of courses of roughly hewn blocks with tile stringers and half a spoliated column drum, extends from 1035.41 to 1036.52 N and 270.08 to 275.80 E  (top el. 85.16, bottom el. 84.12).  Excavation of the fill of the foundation trench 5873, revealed that wall 5741 incorporates and is built onto the earlier NS wall 38-G (NB 230 p.95), which forms the E wall of the room N of the courtyard, and with which wall 5741 forms a corner.  The gap between wall 5463 and 5741 represents the doorway that allows for communication between the area of the courtyard and the room N of the courtyard. It is punctuated by a block with a doorjamb cutting, structure 5865.  The surface 5868 is likely contemporary with the surface 5909 in the NE corner of the courtyard as the removal of this surface revealed the fill if the foundation trench that runs along the south face of wall 5463 and the trench for the robbing out of part of that wall (5549).  This foundation trench remains unexcavated.  Wall 5463 extends from 1034.95 to 1035.81 N and 265.58 to 268.81 E (top el. 85.16; bottom el. 84.15.  The eastern portion of wall 5463 was revealed by Lattimore on May 12th, 1961 (NB 230 p.95) and the western portion was revealed by the removal of the fill of the robbing trench 5545 and 5852.  The EW robbing trench 5549, filled by 5546 and 5852, truncates the earlier NS robbing trench 5859. ; The surface 5909 in the NW corner of the courtyard, coordinated with the surfaces 5868 in the NE and the pebble surfaces south of the drain 5851, 5856 and 5857 (lotted as 2008-61) likely represent the first phase of the use of this area as a courtyard associated with the EW wall 5463 and 5471 and the threshold 5865.  The removal of these surfaces mark the end of the pebbly surfaces appropriate to an outdoor area and reveal the foundation trench for the earliest wall associated with the floors above.; ; ROOM NORTH OF THE COURTYARD:; Directly N of the courtyard and in communication with it through two successive thresholds is a room bounded to the N by the EW wall 5562 (58-G NB 230), to the E by the NS wall 38-G (NB 230) to the S by the EW wall 5463 and 5741. The W boundary of the room is likely wall 5473 (71-G NB 230) in the Frankish period that is later largely robbed out (NB 235 p.19).  It is possible that before the construction of wall 5473 (71-G) the room extended westward all the way to the NS wall 5724 (260.12 to 261.59 E), though a NS robbing trench 5830 (264.66 and 265.42 E) presents another candidate for the western boundary of the room.  This season the room was excavated between the NS robbing trench 5830 and wall 38-G running W to E and wall 5562 (58-G) and the N face of 5463 running N to S, except a few deposit that communicate with the courtyard to the S via a threshold. Lattimore reports ceasing excavation in Room 12, which includes both the Byzantine courtyard and the room N of the courtyard at the strosis 84.765 (NB 235 p. 178).  Excavation in this room began with the removal of what appeared to be a wheelbarrow ramp from the excavation in the 60’s abutting wall 5473 and wall 5562 (deposits 5459, 5461 and 5465).; The later of the two thresholds between wall 5463 and 4741 (5462), which overlaid the latest deposits in the room, was removed and subsequently revealed an earlier threshold (5865).  A series of floors and leveling fills (5569, 5570, 5571, 5572, 5585 and 5587) were removed.   The excavation of 5572 and 5585 revealed a small area of tile cobbling where wall 5473 (71-G) abuts wall 5562 (58-G).  The tiles can be seen to continue westward underneath wall 5473 (71-G). Both deposits 5585 and 5587 were martyred during excavation. to prevent contamination from the scarp to the west.  These martyrs remain to be excavated at a later date. The removal of the fill 5587 revealed a chunky layer of broken tile and marble as well as cobbles, because this deposit runs underneath the tile floor along wall 5562, excavation of this fill is delayed until wall 5473 (71-G) can be removed. ; The removal of the fills and floors of higher elevation in the west part of the room was followed by the excavation of a trench along the N face of wall 5463 (fill 55573; cut 5574).  The removal of the fill of this trench revealed second cut at a lower elevation, which appeared to be the foundation trench on the N side of wall 5463 (5910).  The fill of the lower cut was excavated as deposit 5613.  The level at which the cut was made and width of the trench are comparable with the foundation trench on the S side of wall 5741 (5874).   However, the cut seems to end at 267.6 E and does not extend along the length of wall 5463.  Further excavation of the deposits to the west is necessary to clarify the issue. ; A series of small pits and trenches were excavated on both the N and S sides of Wall 5463 (5712, 5721, 5725, 5904, 5898, 5610, 5557).   Their function is unknown.  A larger pit filled with cobbles and boulders that abutted wall 38-G was also isolated and excavated (5583, 5584). ; Two more lenses of fill were excavated in this room 5578 (lotted as 2008-60) and 5800.  Resting on the fill 5800 was a block with three rectangular cuttings, possibly for a small tripod, it was removed as structure 5809 and placed on top of wall 5562 (58-F).; The threshold 5865 consists of a rectangular block with doorjamb cutting set in the gap between the walls 5471 and 5463.  The block rests on a surface that slopes to ward the S into the area of the courtyard.  The courtyard floor 5800, which bridged both spaces also assures communication between the lower courtyard surface and raised floor of the room N of the courtyard.  This like explains the addition of a step in the later threshold (5462).; ; ; ; ; ROOM SW OF THE COURTYARD:; Daniel Geagan conducted excavations in this area (Agora SW-J) in the 1963 season (NB 254; 262).  The room bounded by wall 50-J to the N, wall 51-J (structure 5360) to the E, wall 52-J to the S (structure 5285, 5411; 5866) and truncated by the foundations for Turkish  wall 2-J.  Geagan dicovered a built pithos (pithos #1) in the center of the room (NB262 p.35, 38-9).  The elevation of the mouth was reported as 84.664.  He excavated this room down from 84.91 to a floor level at 84.663 (Fill A; lot 1293; NB 262 p.36) and notes a foundation trench along the N face of wall 52-J (structure 5285, 5411, 5866) but does not excavate it.  In the 2008 season, we removed the backfill in this room, revealing the floor described by Geagan.; ; FRANKISH BASEMENT WITH IRON OBJECTS:; Immediately south of the room SW of the courtyard of the 1961 Byzantine house is an adjacent room bounded to N by wall 52-J (structure 5285, 5411; 5866), to the E by wall 49-J (structure 5284), to the S by wall 23-J (structure 5216). ;  Geagan excavated this room in the 1963 season down to a floor at 84.377.  He left a martyr along the NS wall 5284 (49-J) that wrapped along half the stretch of the EW wall 5411 and it is this martyr and floor that we excavated this season after removing the backfill from the area.  A post-season photograph (63-18-25, vol.19 p.8) shows the extent of Geagan’s excavation of the room.; Excavation of the stratigraphic deposits in this area began with the removal of structure 5285 (1027.33 to 1027.77 N; 263.70 to 264.80 E;  top el.85.18 bottom el. 85.03).  Structure 5285 is the filling-in of a doorway that communicated with the room to the N.  The removal of structure 5285 revealed a plaster floor that covered the threshold block and doorjamb cuttings of the earlier doorway (5415).  The removal of this surface revealed a packed dirt floor (5416), which also covered the doorjamb cuttings.  Beneath the floor 5416 was another floor 5429 that appears to be associated with the threshold (structure 5866).  The structure 5866 consists of a threshold block set in a gap punched through the earlier EW wall 5411.  On either side of the threshold block are rectangular cuttings for the insertion of wooden doorjambs.  These are cut into blocks that belong to the earlier wall 5411.   ; Beneath the floor 5429 were a series of fills (5432, 5441, 5448, 5452, 5453).  This sequence of leveling fills appears to correspond to Geagan’s fill G (lot 1289; coins 63-340, 63-340a; NB 262, p.56 #14 and 19 for notes; NB 254 p.182 for section).  The removal of these fills revealed an ashy floor (5456).  The removal of the ashy floor (5456) and two lenses of leveling fill beneath it (5458, 5460) revealed a layer of fill with many rooftile inclusions.  The broken tiles were reserved during excavation to look for joining fragments, but the mixed tile types and lack of joins indicated that this lens (5472) was re-deposited destruction debris rather than a destruction layer.  The tile layer 5477 appears to correspond to Geagan’s fill G2 (lot 1290; coin 63-351; NB 262, p.67 #3 for notes; NB 254 p.182 for section).  The tile-filled layer was cut through by the foundation trench (cut 5471; fill 5466) for the NS wall 5484. ; Wall 5484 (49-J), which extends from 1023.80 to 1027.20 N and 265.32 to 265.80 E  (top 85.77; bottom 84.31), was uncovered by Geagan on May 29th (NB 262 p.55-55).  Beneath the tily layer was another layer of fill (5477).  The fill 5477 corresponds to Geagan’s fill H (lot 1291; NB 262, p.70 #7 for notes; NB 254 p.182 for section).  The excavation of the fill 5477 produced a glass bead necklace (MF-2008- 18) and revealed a packed dirt floor 5891 (el. 84.35).  This is the same floor (el. 84.377) that Geagan exposed in the SW corner of the room and ceased excavation in 1963 (NB 262 p70).  An iron axe (MF-2008-9), iron spearhead (MF-2008-8), iron sickle (MF-2008- ), a handle and a nearly complete coarse mug (C-2008-7) were found in situ next to three articulated goat vertebrae in the NW corner of the room where the EW wall 5411 is truncated by the Turkish wall 2-J (5217).  The objects were removed as context 5507.  A shallow pit (5890) cut through the floor 5891. The fill was excavated as deposit 5889 and produced a base fragment of a zeuxippus bowl. The removal of the floor 5891 revealed a NS robbing trench, likely associated with a roman wall 62-J (NB 262 p.156 ff.).  The fill of the robbing trench remains unexcavated.  The bottom of the EW wall 5411 (52-J) has not yet been reached, nor has a foundation trench for this wall been isolated along its S face.  Wall 5411 extends from 1027.28 to 1027.89 N and 262.64 to 265.88 E (top el. 85.73).  It is abutted by wall 5284 with which it forms a corner, and truncated to the W by the Turkish wall 2-J (5217).; Wall 5216 (23-J) runs EW from 1023.24 to 1023.88 N and 263.00 to 265.60 E.  It is built against wall 5284 and on to wall 32-F (NB229, p.181), which runs along the same orientation as 5216, and is truncated by the Turkish wall 2-J to the W.  Geagan excavated the foundation trench for wall 5216 on the S side of the wall (lot 1408; NB 262, p.15 #15-16; p.26 #16 for notes; NB 264, p. 182 for section, disturbance V).  ; Because of the elevations of the fill 5477 and floor 5891, which both produces Frankish material, and the lack of a foundation trench on the N side of wall 5216, this space is interpreted as a basement.; ; ROMAN WALLS: ; ; Late Roman; The walls whose foundation trenches we have excavated have been dated to the Late Roman Period.  The foundation trench of 5218 was excavated in two discrete deposits (5221, 5235).  The upper layer was dated by pottery and coinage to the 5th and 6th centuries and the lower one to the 4th. In any case, the deposits from this foundation trench show that Wall 5218 was constructed during the Late Roman Period, no later than the end of the sixth century C.E. This interpretation supplements the previous work done by Heidi Broome-Raines, who gave the trench for the E face of this same wall in the room N of room F,West a Late Roman date based on a coin deposited in it from the late 4th century (context 5060). This coin gives a secure terminus post quem for the trench and wall. The pottery and coin finds from the west side of the wall locate this trench and its wall within the fifth or sixth centuries. Geagan also reports excavating the foundation trench for wall 5218 (wall 22-J NB254, p.146 #16 for notes; p.197 for section; lot 1389), though it appears that he excavated on the portion S of wall 5215 (56-J=38-E). ; ; Middle Roman; The Middle Roman period is represented in our area by the fills bounded by Walls 5216 (NB 254 23-J), 5218 (NB 254 22-J), 5215 (NB254 56-J=38-E), and 5217 (NB254 2-J) and starting securely at 85.47 El. (5248).   None of the these wall abut or bond with one another, however walls 5218 and 5215 are separated by gap that appears to be a doorway emphasized with an orthostate and likely belong to the same phase of use.   There were many contexts below 5248 that were all Middle Roman and seemed to be associated leveling fill (5248, 5266, 5277, 5311, and 5320).  After taking only a thin layer off we started to come down on a large secondary deposit of tile (5311 lotted as 2008-46).  This along with the contexts below it down to 85.02 El. (5320 lotted as 2008-47), where we stopped digging, turned up dates to 300 +/- 25 CE.  This all seems to be part of a leveling fill. ; A pit (Fill 5171, 5183 (lotted as 2008-44), 5351, 5350, 5331; cut 5175) containing material dating to the first half of the fourth century CE was filled along the north face of Wall 5215. The excavation of the pit fill 5331 (lotted as 2008-45) produced a plastic terracotta lamp (L-2008-1), a seated muse figurine fragment (MF-2008-24) and a fragment of a terracotta comic mask.  Beneath the pit fill the foundation trench for wall 5215 was detected and excavated (fill 5352; 5254 cut).  The E edge of the foundation trench for wall 5215 (cut 5354) is formed by an ashlar limestone block.  This block is on the same orientation as Geagan’s NS wall 62-J (NB 262 p.197 for cross-section) exposed on the S side of wall 5215. A similar block is visible in the bottom of the foundation trench for the EW wall 5216.  Both blocks are in alignment with an unexcavated NS robbing trench N of wall 5216.","1961 Byzantine House, Courtyard and Surrounding Rooms at Modern through Late Byzantine Levels","Report","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2008 by Jody Cundy and Megan Thompsen (2008-04-07 to 2008-06-13)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","Nezi Field 2008 by Jody Cundy and Megan Thompsen (2008-04-07 to 2008-06-13)","",""
"","","Corinth","","Danielle Smotherman; Timothy Brannelly; Temple E, Southeast Excavations; Session II; Unit 2, Room 9; N: 1086.73, S; 1079.10 N, E: 132.85 E, W: 126.83 E; 4-22 May 2015; ; 2015 Session II, Frankish activity in Unit 2, Room 9; ; This is the final summary of the second session excavation for 2015 in Room 9 of Unit 2 in the Frankish quarter, Temple E Southeast. Guy Sanders (director) and Larkin Kennedy (field director) supervised. Danielle Smotherman and Timothy Brannelly (area supervisors) recorded. The workmen were Thanasis Sakellariou (pickman), Christos Sakellariou (shovelman), and Panagiotis Rontzokos (barrowman, sieve). ; Excavation work focused on Room 9. In Room 9, the area of excavation was bounded by the walls of the room: the East wall (Wall 659: N. 1087.97; S. 1079.86; E. 133.18; W. 130.68), the North wall (Wall 700: N. 1087.11; S. 1086.23; E. 126.99; W. 130.93), the West wall (Wall 720: N. 1086.14; S. 1079.21; E. 128.46; W. 126.48), and the South wall (Wall 729: N. 1079.62; S. 1078.48; E. 132.11; W. 128.35). Excavation in room 9 was done in order to clarify the dating and the relationship between the walls of this room to the other areas of Unit 2 in preparation for the area being presented to the public as part of the Frankish Quarter. Especially of interest was the relationship between the church and the construction of Room 9. ; ; Excavation in Room 9 was begun in Session I 2015, prior to that it had not been excavated since 1996 (NB888 P1-46). The final two days of Session I excavation, 27th and 28th of April, were spent in Room 9. In Session II, Room 9 was excavated 4th-22nd May 2015. The majority of the excavation time in Session II was dedicated to the removal of a very large pit cut into the space, which produced an enormous amount of soil, pottery, bones, and small finds. On the 11th of May, there was a significant amount of rain, which necessitated putting aside soil to dry on the morning of the 12th prior to sieving and created a backlog on the sieve. This soil was not completely sieved until the 15th.  The large pit has been a massive endeavor and the team has been greatly aided by Angela Stamati (sieve), Vasillis Kollias (barrowman), Kostas Arberoris (acting as shovelman), Wesley Bennett (sieve, pottery, small finds), Kurtis Tanaka, and Emilio Rodriguez-Alvarez (sieve).; ; Unit 2, Room 9, excavated 4/5/2015-15/4/2015; ; Frankish Period (AD 1210-1458):; All contexts excavated in the Session II excavation in Room 9 date between the late 13th and 14th centuries by pottery and coins. ; During the third quarter of the 13th century, it is most likely that the space of Room 9 was outdoor. A courtyard surface (Context 772) is preserved in the eastern half of the room, cut by several pits. That courtyard surface is securely dated to the second half of the 13th century by three William Villehardouin coins (coins 2015-227, 2015-228, and 2015-230) all of the CORINTVM type that date AD 1250-78. The courtyard surface was prepared by a leveling fill (Context 792) that was probably put down at one time, even though the pottery represents a mix of periods, because the fill is homogenous throughout. The fill contained three minor finds: a marble stopper (MF-2015-18), a fragment of a glass bracelet (MF-2015-17), and a glass tessera with gold leaf (MF-2015-34). The leveling fill was above an earthen surface, which was not excavated this season. The fill is also securely dated to the second half of the 13th century by three definite William Villehardouin coins, two CORINTI (coins 2015-266 and 2015-313), the other a CORINTVM (coin 2015-312), and two other coins that are most likely also Villehardouin CORINTVM or CORINTI (coins 2015-316 and 2015-320).; ;  A large pit (Context 733/717/726/747, L. 5.7 m, W. 3.1 m, N. 1083.88; S. 1079.99; E. 130.80; W. 127.50) was dug into the courtyard surface during the fourth quarter of the 13th century and filled with a mix of pottery, animal bones, industrial rubbish such as iron crucibles, part of a glass kiln, and domestic refuse including crochet hooks. The middle layer in the pit, Context 726, contained a stamped amphora handle from Zakynthos (C-2015-1), and the following minor finds: an iron weight (MF-2015-11), an iron door handle (MF-2015-10), an iron knife (MF-2015-35), an iron blade (MF-2015-38), a square iron buckle (MF-2015-36), a pierced bronze disc (MF-2015-37), a bone die (MF-2015-30), a bronze pendant (MF-2015-33), a glass bead (MF-2015-39), a silver pendant (MF-2015-9), and a silver necklace with a coral pendant, silver cross, bronze cross, and glass bead (MF-2015-21). The top level of the pit, which spills outside of the cut of the pit, included a pilgrims’shell (MF-2015-19) and a bronze earring (MF-2015-40). The pit most likely represents a trash dump that may not reflect the use of nearby spaces. Excavation of the pit also revealed the side of a cistern, which was not excavated this session as it remains under nearly a meter of fill in the eastern half of the room. ; ; Numismatic finds in the pit were numerous with a total of 40 coins found, several of which securely date to the Frankish period. In addition to several Byzantine coins, several of which belong to Manuel I, AD 1143-1180 (coins 2015-143, 2015-161, and 2015-204), Context 726 yielded several Frankish coins belonging to William Villehardouin as well as several French Royal coins also belonging to the 13th century. Coins 2015-124 and 2015-127 are Villehardouin CORINTI coins, Coin 2015-139 is a Villehardouin CORINTVM coin (both dated c. 1250-1278). Coin 2015-138 is a French St. Martin of Tours coin utilizing the imagery of the castle Tournois, which Villehardouin also used on some of his coins, dated to the 13th century, while coins 2015-145 and 2015-201 belong either to the reign of Louis VIII or Louis IX and are dated 1223-1270. In addition, coin 2015-149, although illegible, is most likely either a French royal or a Frankish Villehardouin coin. Likewise, Context 747, the lower sense of the large pit, yielded a similar assortment of coins, albeit a smaller number. Several of the coins from Context 747 were unfortunately illegible, but are most likely Frankish, including coins 2015-184 and 2015-186. The only secure Villehardouin coin from context 747 is Coin 2015-164, a CORINTVM type. Furthermore, the deposit at the bottom of the pit (Context 773), which, according to pottery, is actually not part of the pit and represents the level to which the pit was cut, has a date of the fourth quarter of the 13th century, indicating that the pit must have been cut and filled during the later part of the fourth quarter of the 13th century. Context 773 also yielded a single Villehardouin CORINTI coin (Coin 2015-215), which may have found its way into this lower level when the pit was cut. For a list of all the coins by their respective contexts and with their dates, see the attached chart. It is worth noting that none of the coins postdates William Villehardouin and 1278.; ; In the fourth quarter of the 13th century, the area ceased to be used as a trash dump and became an indoor space. The first wall definitely constructed in the space of Room 9 was the North wall (Wall 700: N. 1087.11; S. 1086.23; E. 126.99; W. 130.93). The pottery from the foundation trench for the N. Wall, Context 706, indicates a date of the fourth quarter of the 13th, and the three Villehardouin CORINTVM coins from the trench, Coins 2015-111, 2015-112, and 2015-113, can be dated 1250-1278, thus confirming the date from the pottery. A leveling fill which covers the foundation trench also dates to the late 13th century by the pottery (Context 696) and indicates the beginning of the indoor use of the space. The floor itself was excavated in 1996 (NB888 B38 P42; NB888 B41 P45-46), at a higher elevation. The East wall (Wall 659: N. 1087.97; S. 1079.86; E. 133.18; W. 130.68) and its respective foundation trench (Contexts 673/672) is only generally dated to the early 14th and late 13th centuries by the pottery. The West wall (Wall 720: N. 1086.14; S. 1079.21; E. 128.46; W. 126.48) rests on the bottom of the large pit (Contexts 733/717/726/747), which could have served as the foundation trench for the wall in the late 13th century and was partially robbed out in the later 13th/early 14th centuries, so the foundation and the robbing out of the wall may be very close in time (Contexts 664/663). Excavation thus far has not indicated a date for the South wall (Wall 729: N. 1079.62; S. 1078.48; E. 132.11; W. 128.35), but it may be contemporary with Wall 720 because they do meet at the SW corner of the room along with Wall 156. It is not clear how the walls bond, so their stratigraphic relationship is in question. In general, the corners of the room are obscured or the walls appear to rest against one another without clear stratigraphic relationships: the Northwest corner of the room is obscured by a robbing trench (Walls 700 and 729), the Northeast corner includes touching walls (Walls 659 and 700), the Southeast corner is disturbed by the pit in the corner (Walls 659 and 729), and the Southwest corner (Walls 720 and 729) meet. It is possible that the relationship at the corner of 729 and 720 could be clarified by further excavation, but it is not clear at the current level of excavation. Wall 729 was later extended to the west by Wall 156, which dates to the mid- to late-13th century (cf. Bennett Session I summary), indicating that Room 9 was an interior space prior to either the creation of an enclosed passageway north of the Church or prior to the enclosure of the southern end of Room 8.; ; Multiple layers of fill, unevenly distributed in the room, were excavated and represent multiple depositional activities in the space during the late 13th - early 14th centuries, dated generally by the pottery (Contexts 652, 674, 676, 679, 683, 685, 699, 694, 704, 712, 715). These layers of fills appear to be contained within the walls, with only the unexcavated earthen surface appearing to go under the east wall (Wall 659).  In part, some of these could be leveling fills to raise the floor level, possibly to the 14th century floor level excavated in 1996, a small portion of which was excavated in Session I (NB888 B38 P42; NB888 B41 P45-46; Contexts 628 and 634). Among the levels of fill, a bronze hinge comes from a layer of ashy fill (MF-2015-32, Context 652), a lead mending strip was recovered from Context 712 (MF-2015-20), a lead seal was recovered in the trench 692/695 (MF-2015-31), and another bone die in the fill directly above the pit (MF-2015-29, Context 685). It is possible that the space went out of use for a short period of time when two small and relatively shallow circular rubbish pits (Contexts 660/665 and 661/666), a small post hole (Context 689), and a larger rectangular trench of unknown use (Context 695/692, L. 1.87 m., W. 1.0 m., D. 0.20 m., N. 1083.60; S. 1083.00; E. 129.50; W. 127.68) were cut into the fill.; ; Above the tile floor removed in 1996, the previous excavators also encountered a layer of destruction debris, primarily tiles, which was originally dated to the late 13th-early 14th century and now thought to be 14th century in date (NB888 B32 P36, NB888 B37 P41) providing evidence for when the room went out of use. ; ; Early Modern:; The pit in the center of Room 9 is a later intrusion (NB888 B18 P22-23; NB888 23 P26; NB888 B24 P27; NB888 B25 P28). It was excavated in 1996 to a total depth of 0.80 m and the material of the fill dated primarily to the 18th and 19th centuries, with some earlier materials included (a 12th century coin, Coin 1996-150, and some 16th century pottery). The final lense in the pit contained 13th century pottery, but this most likely indicates material disturbed by the cut of the pit rather than the date of the pit itself. This pit cut through a portion of the large pit (Contexts 733/717/726/747) excavated in Session II. ; ; Future goals:; 1.    Full inventory of all the minor finds from Room 9. As time was limited, not all minor objects were fully inventoried by the end of Session II, although all were noted. These objects can provide more information on the use of the space in the late 13th-early 14th centuries. ; 2.    Try to find a foundation trench for the South wall (Wall 729) of Room 9 to help clarify the construction dates of the wall as well as to identify the relationship between Wall 729 and Walls 270, to the North, and 156, to the West. ; 3.    Explore the cistern under the courtyard, the side of which was revealed by the excavation of the large pit, and which needs to be excavated and filled prior to the final consolidation of Room 9. ; 4.    Further excavate the room to get a better understanding of its function prior to becoming an indoor space and its relationship to the church. ;  ; APPENDIX I: COINS; ; Context 639; Coin 43 (sieve)    Byzantine (1204-1261); ; Context 647; Coin 49 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 51 (sieve)    Frankish (1223-1250); Coin 53 (sieve)    Frankish (1200-1299); ; Context 652; Coin 56 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 57 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 62 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 63 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 64 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 65 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); ; Context 663; Coin 75 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); ; Context 676; Coin 91 (sieve)    Byzantine (1204-1261); ; Context 679; Coin 93 (sieve)    Byzantine (1204-1261); Coin 94    Illegible; Coin 95    Frankish (1223-1270); ; Context 683; Coin 96 (sieve)    Not a coin; ; Context 688; Coin 97 (sieve)    Frankish (1223-1270); ; Context 692; Coin 98 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); ; Context 696; Coin 100 (findspot)    Frankish; Coin 106 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); ; Context 704; Coin 109 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); ; Context 706 (foundation trench for Wall 700); Coin 111 (findspot)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 112 (findspot)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 113 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); ; Context 715; Coin 130 (sieve)    Frankish ; Coin 117 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 132 (sieve)    Not a coin; ; Context 717 (top of large pit?); Coin 118 (findspot)    Greek (400-300 BC); Coin 119 (sieve)    Frankish (1223-1270); Coin 120 (findspot)    Byzantine; Coin 121 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1184); Coin 122 (sieve)    Greek ; Coin 123 (sieve)    Byzantine (1204-1261); Coin 125 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 126 (sieve)    Frankish; ; Context 720 (Wall, under a loose rock); Coin 212 (findspot)    Illegible; ; Context 726 (large pit); Coin 124 (findspot)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 127 (findspot)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 128 (findspot)    Roman Imperial; Coin 129 (sieve)    Frankish; Coin 137 (findspot)    Byzantine (1204-1261); Coin 138 (findspot)    Frankish (1235-1278); Coin 139 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 141 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 143 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 144 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 145 (findspot)    Frankish (1223-1270); Coin 149 (findspot)    Frankish (1223-1270); Coin 152 (sieve)    Byzantine (1150-1190); Coin 153 (sieve)    Byzantine ; Coin 154 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 155 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 156 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 159 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 160 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 161 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 162 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 194 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 201 (sieve)    Frankish (1223-1250); Coin 203 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 204 (sieve)    Illegible; Context 747 (large pit); Coin 163 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 164 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 180 (sieve)    Byzantine (1082-1118); Coin 181 (sieve)    Byzantine (1075-1080); Coin 183 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 184 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 185 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 186 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 187 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 196 (sieve)    Byzantine (1078-1081); Coin 199 (sieve)    Byzantine (1070-1095); Coin 202    Not a coin; ; Context 772 (courtyard paving); Coin 227 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 228 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 229 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 230 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 231 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 232 (sieve)    Byzantine (1143-1180); Coin 261 (sieve)     unread; ; Context 773 (level at bottom of large pit); Coin 213 (sieve)    Byzantine; Coin 215 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); ; Context 792 (leveling fill under courtyard paving); Coin 261    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 262 (findspot)    Greek Imperial (193-217); Coin 266 (findspot)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 268 (findspot)    Byzantine (1081-1118); Coin 270 (findspot)    Byzantine (1204-1261); Coin 291 (sieve)    Roman Imperial; Coin 293 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 309 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 310 (sieve)    Byzantine (1204-1261); Coin 311 (sieve)    Roman Imperial; Coin 312 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 313 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 314 (sieve)    Roman Imperial; Coin 315 (sieve)    Roman Imperial; Coin 316 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 317 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 318 (sieve)    Illegible; Coin 319 (sieve)    Not a coin; Coin 320 (sieve)    Frankish (1250-1278); Coin 321 (loose dirt in Wall 659)    Frankish (1250–1278)","2015 Session II, Frankish activity in Unit 2, Room 9","Report","Corinth:Report:Temple E, Southeast 2015 by Danielle Smotherman and Tim Brannelly (2015-05-04 to 2015-05-22)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Temple E, Temenos | Temple E, Southeast","Temple E, Southeast 2015 by Danielle Smotherman and Tim Brannelly (2015-05-04 to 2015-05-22)","",""
"","","Corinth","","Maggie Beeler, Morgan Condell; Session 1; Temple E, Southeast Excavations; N-S 1074.64-1071.50; E-W 126.00-122.70; April 2014; ; This is the final summary of the first session of excavation in 2014 in the Temple E, Southeast excavations at Corinth. Guy Sanders (Director) and Jody Cundy (Field Director) supervised. The area supervisors consisted of Maggie Beeler and Morgan Condell (recorders), and the workmen were ThanasisNotis (foreman and pickman), Tasos Tsongas (pickman), Angela Stamati (shovelwoman and barrowwoman), MariosVathis (barrowman), and PanosRonzokos (shovelman). ; ; The excavation area was the NW quadrant of the church nave in the complex known as Unit 2.  This was previously excavated during the 1990 field season (NB 831, NB 835). The excavation area was bounded to the north by the north wall of the church (Structure 20, N-S 1075.11-1074.52, E-W 129.51-122.06) and its robbing trench, and to the west by the narthex cross wall (Structure 21, N-S 1074.44-1067.99, E-W 123.52-121.98) and the later threshold (Structure 22, N-S 1072.09-1070.55, E-W 123.31-122.25) built into it. The northwest pier base (Structure 23, N-S 1073.63-1072.29, E-W 125.25-124.03) also fell within the excavation area. Because the excavation area was sectioned in order to facilitate future micromorphological analysis within the church, the eastern (E 126.0) and southern (N 1070.50) boundaries were established to align with the grid. ; ; The goal of this session was to locate the earlier floor of the church, since the raised threshold in the narthex cross wall was a later addition associated with a later floor, in order to gain a better understanding of the use phases of the church and when it went out of use.; ; Frankish Period (1210-1458 A.D.); ; The earliest phase of activity is represented by two graves cut into a fill that has yet to be excavated.  Grave 2014-06 (Cut 137, N-S 1073.85-1072.58, E-W 125.95-125.22, filled by Context 129), which abuts the eastern face of the NW pier base (Structure 23), was an oval pit grave (L 1.27, W 0.73, Depth 0.61m), which contained the skeleton of a single primary adult inhumation.  Skeleton 136 (Bone Lot 2014-06) was in extended supine position with both arms crossed over the abdomen, with its head to the N end of the grave facing S, head and shoulders propped up with a stone and earthen fill.  Material from the fill of the grave included a fragment of a Protomaiolica Slipped Painted plate and a fragment of a Metallic Ware Unslipped pitcher, both of Frankish date.  Four coinswere found, three of which are quite early.  2014-49 and 2014-53 are Greek, and 2014-54 is Roman Imperial.  The fourth coin (2014-57) is illegible.  Other material from the fill included a number of fragments of clear glass, including one with applied threads.  These finds suggest a terminus post quem for the fill of the grave in the Frankish period.; ; Grave 2014-03 (Cut 126, N-S 1072.68-1070.59, E-W 125.75-125.00, filled by Context 112) was a oval pit grave (L 2.09, W 0.75, Depth 0.74 )located in the southeastern portion of the excavation are.  It contained the skeleton of a single primary adult inhumation. Skeleton 127 (Bone Lot 2014-03) was in extended supine position with both arms crossed over the abdomen, with its head to the N end of the grave facing S, head and shoulders propped up with a deposit of earth and tile.  Pottery from the fill of the grave included a fragment of a Glaze Painted I Slipped pitcher and several White Ware sherds, all of Byzantine date.  Two coins were found, one of which was illegible (2014-45) and the other is a Byzantine coin of Leo VI (date:886-912 A.D.) (2014-37).  Though the pottery and coin dates suggest a terminus post quem in the Byzantine period, we suspect that this grave belongs to a later period, as it cut into the same fill and at the same elevation as Grave 2014-06, which has a terminus post quem in the Frankish period.  This may be further supported by fragments of a clear glass goblet with ring foot and two clear colored glass fragments, one with applied thread and one with applied prunt from a prunted beaker, which were found in the fill and suggest a Frankish date.; ; These two graves were overlaid by a shallow fill extending over the eastern portion of the excavation area, including the eastern half of the NW pier base (Context 105, N-S 1074.68-1070.59, E-W 125.98-124.46).  The pottery from this fill included a sherd of a plain White Ware plate, a fragment of a Slipped Plain Glazed bowl, both of Frankish date.  A coin was also found (2014-33), however it is a Roman Imperial coin from the House of Constantine Dynasty, and therefore is not diagnostic for the context.  Fragments of glass were also recovered from the fill, including 2 fragments of clear colorless glass with applied threads.  The material from the fill suggests a terminus post quem in the Frankish period.; ; Another grave was found in the southwest portion of the excavation area along the narthex crosswall, just east of the later threshold (Structure 22).  Grave 2014-04 is cut into an as yet unexcavated fill.  It is unclear whether Grave 2014-04 is cut into the same fill cut into by Graves 2014-03 and 2014-06, since an as yet unexcavated baulk lies between them, which was created when we further sectioned the excavation area.  Grave 2014-04 (Cut 188, N-S 1072.21-1070.45, W 123.20, filled by Context 99) is a subrectangular pit grave (dimensions to be determined), which contained the skeleton of a primary adult inhumation (Skeleton 121, Bone Lot 2014-04), with a secondary deposit of disarticulated human remains (Bone Lot 2014-12) including many long bones and four skulls (three were excavated and assigned Bone Lots 2014-07,08,09) overlaying its lower legs.  Skeleton 121was in extended supine position with both arms crossed over the abdomen, with its head to the N end of the grave facing S-SW, head and shoulders propped up with tiles and earth, with a tile positioned vertically along the eastern side of the skull.  Skeleton 121 appears to be complete, except for the feet, which were disturbed when this grave was truncated by Grave 1990-41A-C to the south.  The grave was not fully excavated due to heavy rain at the end of Session I, such that the bottom and eastern extent have yet to be determined.  The top of the skull of a small child was exposed in the NW of the grave, and may represent another burial or further disarticulated remains.  Material from the fill of the grave included one fragment of a Sgrafitto IV bowl, as well as the base of a Green Glazed Painted bowl (with joining fragments in Context 52, C 2014 6).  Part of a gold and pearl earring (MF 2014 3) was found near the left leg of Skeleton 121.  Two coins were found in the fill, one of Byzantine date (2014-58).  The other (2014-68) is a coin of Charles I or II Anjou (1278-1289 A.D) minted at Clarenza,.  Several fragments of glass were also found in this fill, including one with applied threads.  The material from the fill of the grave suggests a terminus post quem in the Frankish period.  The grave was overlaid by a shallow fill (Context 83, N-S 1072.34-1070.64, E-W 124.08-123.23) that ran east of the narthex crosswall, extending south from the rubble feature abutting Wall 21, which remains to be explored in future excavation.  An overturned undecorated marble column capital was embedded in this fill, and may have served as a marker for the grave.  This fill also contained one fragment of a Metallic Ware Unslipped pitcher, and two sherds of Glaze Painted IV slipped ware, as well as several fragments of clear glass, one with embedded thread, one with applied thread, and several fragments that may have belonged to a lamp (cf. MF 1992-36).  This material suggests a terminus post quem in the Frankish period for this fill.; ; Turkish I Period (1458-1680 A.D.); ; The entire excavation area was overlaid by a deposit of differentiated lenses of fill (Contexts 25, 52, 61, 67, 69, 70, 74, 77, 81), which we believe to be part of the same activity.  This fill is dated to the Turkish I period by a sherd of Posgrafitto ware(early 16th c.) found in Context 52.  Other material that was common to all of these differentiated lenses included fragments of clear glass, and a large concentration of Frankish pottery.; ; This fill underlies the remains of a cement bedding for a later floor (Context 47, N-S 1072.81-1071.78, E-W 126.01-125.10), portions of which we found in situ in the eastern portion of the excavation area.   This cement bedding would have been laid on a tile leveling fill, represented by Contexts 14 & 49 (N-S 1072.82-1070.99, E-W 125.74-124.74).  This preserved cement floor bedding was exposed during the 1990 field season, and extended discontinuously across the church, particularly to the E and S.; ; Evidence for a decorative floor is represented by numerous fragments of Cosmati style floor and marble architectural elements (Lot 2014-001).  These include cemented fragments of gray and white marble along with black and red cut stones found within multiple contexts, including the fill of all three graves as well as the fills above them (Contexts 83, 99, 112, 129, 52, 105).  We hope that further excavation will clarify the relationship between these Cosmati floor fragments and the preserved cement floor bedding (Context 47).; ; The Turkish I fill was also cut by two pits along the N boundary of our excavation area, abutting the exposed scarp of the robbing trench of Wall 20.  The cut for the pit in the NW corner (Cut 44, N-S 1075.42-1073.96, E-W 124.09-123.25, filled by Context 32) was difficult to determine because it was highly disturbed.  This is due in part to erosion from long exposure, but also due to previous excavation in this area (NB 835, Basket 53, pp.97-98), which identified but did not fully excavate a grave pit of which this may be a part.Material from the fill of the pit included disarticulated human bone and evidence for heavy bioturbation, as well as fragments of glass, painted plaster, and a small amount of pottery including a fragment of a Late Sgrafitto Slipped Style VII bowl and a Slipped Plain Glazed bowl, as well as Roman and Pre-Roman material.; ; The second pit, located further E along the scarp of the robbing trench (Cut 45, N-S 1074.65-1074.26, E-W 125.48-124.35, filled by Context 28), may also have been associated with burial activity, given the high frequency of disarticulated human remains.  It appears to have been truncated and disturbed by the robbing of Wall 20.  Material from the fill of the pit included a coin (2014-43) which was illegible.  The pottery included a fragment of a Slipped Plain Glazed bowland a Neolithic burnished bowlsherd.  Other material included several fragments of clear glass, and one shoulder fragment of an early 4th c A.D. lamp with a black painted vine scroll design.; ; Due to the poor preservation of the cement floor bedding, it is unclear whether these pits predate it, or cut into the later floor surface.; ; Recommendations for Future Work in this Area:; ; 1.    Determine extent of Cut 188, and complete the excavation of Grave 2014-04.; 2.    Remove the baulk created by sectioning of the excavation areato clarify the relationship of the fill cut by Grave 2014-04 and the fill cut by Graves 2014-03 and 2014-06.; 3.    Two grave cuts run underneath this baulk and were partially revealed by removal of Context 105.  These should be excavated.; 4.    Investigate the NW corner, underneath the upturned column capital to determine whether a burial is located there.; 5.    Determine the nature of the rubble structure running along the Narthex crosswall (Structure 21).; 6.    Continue excavating fill inside of church, with the hopes of clarifying the phases of its use and architectural history.","Final Summary, Session I (Unit 2, Church Nave)","Report","Corinth:Report:Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Maggie Beeler and Morgan T. Condell (2014-04-07 to 2014-04-28)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Temple E, Temenos | Temple E, Southeast","Temple E, Southeast 2014 by Maggie Beeler and Morgan T. Condell (2014-04-07 to 2014-04-28)","",""
"","","Corinth","","This excavation was undertaken from May 30-August 13, 2016 in the area of the planned new apotheke of the ASCSA’s Corinth Excavations. As the excavation permit requires, the primary objective was to reach floor levels within the rooms of three different houses exposed in this area. The stratigraphy investigated in these buildings ranges from the 11th century to the third quarter of the 12th century and suggests that there are two main architectural phases before a period of abandonment in the late 12th century. Traces of the foundations of structures datable to the early Byzantine periods were also investigated. ; ; The site itself slopes from south (60.023 masl) to north (58.586 masl) with the highest wall of the southernmost Byzantine house (Wall 34) at 59.646 masl or roughly 0.5m below ground level (see cross-sections). Most of the walls of the Byzantine houses are preserved only to their lowest foundation courses. The best-preserved wall (Wall 283) consisted of seven courses and stood 1.45m high (with the top at 59.47 masl). Furthermore some of the walls were robbed out after the abandonment of the houses and during excavation their robbing trenches were identified. The Byzantine architecture was built, in the southern part of the site, directly over the foundations of three Early Byzantine structures. The rest of the Byzantine structures were constructed over a mixed fill that contained small amounts of primarily Classical to Byzantine pottery or built directly on top of a deep layer red clay stereo without any material culture. The existence of the consistent layer of red clay stereo across the site was demonstrated by the excavations of six test trenches (labeled 1-6 on Master Plan) within the original bulldozer trenches that all reached this same layer at approximately 57.35 masl on the south side and 56.87 masl towards the north end of the site (see cross-sections). The deepest wall foundations of the Byzantine structures (including Wall 373) were set directly upon the red clay stereo level (see below) and we can therefore conclude that any earlier features (including the Early Byzantine) that may have existed were heavily disturbed by the construction of these houses. Furthermore, the very small amount of pottery datable to before the 5th century AD that was recovered in excavated contexts throughout the site, in comparison to the Forum area or other ASCSA excavated-sites in ancient Corinth, strongly suggests that there was no significant activity here before the Early Byzantine period. The site is therefore primarily a single-period site consisting of three Byzantine structures.; ; The following report will summarize the main phases of the Byzantine structures before discussing the evidence for Early Byzantine and Early Modern activities in the excavated area. Please refer to the attached plan (Master Plan) for wall and room numbers from all periods.; ; The Byzantine Houses; ; 1) The southernmost house consists of rooms 1-6, 8, and 17, as well as the area immediately west of room 17 (see Master Plan). It appears that the earliest phases of this structure date as early the first half of the 11th century on the basis of Pits 234 and 238, which provide a terminus post quem of the second half of the 11th century; as does the material in Contexts 92 and 99.  Three structures of the Early Byzantine period were also truncated by the construction of this house (see below). The latest material in this house dates to the third quarter of the 12th century (see Rooms 5, 6, 8); the same period that courtyard and northern rooms of the central house were remodeled. It is likely that the original floor surfaces associated with this last phase of this southern house were highly disturbed by later agricultural activities. A 19th-century cistern (Structure 12) was also cut through Room 1 (see below). ; Rooms 1, 2 and 3 (see Master Plan); The stratigraphy south of Wall 11 in Room 1 appears to be highly compromised by 19th-century activities and as a result the interior spaces are poorly preserved. Before this period, the latest material in Room 1 belongs to the early 12th century (dated by pottery in Contexts 17 and 32), while all earlier deposits contained 11th-century ceramic material. ; During the course of the 11th century or early 12th  century, Wall 11 was remodeled to insert a drain (Structure 45), which runs N-S along the east side of Wall 18; it also appears to continue south beneath the extant segment of Wall 18.  Based on pottery found in the exposed segment of the drain (Context 44 – pottery dated to the 11th century), this drain likely went out of use when the house was remodeled in the 12th century.; Room 2 is delimited by Wall 6 (running east-west along the south edge of the room), Wall 20 (running north-south along the west edge of the room, its stones robbed out in its southern section), Wall 11 (running east-west along the north edge of the room; cut by the bulldozer trench 8), and Wall 159, a north-south wall running along the east side of the room (also cut by the bulldozer trench 8). Room 2 had been excavated to the tops of the walls throughout most of the room in 2015.; The latest fill in Room 2 dates to the third-quarter of the 12th century (Context 2) and probably relates to either abandonment or remodeling of the house in that period. A possible 11th-century occupational level, represented by an earthen floor (Structure 23, excavated as Context 31) in the eastern half of the room.  A fragment of a pietro ollare vessel (NA #4 from Context 27) was also found associated with the floor. ; Room 3 is a small room immediately to the south of Room 2. It is delimited on the north side by Wall 6 (running east-west), on its west side by Wall 35 (a continuation of Wall 20 to the north, running north-south), on its east side by Wall 36 (running north-south) and on its south side by two walls running east-west: Wall 42, dating to the 11th century, and Wall 34, probably dating to the later 12th century phase. ; Room 3 contained a series of fills dating to the 11th century (Contexts 37 and 39) that were laid up against Walls 34 and 35 and therefore provide a terminus ante quem for these walls of the 11th century and may be part of the leveling operation in the second phase of the building. ; Walls 34, 35, and 42 belong to the first late-11th-century phase of the house. This space was remodeled in the later 12th century with the addition of Walls 6 and 36. At this point, this room seems to have been a fully enclosed space. It is unclear where the entrance to this room was, but it is possible that access was from the NW corner of the space, as there is a break in the northern part of Wall 35. However, due to the damage caused to this wall by a later robbing trench, it is unclear if this wall contained an entrance to Room 3.; ; Room 17; ;     Room 17 is located east of Room 2 (see Master Plan).  It is bounded on the north side by Wall 283, on the south side by Wall 380, on the west side by Wall 159, and on the east by Wall 381. On the basis of their construction and orientation, these walls all belong to the first phase of the house in the later 11th century. This 11th-century room overlies an earlier Byzantine well (334) and wine/olive press (325) (see below). Evidence for the 11th-century construction phase comes from a leveling fill that covered both the earlier Byzantine wellhead and the press (Contexts 323, 321, 333, 336, 337, and 344 – all dated to the 8th-11th centuries on the basis of pottery). Wall 283 had a foundation trench associated with it (Cut 314 and Contexts 316 and 335) that contained Middle Byzantine pottery dateable to the 10th to 11th centuries, which accords with the 11th century construction date of the house. Furthermore, the original construction of Walls 159 and 6 have been dated to the later 11th century based on pottery in contexts found in Room 2 to the west (see above). ; ; Room 8; ; The northeastern and southern sections of Room 8 were excavated down to floor level, whereas the northwestern section was excavated to a leveling fill (367) beneath a floor.  The area is delimited by four walls: Wall 49 (along the north edge of the room; also the north wall of Room 5), Wall 50 (along the east edge of the room), Walls 352 and 353 (along the west edge of the room), and Wall 11(along the south edge of the room) that can be dated to the first phase of the house in the late 11th century (see below and Master Plan). The dates of Walls 49 and 50 are provided by fills (Contexts 92 and 99) in a pit (105) that (see Master Plan) underlies both walls, which date to the 11th century. Walls 102 and 103, which bisect the room and are separated by a threshold that linked the eastern and western sections of Room 8, are contemporary with Walls 252 and 253 due to their identical alignment and construction technique (see below and Plan1). All that survive of these walls are their foundation courses and as a result, the original entrance to Room 8 cannot be determined.; The latest contexts excavated in this area confirm the 3rd quarter of the 12th as the last phase of construction of this part of the house. All occupation levels were fragmentarily preserved, and a series of levelling and debris deposits have been excavated, that exposed an earlier floor level likely dated to the 11th century. This surface (Contexts 364 and 365 – both dated to the early 12th century) is the earliest floor reached in the northwestern section of the room.  In the northeastern section of the room, the excavation has also revealed a series of earlier floor surfaces that lay above pit 105. Contexts 121, 132, and 135 (all also dated by pottery or stratigraphy to the early 12th c. AD) are a series of floors, leveling fills, and pits in the northern section of Room 8. At least one of these floors, the one lowest in elevation (at 58.345m) seems to correspond to the earlier phase of Wall 49, and may be chronologically similar to the floor unearthed in the adjacent Room 5 (at the bottom of Contexts 72 and 73 – both dated by pottery to the 11th to early 12th century). These overlay Context 99 in the pit (see Master Plan) in the northeast corner of Room 8, which provides a construction date for Walls 49 and 50 of the second half of the 11th century. ; A circular stone-built storage bin (Structure 354) was inserted into the west side of Room 8. The material from the fills within this structure does not suggest a clear chronology. An 11th century terminus post quem can be suggested by the levels cut through by the pit excavated for the construction of this feature, therefore it should belong to the second phase of the house in the late 12th century AD.  Contexts 358 (which contained NA #106 – a bronze earring), 366, and 368 provide an additional terminus ante quem of early 12th century for the silo and for the robbing event of wall 103 in the southern half of the room – both of which support the date for the second phase of this house.  The floor surface in the southern half of Room 8 was not excavated, but it has a terminus ante quem of the 11th or 12th century, based on pottery from the fill of a pit (Pit 363 filled by Context 362) that was cut into it.  It appears that Structure 354 was installed after the southern space was expanded when part of wall 103 was removed. An ashy deposit (Context 366) laid against the Structure 345 and a contemporary fill to the south (Context 368), that provided examples of olive pits (NA #112, 113), are leveling fills of the 12th century associated with the remodeling of this room. Context 366 was water sieved and yielded many archaeo-botanical samples. Overall the evidence suggests that Room 8 had two major phases.  The room was constructed in the 11th century and then remodeled and expanded southern end to accommodate the circular stone-built storage bin (Structure 354) in the 3rd quarter of the 12th century AD.; ; Room 5; ; This room is south of the Main Courtyard and is delimited on its north side by Wall 49, on its east side by Wall 52, on its west side by Wall 50 and on its south side by Walls 51 and 54, which are divided by an entryway that connects this room to Room 4 to the south. The foundation trenches of Wall 49 (Context 72 – dated by pottery to the late 11th to early 12th century) and Wall 52 (Context 73 – dated by pottery to the 11th century) provide a date of the late-11th/ early 12th century for their construction and therefore they belong to the first phase of the southern house. A terminus post quem for Wall 50 is also provided by Context 99 (see above). A large marble threshold block was found in the northwest corner of the room and is likely spolia that was displaced from one of the adjacent walls. Part of a surface (Context 70) from this earlier phase was preserved in the southern half of Room 5 is dated to the late-11th century. Several large fragments of a pietra ollare vessel have been found in the SW corner of the room, possibly in relation to this floor.; The second construction phase of the house in the later-12th century consists of a series of leveling fills (Contexts 48, 53, 55, 62, and 63 – dated by pottery to the 12th century, including NA-140 from Context 48) below a possible floor (Context 46, from which NA-141 came), dated to the 3rd quarter of the 12th century. A low stone platform was found near the center of the room that belongs to this phase; its purpose is unknown.; ; Room 4 ; ;     This room is bounded on the north, and connected to Room 5, by Walls 51 and 54. It is bounded on the east by Wall 52, on the south by Wall 11, and on the west by Wall 50. From the original late-11th century phase of the house, this room was connected to Room 5 as demonstrated by the shared Wall 52. It is possible that Walls 51 and 54 were added in the later remodeling phase to separate Rooms 4 and 5 into two distinct spaces. Room 4 was heavily disturbed by bulldozer trench 8, which cut right through the center, and the section revealed by that cutting showed no architectural features within the room. The decision was therefore made to not excavate this space. ; ; Room 6 ; ; In its latest phase, Room 6 was enclosed by Walls 52, 58, 59, 60, and 61. These were uncovered and the uppermost fill layers were removed in 2015, including a probable surface level associated with the 12th-century phase of this room. Bulldozer trench 5 cut through its southern wall and extended all the way through Room 17. On the basis of the surviving portions of Walls 60 and 61, it is possible to reconstruct a central doorway between them (similar to that between Walls 51 and 54 in Room 5).; Wall 58, on the north side, also has a threshold block, which suggests access to a room to its north. There is an architectural space consisting of one or two rooms of this house and/or the house immediately to the north of Room 6 but these were not excavated because of the large baulk in the area. It is reasonable to assume that Walls 59 and 69 originally extended to the north and that Wall 49 extended to the east to create a northeastern room of this southern house. The date of the later 12th century for the latest walls comes from the fact that Wall 69 was covered by a heavy concentration of stone debris (Context 57– dated by pottery to the third-quarter of the 12th century). The northern doorway of this room may have been reinforced with large threshold stones during these renovations as well. The superstructure of many of the walls in Room 6 was probably made of mudbrick as shown by Context 68, which contained a few extant mudbrick pieces and the soil was heavily mixed with concentrations of mudbrick detritus. ; The earlier contexts excavated in Room 6 (in conjunction with somewhat similar material uncovered in neighboring Room 7), may point toward a function of this space in the late 11th to early 12th centuries as kitchens as these layers contained a noticeable amount of ash, animal bones, cooking wares, and some charcoal (i.e. Contexts 65, 67, 68, and 71). ; ; West of Room 1; ; This area included four walls (195, 196, 197, 376) of the Byzantine period and re-used Wall 198 (see early Byzantine section below), each with multiple phases of use (probably with late 11th and later 12th century phases). Wall 376, at the very south edge of the excavated area, runs east-west and is possibly part of the original southern wall of the house. None of these walls form clear architectural spaces at least partly because of later activities in the area including the bulldozer trenches. Before the initial construction phase of Walls 195, 196, and 197 were two large pits located west and north of Wall 198. These pits are represented in the cut contexts of 237 and 238. These deep pits were cut into a sterile reddish clay soil, which was also cut by the foundation of Wall 198. The chronological relationship between these pits cuts remains unclear. Arguably, Pit 237 is the earliest as it most clearly is truncated by Pit 238. The fills of both Pits 237 and 238 are remarkably homogenous in their soil compositions and inclusions. ;     Within Pit 237, it is likely that there were multiple contemporary deposit events with multiple different soils. The majority of the pit fills were of two soil profiles: a reddish grey soil and a soft ashy grey soil. Both soils are characterized by sizable amount of pottery and bones. Extensive sieving was performed in grey ashy contexts yielding finds such as: coins (NA #67, 68, #72-78; all pre-Medieval), two bone stylus (NA #66 and NA #79), bronze buckles (NA #65 and NA #71), and an amethyst bead (NA #122). The contexts that are most likely to have filled Pit 237 include: 201 205, 207, 208, 213, 216, 217, 222, 225, and 234. The pottery within Pit 237 was remarkably consistent in date belonging to the late 10th possibly 11th centuries from top to bottom. Examples include NA-136 and NA-137 from Context 222, NA-133 (which joins with NA-138), NA-134, and NA-135 from Context 225, and NA-138 (which joins with NA-133) and NA-139 from Context 234. There was just one instance of a survivor—a LHIIIB2 deep bowl (NA-145). All the pits fills postdate Walls 199 and 198. This is clear from Context 234 (the lowest stratigraphic context that filled Pit 237) which is laid against Walls 198 and 199. It is therefore likely that the cutting of pit 237 or related pits removed whatever remained of the foundations of the Early Byzantine structure that is the earliest phase of Walls 198 and 199 (see below for a description of this structure).; Pit 238 was located immediately to the west of Pit 237 and was truncated by bulldozer trench 4. The soil in Pit 238 was a relatively consistent dark greyish/brownish brown/grey sandy silt, a profile which was similar to the fills of adjacent Pit 237. Moreover, like Pit 237, the soil of Pit 238 had a substantial amount of pottery and bones. Finds included a bone pin (NA #107), a bronze weight (NA #109), two glass goblets (NA #114 and 115), some fruit pits (NA #116), and a pietra ollare fragment (NA #83). Pit 238 was filled with Contexts 194, 248, 263, 266, 272, 277, 278, and 289. Several of these contexts were water sieved and yielded much charcoal, some carbonized seeds, and bird and fish bones. Like Pit 237, the fills of Pit 238 are consistently late 10th to early 11th century in date on the basis of pottery (such as NA-144 from Context 289) and an Anonymous Follis class 3 coin with Leo VI on it (866-912 AD) (NA #92). One LH III closed vessel from Context 272 at the top layer  (NA-147) was the only survivor found in the pit fills. In addition, Contexts 272, 277, 278, and 289 in Pit 238 appear to directly correlate with the grey soils of Contexts 222, 225, and 234 in Pit 237 (see above). Both Pits 237 and 238 also contained many cooking pots and animal bones and should be interpreted as debris from food consumption and preparation and general household rubbish.; ; The Central House; ; Most of the excavated area is occupied by the central Byzantine house, which is mostly preserved at its foundation levels (see Master Plan). It consists of Rooms 7 and 9-15.Unlike the houses to the north and south, it was left relatively undisturbed after it was abandoned in the 13th century. The exceptions are the eastern walls of the house that were robbed out completely after the house was abandoned. This house was emptied before it was abandoned because there were no finds on the floors of the rooms on the north and west. It is likely that the earliest phase of the structure dates to the late 11th/early 12th century on the basis of pottery found in Contexts 92 and 99 (see Master Plan). The original courtyard surface is therefore that into which Pit 275 (see below) was cut and is represented by Contexts 332 and 340 (that also date to the late 11th/early 12th century). Numerous fills within the rooms on the north and west side allow for an architectural sequence to be reconstructed spanning the 12th century. Leveling fills with tile, rubble and pottery in Rooms 9-12 date a major remodeling phase in the third-quarter of the 12th century. In this second phase, the courtyard was rebuilt and the rooms on the north opened to the outside; as shown by the creation of a number of pits and post-holes in Room 14 (see below). As in the house to the south, it is likely that any occupational layers and surfaces associated with the rooms of this Late Byzantine phase were removed in the 2015 excavations and/or by later agricultural activities. The destruction debris in the northwest corner of the courtyard consisting of mudbrick and rubble, but little tile, indicates that the tiles of this house were probably removed and the walls allowed to decay sometime in the early 13th century. ; ; Central Courtyard; ; The central courtyard is bounded to the south by Wall 49, to the east by Walls 82 and 373 (the latter was removed to its lowest foundations by bulldozer trench 2), to the west by Walls 86 and 143, and to the north by Wall 185. In the late 11th century, there were two entrances to the main courtyard from the east and west. During the remodeling in the third-quarter of the 12th century, the western entrance was blocked by Wall 382 and Structure 157. Approximately 75% of the courtyard was excavated stratigraphically along the west side of bulldozer trench 3 and the north half between bulldozer trenches 2 and 3.; The excavation of the southwest section of the Courtyard provided a preliminary chronology for the use of the Main Courtyard and for the construction of the rooms north of Wall 49 (i.e., Rooms 9, 10, and 11). The latest deposits excavated in this southwest area (Contexts 83, 87, and 182) are dated, as suggested by the pottery and stratigraphy, to the third quarter of the 12th century: this period might be interpreted as the last phase of use of this area. ; The latest floor surface level (Structure 98) exposed in the Main Courtyard has been partially sectioned and excavated as Context 95, and it has been dated to the early 12th century. A series of fills (Contexts 84, 88, 90 and 94) in the southwest part of the courtyard are dated by pottery to the late-11th / early-12th century and confirm the construction and use of the courtyard in the first phase of the central house. ; Evidence for the initial construction of this house comes from Context 92 (see Master Plan and discussion in reference to Wall 49 in Room 8 above), which was overlaid by Wall 86 of Room 9. Furthermore, Context 92 (and 99) appears to be partially overlaid by Wall 49. The pottery from these deposits has been dated to the second half of the 11th century. Therefore, this rubbish pit provides a secure terminus post quem for the construction of Wall 86 and for Wall 49. These contexts therefore establish both the date of the first construction and the contemporaneity of the central and southern houses.  ; Excavations in the northwest section of the courtyard, west of trench 3, confirmed the basic chronology of the courtyard and established a phase of remodeling in the courtyard in the third quarter of the 12th century (on the basis of Pit 275). During this remodeling, the courtyard surface was re-made and a well (Structure 369) that belonged to the earliest phase of the house was put out of use. A circular stone-built storage bin (Structure 157) was inserted into the west entrance to the house and wall 382 was created to close off that side of the house. Contexts 202, 203, 204, 211, 227, 235, 246, 251, 261, and 265 are leveling fills associated with the third-quarter of the 12th century remodeling of the courtyard and are dated by pottery (with only one survivor—a LH IIIB1 deep bowl from Context 265).; These fills covered Pit 275, which was 2.15 m x 1.7 m x 0.71 m, making it the largest pit excavated in the courtyard. It contained a variety of well-preserved pottery, vast quantities of animal bones, fish scales (NA #111), a steatite button (NA #119), and fragments of glass vessels. A sample of the soil was also taken for the water sieve, which yielded evidence of possible kitchen debris. The pit was excavated in six different contexts (arbitrarily divided for vertical control – Contexts 274, 279, 281, 285, 286, 287), but joins between sherds of the same vessel in different contexts (e.g. between NA-127 in Context 281 and a sherd not numbered from Context 286 as well as NA-124 from Context 279 and another unnumbered sherd from 286) indicate that it is all one dumped fill. The glazed pottery (such as NA-124, NA-125, and NA-126 from Context 279 and NA-127 from Context 281) and cooking wares (like NA-128 from Context 281) provide a date of the third-quarter of the 12th century and give a clear terminus post quem for the construction of the courtyard and this remodeling phase. Below this pit are multiple surfaces and lenses (Contexts 309, 306, 303, 298, 297, 296, 295, 291, 288, 284, and 271) that also date to the third-quarter of the 12th century AD. It was in these various, prepared clay surfaces that the formal pits (275, 317 and 327) were cut and they also support the late 12th century date for a major remodeling of the courtyard. ; The earliest fills below these surfaces that were excavated in this area (i.e. Contexts 332 and 340) consisted of a mixed fill with some Middle Byzantine pottery (dated to the 11th century). As seen in section, this thick (1m +) level sits below all major occupational surfaces excavated in the courtyard and with the exception of a well/cistern (Structure 369), exists below any architecture or architectural feature. Structure 369 is cut into this stratum. Consequently, these contexts may represent the leveling or accumulation related to first phase of the courtyard in the later 11th century.;     The northeast area of the courtyard is bounded by bulldozer trenches 2 and 3, and previously on the east by Wall 373. A possible staircase, Structure 220, possibly built or at least remodeled in the third-quarter of the 12th century may have accessed an upper floor above Room 15. Surface 343 and the fills below it (Contexts 349 and 356) all date to the mid- to third-quarter of the 12th century. Surface 343 was composed of pebble and soil and corresponds to that of the floor surface (Structure 271 to the west). This context therefore supports the date of the remodeling of the courtyard in the third-quarter of the 12th century. This layer connects to and was probably built around the same time as the possible staircase Structure 220. No further excavation was undertaken in this northeast area of the courtyard.; ; West Rooms of Central House; ; Rooms 9, 10, and 11 ; ; Rooms 9 and 10 are bounded to the west by Wall 127 and to the east by Wall 86, in which a doorjamb is preserved connecting Room 9 to the courtyard in the first phase (there is no similar opening to connect Room 10 to the courtyard). These two rooms are divided by Wall 133, which has a threshold to allow passage between these two spaces. Finally, Room 10 is separated to the north by Wall 134. Structure 157 is a circular stone-built storage pit that was inserted into the western group of rooms – it is bordered by Wall 382 to the west, wall 144 to the north and wall 133 to the south. The space occupied by Structure 157 in the original 11th-century phase of the house was likely an entrance into the central courtyard. This entrance was blocked by Wall 382 and the construction of Structure 157 in the third-quarter of the 12th century. Room 11 was possibly bounded to the west by Wall 382 in a later phase, but it was robbed out completely at some point in its later history (excavated in 2015 with no dating evidence), Wall 142 to the north, Wall 144 to the south and Wall 143 to the east. ; Rooms 9, 10, and 11 contained tile leveling fills (Contexts 125, 152, and 160 respectively) at elevations ranging from 58.05-58.22 masl that all date by pottery to the 12th century or more specifically the third quarter of the 12th century, confirming that also these rooms were remodeled in this period and the floor levels raised to create easier access to the central courtyard. Moreover, the absence of any complete, mendable, or even large fragments of tiles in these fills identifies them simply as fills rather than as roof collapse (contrary to the excavator’s original interpretations). In their earlier phases, possible storage pits, (Room 9: Cut 116, Room 10: Cut 137) that were virtually empty aside from irregular stones, were cut into the floor. The threshold of Room 11 was raised with the addition of a block during the late 12th century remodeling (see description of Wall 143). ; ; ; North Rooms of Central House; ; Rooms 12, 13, and 14; ; Room 12 is bounded to the west by a wall that was completely robbed out in antiquity. Wall 185, which is the south wall of Rooms 14 and 13, was partially robbed out as well (Cut 206), perhaps as part of the late 12th century remodeling of the house and courtyard in which Room 14 was perhaps made into an exterior space (i.e., a northern extension of the central courtyard). Rooms 12 and 13 are separated by Wall 153, which has a threshold or opening towards the south that connected the two rooms. Rooms 13 and 14 are separated by wall 168, the southern part of which was robbed out at some point. The original eastern wall of Room 14 was also robbed out and/or destroyed at a later point. Tile-rich leveling fills were excavated in all three rooms (Room 12: Context 161, Room 13: Context 167, Room 14: Context 170) with dates ranging from the 10th to the 12th centuries and elevations of ca. 58.20 masl. Below these deposits relatively level surfaces were exposed. In Rooms 12 and 13, the same floor level appears to have been reached. In room 12, a peculiar oval-shaped pit built in regular courses of tiles and clay pit (Structure 166) was identified, but its function remains unclear. It was filled with pottery of the third-quarter of the 12th century (Context 162) and therefore should be associated with an earlier phase of Room 12. ; Similar pits found in the west end of Room 14 (Structures 186 and 188) are plastered with clay and the tile fragments are irregularly laid against the vertical sides of these structures. These odd pits did not contain any datable material. They were cut into Context 200, which contained Coin NA #59 (Anonymous Follis 1070-1075 AD) suggesting a terminus post quem for these fills of the 11th century, but the pottery dates to the third-quarter of the 12th century and so  they are part of the later remodeling of the space.  The earliest floor level was found in the northwest corner of the room in Context 262, which dates to the 11th century on the basis of pottery and a coin of Nicephoros III (NA #80). This confirms the date of the first phase of the house in the later 11th century.; In the center of Room 14 was Surface 219, which had a series of small pits cut into it (filled by Contexts 228 and 233). East of Surface 219 was Context 249 (dated by pottery to the second half of the 12th century) which had another set of oval pits (Contexts 241, 243) with flat bases and vertical sides similar to cut 229. The fills in these oval pits (Contexts 240 and 242) can be dated to the Middle Byzantine period on the basis of pottery.  There was, however, little pottery in the oval pits and so the date of their construction is given by Context 249. These pits are therefore also part of the late 12th century remodeling of the space. Down the center and on the southern edge of Room 14 (along the robbing trench for Wall 185) were small regularly-spaced cuts (Contexts 244, 247, and 232), which, due to their small and semi-circular appearance, may have been used for postholes for the space. It is likely therefore that Room 14 was turned into a partially exterior space during the second remodeling event and that posts supported the ceiling rather than Wall 185. The pits may perhaps be associated with keeping animals in the area or perhaps a household level industry. No further excavation of this room was conducted during the 2016 excavation season. ; ; East Rooms of Central House; ; Room 15 ; ; This room was bounded on the north by Wall 185, to the west by Wall 373 (now robbed out by bulldozer trench 2) and to the south by Wall 375. The space between Wall 375 and Wall 81 to its immediate south was the east entrance to the house and the central courtyard in all periods. ; The east wall of Room 15 is not preserved nor was a robbing trench identified for it. There is no sign that any walls bonded or were perpendicular to Wall 373 and therefore this room may originally have been very long and narrow, like Room 14 to its north. The scarp in bulldozer trench 2 and some test excavations across the trench in Room 15 suggested that there was little material culture remaining in this area. It appears to correspond to the soil in Contexts 332 and 340 and is Middle Byzantine in date. This area was not excavated further.; ; Room 7; ; In its late 12th-century phase, Room 7 was bounded by Wall 81 to the north, Wall 82 to the west, and Wall 80 to the east (these three walls were exposed in 2015). Wall 80 in all phases likely continued into the unexcavated baulk to the south and perhaps abutted Wall 49 and/or 59 to create a long, narrow room like Room 15. Excavations in this area in 2016 revealed Wall 379, below layers containing later 12th century pottery and kitchen debris. It is likely therefore that, in the late 11th-century phase of the house, Wall 379 truncated Room 7 and created another room to the south and below the baulk.  ; ; The North House; ; The most highly disturbed of the Byzantine houses is the northern house (see Master Plan). This is for two reasons: 1) the excavated site slopes down by two meters from south to north and therefore the architecture was closer to the original ground surface and more vulnerable to later activities, and 2) five bulldozer trenches (1, 6, and 9-11) cut through it both north-south and east-west. There are several 19th century features in the north-central section (marked with a dotted line on Master Plan), which also may have destroyed earlier features. The remaining walls suggest that it is a similar type of house as those to its south. The two best preserved and architecturally-bounded areas were excavated and provide a date of the third-quarter of the 12th century for the surviving architecture of this house. Most of the architecture is preserved in only the foundation courses which are less than 0.2m high. ; Room 16; Room 16 is bounded by Wall 180 to the west, Wall 269 to the south, and wall 270 to the east. Wall 270 consists of small blocks of spolia including marble and granite, in addition to what appears to be evidence of a stone with square cut for a doorway leading into the area east of the room. If there was a northern wall, it was removed by bulldozer trench 10. The only surface reached was Context 273, a layer of fill on the western portion of the room that produced a coin (NA #87), which is an issue of Manuel I and therefore gives a 12th century terminus post quem for this context. Cut into Context 273 is Context 268, a pit measuring 1.01 x .97 m. The fill of this pit, Context 267, dates to the 3rd quarter of the 12th century during the Late Byzantine period. No further excavation was conducted in this room during the 2016 season.; ; Area East of Room 16; ; Moving east of Room 16, we find a large rectangular space reached by an alley formed between Walls 269 and 154 from the west and also from a doorway leading from Room 16. The possible northern boundary of this space was Wall 282 and it is also possible that Wall 377 is part of the same structure. The earliest stratum excavated in this area is Context 300, which is the second floor surface in the eastern half of this area. This context is dated to the third-quarter of the 12th century on the basis of pottery and a coin, NA #98 (Anonymous Class 3), which supports a date in the Late Byzantine period. ; Context 300 gives a third-quarter of the 12th century date for a pebble floor covered entire area—Structure 294, which also contained pottery of that date. There is substantial evidence for remodeling and leveling activities in this area.  Contexts 292 and 280 both dated to the 3rd quarter of the 12th century. The pebble flooring and compact surface support the interpretation of this area as an exterior space during the 3rd quarter of the 12th century. No further excavation was undertaken here. ; ; Other Phases; ; Early Modern (19th century); In Room 1, in the area west of Wall 20, there is evidence of a 19th century occupational level (Context 4), which heavily impacted the earlier stratigraphic levels. The identification of a cistern (Structure 12) and the recovery of a Koronaika pithos, found with fragments of a grindstone and mortar (NA #3), and 19th century utilitarian vessels are in fact indicative of the occupation of this area in the Early Modern period. ; ; Early Byzantine ; ; A bottle cistern (Structure 304) was excavated in the area west of Room 1.  It was truncated on its western half by the bulldozer Trench 7 but the eastern half is still extant except the northernmost course of stones, which was removed when wall 353 was constructed.  It was made of random courses of roughly hewn limestone with a plaster coating on its interior and a tile floor at the base. The cistern was filled with pottery of the late 8th-early 9th century (Contexts 305, 311, 351, and 355), examples of which include NA-129, NA-130, and NA-131 from Context 305 as well as NA-132 from Context 351.  The bottle cistern was likely covered before Pits 236, 237, and 238 were created in the 10th – 11th centuries but the exact stratigraphic relationship between these pits, wall 353, and the bottle cistern remains undetermined due to soil disturbance by the bulldozer.  The bottle cistern sits on top of the sterile red soil or stereo into which the pits are cut, therefore the fills are the only source for the date of the cistern’s use.  It is possible that the use of the grape/olive press from Room 17 is roughly contemporary and/or post-dates the closure of this bottle cistern.   Samples of the soil were taken for water sieving and yielded small pieces of charcoal, grape pips, and grain. ; In Room 17, a well (Structure 334) and a grape/olive press (Structure 325) were discovered. The latter was identified by its lack of drain and the presence of grape and olive pits recovered from water floatation samples. Excavation revealed that Well 334 had been cut into a thick, white floor surface (not excavated) and that a post-construction leveling fill had been laid against it on the west side. These contexts (345, 346, and 347) all contained 5th and 6th century AD pottery and had been deposited against the well (perhaps in a single event), giving the construction of the well a terminus ante quem of the 7th century. ;     The lowermost fills around the press (Structure 325) also had an Early Byzantine signature. Contexts 338 and 339 can probably be associated with a post-construction leveling event that is contemporary with Contexts 345, 346, and 347 around Well 334. Context 338 contained the fill below the north section of the western wall of the press which had been robbed out or destroyed. It appeared to have been cut into the soil below it, while the 11th century leveling fills (see above) had been laid against it. The pottery from both of these contexts cannot be dated to anything more specific than the 6th century, but this agrees with the fills around Well 334 and with its 7th century terminus ante quem.; The space enclosed by Walls 199 and south of Wall 198 yielded a date of the 7th c. AD or later based on pottery (filled by Contexts 254- 259, but dated on the basis of one fragment of an African Red Slip Form 105 from Context 259). These contexts therefore provide a terminus ante quem for the last use of those walls and their associated structure of the Early Byzantine period. At the bottom of context 259 was a tile surface that was laid against wall 199, thus post-dating the original construction. No contexts have been excavated that can be directly associated with the construction of Wall 199. The excavation of the lowermost fill of Pit 238, Context 289, revealed a foundation trench for Wall 198 (Cut 301). Though it had been truncated on its western side, probably by the cut for Pit 237 or Pit 238, the trench and fill were still preserved to the east. Context 302 filled the trench, and the pottery tentatively dated the fill to the Early Byzantine period, giving a broad terminus ante quem for Wall 198, which accords with our previous interpretation of Wall 198's date. No contexts have been excavated that can be securely identified as fill for the original structure, however. ; ; Earlier Material; ;     There is no archaeological evidence from anywhere in the excavated area for substantial activities that pre-date the Early Byzantine period. In comparison to other excavated areas in Corinth, such as the Forum area, the Panayia Field, or other ASCSA-excavated sites, pottery from earlier periods that might be interpreted as survivors in later contexts is virtually absent from this excavation. The absence of even moderate quantities of earlier pottery demonstrates that there is no significant pre-Byzantine presence. If there were earlier structures, they would have been cut into or above the red clay stereo level across the site and then destroyed by the Early and later Byzantine activities in the area that reach into the same stereo level. Yet, they also would have left some archaeological trace in the form of pottery that was redeposited or survived in later levels. The absence of such pre-Byzantine pottery is therefore very strong evidence that the earliest major activity dates to the Early Byzantine period. As noted above in relation to their contexts, there was a total of three prehistoric sherds found in the entire area.","Final Report on the Excavations for the ASCSA’s New Apotheke","Report","Corinth:Report:New Apotheke: D. Kokolopoulos and E. Lambraki Field 2016 by  (2016-05-30 to 2016-08-13)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | New Apotheke: D. Kokolopoulos and E. Lambraki Field","New Apotheke: D. Kokolopoulos and E. Lambraki Field 2016 by  (2016-05-30 to 2016-08-13)","",""
"","","Corinth","","Mohammed Bhatti and Daniel P. Diffendale; Team Pink, Session 1; Nezi Field Excavations Final Report; N 1006 – 1018.00; E 261.01 – 271.28; 1–25 April 2013; ; This is a final summary of the first season of excavation (1-25 April) in 2013 in the northeast area of Nezi field. Guy Sanders (director) and Rossana Valente (field director) supervised.The Pink excavation team consisted of Mohammed Bhatti and Daniel P. Diffendale (recorders), Panos and Tasos Kakouros (pickmen), Vassilis Kollias (shovelman), and Tasos Tsogas (barrowman).The area is bounded to the north by the scarp of H. Robinson’s 1960s excavations, to the east by the excavation scarp immediately east of Wall 866, to the south by Cuts C193 and C848, more or less, and to the west by the varying eastward extent of the Blue team’s area of operation. ; The area of excavation was effectively bisected along an east-west axis comprising Wall 945, Wall 807, and the robbing trench Cut 995. Of the contexts excavated this session, the areas north and south of this axis were physically related only by Deposit 978 (to the south) overlying Deposit 994, which filled Cut 995, which in turn cut Deposit 1003 (to the north). To the north, Wall 918, Wall 1033, and, until its removal, Wall 992, all acted as another east-west axis separating the deposits to north and south. For the purposes of this report, the contexts south of Wall 945-Wall 807-Cut 995 will be referred to as comprising the South Area; contexts north of Walls 918-992-1033 as the North Area, and contexts between the two axes as the Central Area. ; The east-west walls are the most prominent positive features in the area, and are constant points of reference; less easy to understand are the mostly negative traces of north-south features, for instance the fill of 1050, laid above an irregular N-S cut (no context number), possibly related to the NE-SW cut 1082; or the robbing of a N-S wall represented by the fill of 1009. ; ; Precontextual material, ca. 9th c. BCE – 3rd c. CE;     No contexts excavated this session can be dated before the Middle to Late Roman period. However, earlier human activity in the area is suggestively documented by the contents of later fills. Scattered Geometric sherds (in contexts 978, 1056, 1076, 1084, 1085) suggest the presence of Iron Age burials somewhere below. A pebble pavement clearly must have existed nearby in the Classical or Hellenistic period, later broken up, fragments of which made their way into many of the later fills (998, 1003, 1009, 1015, 1050, 1076, 1081, 1083, 1084), but which were most thickly concentrated in 1085. Of Roman date must be the numerous pieces of marble revetment of many colors and sizes, fragments of which also made their way into the majority of fills excavated in this area during this session. This marble revetment, coupled with octagonal marble or schisty limestone pavers (1009 and 1085) and chunks of preparation “brown layer” mortar for a hydraulic installation (1085), suggests that there may have been a bath facility in the neighborhood. If there were a water source capable of supplying such a bath, it perhaps could also have supplied a pre-Roman bath that was paved with pebbles. Other finds indicative of earlier Roman buildings include mostly white marble tesserae and small chunks of painted wall plaster, both found in numerous deposits. ; ; ; Late Roman, ca. 4th / 5th c. CE;     Possibly the earliest context known so far is deposit 1000, in the South Area, with ceramic materials no later than the 3rd/4th c. CE. It is probable, however, that this is simply earlier material redeposited, perhaps in the 5th, 6th, or even 7th-8th centuries; only further excavation can say for certain.;     The earliest visible structures existing are probably the parallel E-W walls 918 (to the north, with the in situ column base) and 945 (to the south), although they cannot yet be directly dated. At some time during or after the 4th c. CE, in the Central Area, a fill consisting of destruction debris (tiles, carbon, nails, slag) was dumped between them (Deposit 1084, date: ceramics); this debris was laid in part against the north face of Wall 945. Beneath 1084, but thus far unexcavated, what may be a real destruction layer is waiting to be understood; perhaps the material deposited in 1084 came from that destruction. 1084 may have been laid as a leveling fill for a floor or working surface above (1083), which was probably put into use in the 5th c. (pottery). Someone dropped an old coin of Constantius II or Julian II (coin 2013-100: 355-361 CE) onto this surface, and there was also a notable amount of glass. Associated with the surface of 1083, and dated by it stratigraphically, was hearth 1065, paved with flat slabs of non-local schist and ringed with tile. This was a substantial construction measuring some 0.90 x 0.80 m, and set against the then still-standing upper courses of Wall 945.; The surface of 1083 was analogous in composition, elevation, and date (5th c. pottery) to that of Floor 1060/1061 immediately to the north of Wall 918 in the North Area, and they likely saw contemporaneous use; deposited in both were sherds of Niederbieber 77 amphorae as well as of Eastern Aegean micaceous cooking ware—though these are not uncommon finds for the area. Floor 1060 was laid against the ‘stylobate’ of Wall 918; this part of the wall was probably still standing when 1060 was in use. The people using Floor 1060 saw the need to burn something, perhaps for cooking, and hence they constructed the small Hearth 1059 (5th c. stratigraphically) within it, close to the presumably still-standing line of Wall 918, partially demarcating the hearth with tiles (ca. 0.3 m diameter). ;     However, Hearth 1059 may not have been in use for long; the packed surface of deposit 1056 was laid directly above Floor 1060, probably also in the 5th c. (pottery), and this sealed over the hearth. Three coins were dropped onto this surface, including an old one of Constantius II (coin 2013-72: 346-361 CE; coins 2013-68 and 76 illegible). At some later point, perhaps already in the 5th c., a pit was cut into the surface of 1056 (no context number) and then filled (1048, 5th c. stratigraphically). However, the nature of this pit can hardly be comprehended, given its likely severe truncation by the Robinson excavations. Above the pit fill and the surface of 1056 was constructed the earthen Floor 1044/1045, probably still against the not-yet-robbed-out Wall 918. A clear pale green glass tubular ring goblet foot with knop stem deposited in the fill of Floor 1044/1045 dates to the mid 5th c. or later, while a coin of Leo I (coin 2013-59: 457-474 CE) was dropped on the floor surface. ; Whatever happened in the North Area after the 5th c. will remain a mystery, since the overlying strata have been removed by the Robinson excavations—unknown unknowns. As for known unknowns, the nature of deposit 1050 is something of a mystery, especially its relationship with Wall 992. ; ; ; Late Roman, ca. 5th/6th c. CE;     A meter or two to the southeast, in the Central Area, and still in the 5th or maybe the 6th c., a large amount of mixed fill was deposited between Walls 1033, 945, and 1007; this was deposit 1085 (dated by pottery). Within the deposit there seem to have been diverse sources of fill; in its southwest extent the sediment was blackish and especially dense with fragments of marble revetment and over fifty large cobble- to small boulder-size fragments of pebble-mortar pavement. Further east, it included several cobble-sized pieces of iron slag, perhaps deposited after use as road-metal nearby. Significant numbers of fragments of glass slag in the deposit suggest a workshop in the vicinity. A notable inclusion was a fragment of a Hellenistic or Roman terracotta figurine of Baubo (MF-2013-8). At the time that 1085 was deposited, there was probably a N-S wall to its south, against which it was deposited; east of the wall was a section of pavement. This wall and pavement would later be robbed out (context 1009), sometime between the end of the 5th and the early 7th cs. (see further below). It seems that this wall would have made a narrow (ca. 1 m wide) N-S passageway with Wall 1007 to its east, and the passageway was paved. Maybe there was a staircase here, which started going up to the south between walls 1009 and 1007, turned east between the south end of wall 1007 and the wall robbed out by 995, and returned north between walls 1007 and 866. This is only speculation.; Sometime thereafter an irregular NNE-SSW trench, 1082, was cut through the Central Area between Wall 945 to the south, and probably Wall 918 to the north, though its northern extent was later truncated by Cut 1032. The trench of 1082 was cut through deposits dating to the 5th/6th cs. (1083, 1085, maybe 1076) and filled by material dating to the 5th/6th cs. (1081), indicating that it, too, should be dated within those centuries. The narrow width and odd orientation of the cut make it unlikely to have been for robbing out a wall; perhaps it was cut for the purpose of robbing out a drain. Whoever did the robbing left a single piece of whatever they were robbing behind, a squared stone block ca. 0.20 x 0.35 m, at the bottom of Cut 1082, and which shares its orientation. If this stone did form part of a drain, there is no indication of how it worked—no mortar, cement, or the like; maybe the robbers were after lead pipes? The line of cut 1082 is picked up north of Wall 918 by the irregular cut at the bottom of context 1050. To the south, there are tiles laid in Wall 945 where Cut 1082 meets it, although otherwise the wall seems to be constructed solely of stone. Perhaps these tiles were laid to replace the putative robbed-out drain. Cut 1082 was filled with debris (marble, schist, plaster, pebble pavement) sometime in or after the 5th/6th cs. (context 1081, no precise date: pottery), probably soon after the robbing of the drain. ; After the filling of cut 1082, just to its east and partially overlaying it, and above 1085, the destruction-debris fill of 1076 was deposited, not before the 2nd half of the 5th c. (dated by a clear greenish glass tubular goblet foot). This fill must also have lain against the wall/pavement of 1009, but maybe not for long, as the latest material in the fill of 1009 also dated to the late 5th c. The robbing activity represented by 1009 could have happened at any time until the early 7th c. deposition of 1003 above it, however. ; The relationship between the robbing trenches of 1009 and 995 makes for a vexing question. It seems likely that 995 was used to rob out the upper courses of the eastward extension of Wall 945, although this cannot yet be answered definitively. Wall 945 should predate all contexts known thus far. The contents of 994, the fill of trench 995, suggest that the latter was cut in the late 7th or early 8th c. However, this trench apparently bisects the N-S line of the robbing trench of 1009: the southward continuation of 1009 seems to be visible in the south scarp of 995; 1009 seemingly dates sometime between the construction of wall 945 and its robbing out by 995. Perhaps two walls intersected, and the robbers of the N-S 1009 left the E-W 945 alone? It is to be hoped that future excavation south of Cut 995 will clarify this vexing nexus. ; In the South Area, the latest datable material in the dump fills of 996 and 998 date to the mid 6th c., but they could well have been redeposited as part of later leveling activity.; ; Late Roman, 6th /7th c. CE;     The late 6th to early 7th centuries CE witnessed much human activity in the way of movement of fill and construction of floors. The upper courses of Walls 918 and 945, which now survive only as foundations or robbing trenches, were probably still standing and in use during this period. Not much can be said about this period in the South Area, however, without further excavation.;     In the Central Area, fills 1067 and 1062 were deposited as leveling fills during the late 6th century (dated by pottery and stratigraphy, respectively), on which the floor surface of 1036/1038 was laid shortly thereafter, traced for an area of ca. 1.5 x 3 m. Still within the ambit of the late 6th century (dated stratigraphically), Pit 1032 was cut through the surface of 1036/1038 and then filled in with old rubbish (deposit 1029), including marble, plaster, part of an andesite millstone, glass, and earlier ceramics. Soon after the pit was filled, Floor 961/1022 was laid over it in an area roughly 3 x 3 m square, extending further east than the traced limits of 1036/1038. The builders of Floor 961/1022 were presumably also responsible for constructing Hearth 960/1021/1025, at the southern extent of the floor, against the still-standing upper courses of Wall 945. They used the end of a single large tile, W. 0.46 m, Th. 0.03 m, broken into six fragments, to line the edge of their hearth; these tiles showed evidence of burning on their inner faces. At least one olive and one grape pit were charred in this hearth, and an Archaic or Classical miniature terracotta quadruped was deposited here as well, though it is archaeologically impossible to say whether this was intentional; the figurine was probably already broken when deposited. Unfortunately, the people who used Floor 961/1022 were careful with their money; only a single illegible minimus (coin 2013-46) ended up in this context. ;     The years after 600 CE were a time of destruction. The roof that sheltered Floor 961/1022 collapsed, possibly due to fire, resulting in deposit 1003. This is dated to the first half of the 7th century by pottery, which included stewpots, Palestinian, Gaza, and Late Roman Amphorae 1 and 2.The entire context has been saved as Lot 2013-001. This context is the eastward extension of deposit 929 excavated in 2012, but ceased along an arbitrary N-S line; 929 was saved as Lot 2012-47. Other things in the deposit included vessel and window glass and iron nails, but only a single piece of marble revetment, in stark contrast to the dump fills in the area that include dozens of marble fragments. ; ; Late Roman, 7th / 8th c. CE;     After the building comprising the Central Area lost its roof, it also lost its north and south walls. The robbing trench 1027 was cut to remove the upper courses of Wall 918, and then filled in (deposit 1015; dated stratigraphically to the early 7th c. or later). Who could have done such a thing? Two or possibly three Vandal coins were found in the fill (coins 2013-42, 43, 44), but admittedly they would have had to be rather late Vandals. To the south, the eastward extension of Wall 945 was robbed out resulting in Cut 995; the cut was topped up with fill (context 994) of the late 7th / early 8th c. (dated by pottery).  Deposit 994 included earlier material, like so many deposits, but some terracotta sima fragments and a sherd of stamped Samian ware (C-2013-9) were unusual. ; It will be crucial for future excavation to investigate the narrow dark deposit exposed by context 1050 along the N edge of Wall 918/1033, to see whether this is a foundation trench for that wall, a robbing trench for that wall, or something else entirely. Unfortunately, the brief pedestaling of Wall 992 and Cut 1027 have made an already complex area almost impossible to make sense of, in particular the precise stratigraphic relationship between the North Area and the Central Area.; No material from the construction of Wall 992, or from contexts excavated directly beneath it, need postdate the 5th c.; however, the narrow strip of sediment excavated as Deposit 1035 should be the same fill as that excavated immediately to the N as 990 and to the S as 991; 991 should date to the late 6th / early 7th c. (pottery), hence, Wall 992 should date to this time or later.; It is in the late 7th /early 8th century that we can begin to say something about the South Area, but it is not a very interesting something. A large amount of fill was dumped (contexts 978, 970, 979, 976) in the area south of the line of Wall 945, none of it containing material datable later than the 5th c. CE, but stratigraphically later than the late 7th/early 8th c. fill of 995. Some interesting earlier material was included in these fills, such as the Roman votive terracotta theater mask (MF-2013-1), part of a terracotta lion’s head spout, and antefix fragment, all from 978. A fragment of the ubiquitous pebble pavement is visible in the soil exposed by 978. At some point during the exposed life of 978, someone burned something on it and left behind the ash (deposit 979) as well as an illegible coin (2013-4).; ; Byzantine, 8th – 12th c.;     Still in the South Area, deposits 964, 965, 968, and 973 were laid down in the Early Byzantine period, as attested by the limited presence of Early Byzantine pottery. These appear to have been fills, although it is possible they served as surfaces. In the Middle Byzantine period, Wall 807 was built on the foundations of the robbed out Wall 945, as attested by the fill of the foundation trench 1008 (dated by pottery to Middle Byzantine). In the Late Byzantine period, during the early 12th c., some wall robbing was carried out in the area of Wall 918, as attested by context 1014. This may have been connected with the construction of Wall 540 on a N-S line across the area, also dated to the early 12th c. stratigraphically. ; ; Modern;     In the late 19th c., a pit was dug for an orange tree (context 791, dug in 2012); this cut through the western end of the contexts excavated this session in the North Area. In the 1960s, Henry S. Robinson conducted excavations in the Nezi field; these excavations cut through the northern extent of the contexts excavated this session (2013-I) in the North Area, making necessary some cleaning of the area (cleaning context 1042). ; Suggestions for Future Excavations; There are two possible future alternatives. The first would be to bring the Southern area down to the 5th-6th century levels already exposed in the Central area. Alternatively, and more immediately promising would be to excavate the Central area to the levels exposed to the West, such as context 1080. A potential destruction layer was exposed in the NW corner of context 1084, which may prove to be as fruitful as Context 1080. Moreover, open questions remaining that could be cleared by future excavations include: the potential relationship between Cut 1082 and irregular NS scarp exposed by Context 1085; the relationship of the cut exposed by context 1009 with its southward continuation South of cut 995; the relationship of Walls 1007 and 866 with the fills to the west.","2013 Session 1, Team Pink, Final Summary","Report","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2013 by Mohammed Bhatti and Daniel P. Diffendale (2013-05-09 to 2013-05-10)","","","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","Nezi Field 2013 by Mohammed Bhatti and Daniel P. Diffendale (2013-05-09 to 2013-05-10)","",""