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"","Corinth","","","Report","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2013 by Kyle Jazwa Hilary Lehmann (2013-04-29 to 2013-05-17)","Sesssion 2, Nezi Field, Final Report","Nezi Field 2013 by Kyle Jazwa; Hilary Lehmann (2013-04-29 to 2013-05-17)","","","Nezi 2013 Season; Session 2 Final Report; Kyle Jazwa; Hilary Lehmann; N 1011.50-1017.49; E 259.60-269.70; 23 May 2013; ; This is the final report for the second session of excavation at Nezi, 2013. Guy Sanders (director) and Rossana Valente (field director) supervised. The excavation team of this session consisted of Kyle Jazwa and Hilary Lehmann (recorders), Panos Kakouros and Tasos Tsogas (pickmen), and Vassilis Kollias (shovelman). Our excavation area encompassed the area between walls 1007, 918, 945 and pit 870 in the first half of the session (hereafter referred to as “South Section”). During the third week, our efforts focused on the quadrant north of 918 and west of W5218 (bounded by the Turkish building) (hereafter referred to as “Northwestern Quadrant”). Our excavation goals are to elucidate the stratigraphy of these areas and the function of the architectural features. With this, we hoped to find uncontaminated habitation levels that would help us to determine the chronology of human interaction in this area.  ; ; Previous excavation in this area was undertaken predominantly by Session 1, Mohammed Bhatti and Dan Diffendale, and some contexts by Session 1, Jana Mokrisova and Katherine Harrington. During Session 1, a series of surfaces, cut and fills were uncovered that can be dated from the Late Roman (4th-6th c. CE) to the Byzantine period (8th-12th c. CE). The state of the trench at the beginning of Session 2 included a possible cut (filled by context 1009) in the SE, the partial exposure of the top surface of walls 1007 and 866, and pit 870. The eastern half of the trench was relatively level though not homogenous. The western half retained the mortar foundation of a hearth 1065, a lower level under 1078, an ashy surface under 1083 and a slightly raised area under 1084. In the Northwestern Quadrant, there was heavy disturbance by 1960s and 1970s excavation, the results and details of which are not preserved. Session one fully revealed the tile drain 1026 and a series of partial surfaces and uneven contexts under 1050, 1060, and 1061.; ; Because of the nature of the depositional material and the heavy pitting and dumping, we were unable to identify discrete chronological phases in this section. Significantly, there was not a single continuous or uncontaminated surface. Instead, our excavation revealed a series of dump fills of destruction and non-destruction debris and several pits and robbing trenches. Due to the notable absence of distinct chronological phases, we will present our material in relative chronological order. The South Section and the Northwestern Quadrant are separated by architectural feature W918 and we, therefore, cannot to discern the precise relationship between the contexts in each area. For this reason, we will present each material separately. Furthermore, excavation of the South Section was begun with a clear distinction in soil and contexts between the east and western side. Thus, the exact relative chronology between the two sides cannot be determined, despite appearing to be roughly contemporary (Late Roman). As a result, we will present each “side” with a separate subsection.   ; ; South Section – April 29-May 10 (259.80; 269.70 E | 1011.50; 1014.30 N); ; East Side; The earliest deposit excavated in the East Side is 1100. Although we originally believed 1101 cut the fill of 1100, excavation of 1101 revealed the deposit associated with context 1100 continuing under 1101. 1100 was a tile-rich and clayey deposit. It contained a dense mix of pottery, fragments of painted plaster, early roman lamps, pebble pavement and some bronze and iron. The mixed content of the deposit suggests 1100 was a dump fill. 1101 was dumped in the western portion of the fill. This context is relatively better sorted than 1100. It has fewer cobbles and tiles and is more compact and light than 1101. Despite the ostensibly different quality of soil, the ceramics found within the context point to a similar approximate 1st c. CE date as 1101. In spite of this low ceramic date (we must stress that neither context provides a precise date), these two contexts must date to the fifth c CE date because they partially overly C1106-1108 – three layers firmly dated to the Late Roman period. The appearance of Early Bronze burnished pottery and other earlier sherds, suggest a thorough mixing of the deposit.; ; Immediately superimposed over 1100 and 1101 was a dump fill, context 1099. This fill was a dark reddish brown color and very loose. It contained a moderate amount of pebbles, small cobbles and other finds. The finds are very mixed and include assorted painted plasters, iron nails, glass fragments, a lamp and a fragment of a terracotta animal figurine (as MF 10733). Further suggestive of a mixed debris deposit, the pottery was very mixed (Neolithic? bowl, Geometric skyphos) and contained little to no joins. ; ; There were three cuts into the deposit of 1099. C1098 initially appeared to be the foundation trench for wall 1007. Upon completion of the excavation of the fill of this cut (1097), it became apparent that the wall continued beneath the soil. 1097 was a dark and clayey soil with a few fragments of wall plaster, a terracotta draped female figurine, pebbles and tiles. The pottery consists of a varied collection of Roman and pre-Roman sherds; there is nothing of significance to provide a fixed date of the context, but stratigraphically it can be dated to the fifth c CE. C1096 and C1094 were two roughly rectangular cuts appx. 15 cm deep in the N portion of 1099. Too little pottery was recovered to provide any information relevant to the dating of the cuts. In the fill of 1094 (1093) was a large piece of wall plaster and a terracotta figurine with a high hair-bun (similar to MF 9001?). The fill of 1096 (1095) contained only two pre-Roman sherds. 1096 was roughly round in shape and was similar to a secondary depression in the SW corner of 1094 (and approximately level with each other). It was originally hypothesized that these were possible post holes. However, the shallow depth of the cut (ca. 15 cm) mitigates against this.; ; Immediately overlying context 1099 is deposit 1092, a relatively homogenous deposit of firm yellowish brown soil. In it were found plenty of plaster, ceramics, bones, carbonized wood, several iron nail fragments, worked obsidian and flint, and a figurine with a right hand preserved. Above 1092 were two distinct dump fills, 1091 and 1090. 1091 was a dense and dark tile and cobble filled area with sigillata and arretine pottery. Accompanying the pottery are nine pieces of iron, two pieces of glass slag, a fragment of a terracotta figurine of a child cradled in a disembodied arm (similar to MF-4106) and a black glaze lamp. 1090 was lighter and looser than 1091 and appears to have been deposited after 1090. Despite the soil difference relative to 1091, the inclusions within the fill are relatively similar. This includes several pieces of iron, glass, pebble flooring, wall plaster and a dark reddish-glazed lamp with raised cross-and-dot circle pattern (similar to Broneer XIX) (L2013-3). The pottery contains a Late Roman combed ware amphora with a wavy comb pattern.  This provides a terminus post quem for the deposit. Because neither deposit 1090 or 1091 can be precisely dated, they must be dated stratigraphically. Overlying 1092, they must post-date the Late Roman period - fifth c CE.; ; Immediately to the W of wall 1007, a hard rectangular surface was excavated. This context, 1088, contained a compact yellowish brown fill. Initially, we thought this context might be a pit, but it turned out to be a relatively shallow dump fill over 1092. There was relatively little pottery recovered.; ; In addition to the excavation area outlined in the first paragraph, a small context on top of the south portion of 1007 and between walls 1007 and 866 was excavated, 1089. This was done to reveal the southern extent of 1007. This fill appears to be mixed with some iron and plaster. The pottery was non-distinct and unable to provide a firm date. Of note, however, was the base of an Attic-type black gloss skyphos inscribed on the foot (C2013-10) and a lead “star” with a hole in the center. Through the excavation of this area, we could determine that W1007 was robbed in the south. This robbing was replaced by an E-W wall of small cobbles (W845), faced by slightly larger stones.; ; West Side; The earliest deposit excavated on the western part of our area (1111) was a dump fill consisting of dark, sandy soil filled with substantial pieces of tile and plaster, as well as other assorted debris such as charcoal, glass, iron, and part of a terra cotta figurine. At about the same time as this deposit, a smaller dump fill, deposit 1112, was deposited slightly to the west, which contained far fewer inclusions and consisted of a siltier soil than that of 1111. Beneath these two deposits, the entire area bounded by Pit 870 and Walls 945, 918, and 1007 was covered with a dense layer of dark-yellowish clayey soil which was, however, too irregular to be classified as a surface.; Into this layer was cut a pit, C1110, which contained deposit 1109. The pit was bounded to the south by Wall 945 and had a sheer vertical face to the East with more sloping faces to the north and west. Its dimensions were 1.7 x 1.4 x .86 m. and its depth was 0.65 m. The bottom of the pit sloped downwards to the south with a 0.20 m. difference between its highest and lowest points. Before this pit was filled, about 6-8 courses of Wall 945 were revealed: although this was not visible before the pit was originally cut, the wall is built up of alternating levels of roughly ashlar stones and tile leveling courses. The construction of the pit also revealed the NE corner of Wall 945—its finished face suggests that the wall may continue to the South. The SW wall of the pit cut through a surface of packed clayey soil, about 0.54 m. from the surface. Perhaps this surface represents a habitation level.; ; The fill of this pit consisted of dark red soil with a high percentage of tile, brick, and mortar inclusions, probably refuse from the destruction of a nearby architectural feature. Providing a terminus post quem for the fill is a coin of Constantius (337-361 c CE; 2013-168) and the pottery which yielded many interesting example of Late Roman (mid fifth c. CE) ceramics, including an LR C bowl, a type 77 Niederbieber, a bowl as Hesperia 2005 1-32 and a LR bowl as Hesperia 2005 242. The highest proportion of plaster inclusions was located in the deeper parts of the pit. The east face of the pit showed that this area was repeatedly spread with debris containing tile, pebbles, and other such inclusions. And this behavior continued: the interaction of people with this environment during the periods we are focusing on seem to have primarily consisted of depositing fill after fill of debris into this area. ; ; At some time after pit 1110 was filled, a series of discrete but related deposits were laid on top of it: these are deposits 1106, 1107, and 1108. The earliest of these is 1108, which is a small, shallow deposit just north of Wall 945 and west of deposit 1101. The chronological relationship between deposits 1108 and 1101 is unclear. Deposit 1108 consisted of dark, silty earth; although it had somewhat fewer ceramic and tile inclusions than other deposits at the same elevation, it did contain a great number of fragments of marble revetment in purple and white. Perhaps contemporary with deposit 1108, although the relative chronology is not understood exactly, is deposit 1107, a slightly larger context 0.5 meters to the west of 1108. The soil of this deposit is the same as that of 1108, but the types of items included in this fill are quite different. Notably, this deposit included several pieces of glass, including one waster which suggests that glass may have been manufactured nearby. A terracotta sima, decorated with a spiral pattern and painted red, was deposited with this context, as well as one coin possibly of Valentinian (337-361 CE; 2013-166).; ; After the deposition of 1107 and 1108, a darker, a debris layer was placed between and partially above them—this is deposit 1106. In this context was deposited a large amount of pottery, some nails, plaster, and glass, and, again, several pieces of marble revetment. One interesting item placed in this context is a fragment of a terracotta figurine of a person holding a baby (MF2013-11). A coin of Constantius II (346-350 CE) was also placed in this deposit (2013-165). ; ; To the west of deposits 1106-1108 and probably contemporaneous with them is a large deposit of debris, 1105. This deposit was bounded by pit 870 to the west (its chronological relationship to the pit is unknown) and by Walls 918 and 945 to the north and south. The soil in this area is much redder than that found in deposits 1106-1108 and resembles more closely the soil of deposit 1109, the fill of pit 1110. Deposit 1105 is very large and rich: there was a large number of ceramic and tile inclusions and a great quantity of glass fragments placed in this context. The pottery can be dated roughly to the fifth c. CE based on several fragments of Late Roman type 1 and 2 amphoras, As in the neighboring deposits, there is a good deal of painted wall plaster and marble revetment in this context, as well as a large (0.515 x 0.29 x 0.11 m) piece of pebble pavement. Also placed in this deposit were two loom weights, several iron nails, and 6 coins (2013-157, 159-164) all with a late fourth c CE date. These coins include a coin of Valentinian (388-392 CE; 2013-164) and a Constantius with Victory (337-361 CE; 2013-157). A good amount of plant matter was deposited in this context, including burned seeds and wood. The deposit overall is characterized by its ashiness in addition to the redness of its soil, which may be composed of disintegrated mudbrick.; ; Beneath 1106-1108 and to the east of 1105 is context 1103, which is made up of loose, yellowish, silty soil and debris similar to that found in 1105. A large quantity of pottery was placed in this layer, including a corrugated basin that joins a fragment in 1107, an Agora M234 amphora, an eastern Aegean cookpot as Hesperia 2005, 2-34.  In addition, there were several pieces of marble revetment and pebble pavement, a fair amount of glass, a loom weight, painted plaster, and iron nails. Also present in this deposit were three large pieces of plaster flooring and the base of a marble vessel. Only one coin (2013-155) was deposited in this context; interestingly, it was placed at the far western edge of the area, directly contiguous to the outline of deposit 1105. This coin has a head of an emperor on the obverse and with the legend VOTMULT on the reverse, a typical late fourth c CE design. Despite the similarities between 1103 and 1105, however, they should be considered as discrete because the ash that is found throughout 1105 is not present in 1103. The context, however, should be considered another dump fill similar to 1106-1108, due to the join with 1107 and the variegated mix of architectural elements.; ; On top of context 1105 and to the north was placed deposit 1104, a small and extremely ashy layer. ; Very few ceramics or other small items were included in this deposit, although one coin was placed among the debris (2013-156). However, a significant amount of charred plant matter is present in the context. Although both 1105 and 1104 contained a high percentage of ash, the evidence shows that neither was itself a destruction layer. To the south of 1104, a yellowish, silty deposit was placed on top of 1105. This deposit, 1102, contained some mid-fifth CE pottery, several pieces of glass, iron nails, a coin of emperor Arcadius ca. 383-392 CE (2013-151) and some wall plaster. On top of 1102, hearth 1065 was built, a structure associated with the surface 1093.; ; The final report of the 2013 session 1 Pink Team suggested that beneath 1083 and the adjacent dump fill 1084 a real destruction layer might be found. However, despite the presence of a great deal of ash in deposits 1104 and 1105, this destruction layer has not yet been identified. ; ; Northwest Quadrant – May 13-17 (259.60; 268.00 E | 1014.80; 1017.50 N); ; This area was brought to a roughly even level by Session 1 excavations, with a few raised contexts in the eastern portion. The northern portion of this area was heavily pitted and disturbed by the 1960/1970s excavation. In the west, a ca. 0.5 m wide extension protruded north on which a tile drain was built (1026; the cut for the drain is 1119, and it is filled with 1118). The leveling fill under this trench contained early Roman pottery of the 3rd-4th c CE date, thus providing a terminus post quem. Of note is the extremely dense concentration of painted wall plaster found herein. The debris from the destruction of a wall (or several) was clearly used for the fill of this leveling area. This extension still remains and is not fully excavated. Immediately to the west is a much later robbing trench.; ; The earliest deposit in this section is wall 1123. This wall was discovered at the bottom of robbing trench C1122. This wall is comprised of squared limestone blocks in ashlar masonry and appears to proceed under wall 918. A few blocks of this wall are found in pit 870: it appears that the corner of the wall is revealed, turning east. Directly under wall 918, a second course is preserved. We did not full excavate this wall or its foundation trench, so it is impossible to provide a firm date for this wall as of yet.  ; ; Wall 918 was constructed sometime thereafter (likely much later, in the Roman period). The foundation of the wall was revealed in the robbing trenches of C1122 and C1127 and is comprised of a heavy tile and ceramic inclusions. Wall 1123 was likely still above the surface at the time of the construction of wall 918. We know this because the walls of C1117 slope upwards to wall 918 and to the hypothetical face of wall 1123 and the hypothetical wall that was robbed in C1127. The robbing trench is equal in dimension and orientated the same way as C1122. Sometime thereafter, C1117 was filled with contexts 1115-1116 (1116 was a martyr left to make sure 1115 would not be contaminated from the accumulation in the 1960/1970s excavation pit immediately to the north).  1115 is a compact, clayey layer rife with pottery, metal fragments, several shards of glass, wall plaster and three coins. Although two of the three coins are illegible (2013-173; 2013-174), 2013-175 was a particularly well preserved silver coin of Mark Antony (ca. 32-31 BC). The coin has a galley steered by Victory on the obverse and three legionary standards (including the Aquila) with LEG II indicated on the reverse. The pottery in the fill suggests a 4th c CE date with several sherds of African Red Slip pottery and a Niederbieber. Two distinct strata were then superimposed on top of this: 1114 and 1113. Although there is a discernible soil change between these three layers, the nature of the finds is consistent between them.; ; The eastern portion of the quadrant is also covered by 1160/1161, but its deposition history cannot be defined in relation to the western portion with precision because C1127 separates it from the tile drain and C1117. However, the eastern portion under 1160/1161 (context 1129) is cut by C1127. Thus, we can say that the deposition of these layers pre-dates the cut and robbing of the hypothetical ashlar wall in C1127. ; ; 1135 represents the earliest level in the eastern portion of the northwest quadrant. It is a surface that was partially exposed and partially uncovered by the excavation of 1129-1134. Overlying 1135, 1133 and 1134 are possible pieces of earthen floor with flattened pottery (1133 has a broken amphora on surface) and some small pebbles. Although the deposit contains pottery suggestive of an early Roman 1-2nd c CE date, the contexts were so small that no precise date can be assigned to these floors. Similarly, 1132 was a raised triangular fill with a small assortment of Roman sherds overlaying the western portion of 1135. Because 1132 was such a small context, no diagnostic finds were able to help provide a date for the layer. A narrow trench along wall W5218 (similar and shape in form to C1098) cuts both 1132 and 1135 (and thus necessarily postdates both deposits). The fill of this (1130), is dated to Middle-Late Roman based on the pottery, including a Late Roman bowl (after Hesperia 2005, 243) and a late fourth c CE coin of Constantius (2013-182). 1133 and 134 were overlain by 1129, a dump fill of an imprecisely-dated Late Roman period. The layer contains fragments of marble revetment, a late second c. CE coin of Commodus (2013-181) and a fragment of a marble column.  ; ; Under 1060/1061, but necessarily postdating 1129 and 1113, are the cuts 1122 and 1127.  Although the relationship between the cuts cannot be precisely ascertained, it is likely that they were robbing trenches of two parallel ashlar walls. As stated explained above, these cuts postdate C1117. Because the foundation trench for W918 was not found within the cuts and because C1117’s wall of soil slopes up the face of W918 (and C1117 predates C1122 and C1127), wall 918 must necessarily have been in place at the time of the robbing of the two ashlar walls. The fill of these trenches appear to be of the mid-fifth c CE date. 1121 (fill of C1122) has one 11th c. CE sherd, but this is likely a contamination from the 1960/1970s excavations. Additional 5th c. CE pottery includes a Late Roman bowl, stewpot and a Niederbieber. The inclusions of the fill are rather heterogeneous and include a loomweight with a GLYK stamp (cf. Corinth XII no. 1153), a late 6th c. BCE loomweight (profile IV), much marble revetment, bronze, and an early coin. 1123-1125 were the fills of 1127 and is similarly heterogenous. It is filled mostly with pottery (mid fifth c CE), tile, and architectural revetments.; ; Conclusions and Future Study; ; Our excavations this session failed to produce any discernible or continuous floors or architectural features. Instead, we excavated a series of Late Roman dump fills and pits. Because of this, there is a distinct lack of evidence for definite habitation phases in the area. With the rampant pitting and looting of the area, however, we were able to catch a glimpse at the underlying layers via the profile of C1127 and pits 1110 and 870. Within both, we could see no distinct floor levels. For at least a meter in each instance, the deposition appears to be dump fill after dump fill. The only possible exception can be found in the pits south of W918 (C870 and C1110). In both pits, we were able to distinguish flat lying pebble flooring set in concrete. At some point, it was suggested that this might indicate a possible floor level that seals off pre-Roman material in the area. We took the elevation of both floor fragments, however, and there was a 14 cm discrepancy between the two pieces of flooring. Either there was a strong slope to the floor or the appearance of the two pieces of pebble flooring is merely coincidence.; ; Because of the dearth of clear floor levels or other habitation surfaces in the area, it might be wise to continue future excavations in the area to the east of wall 1007. Perhaps with luck, this area may yield distinct phasings or surfaces. In our immediate excavation area, however, one could test the possibility of the pebble floor ca. 0.5 m under the current excavation level. If such a surface does exist, it would provide a very useful starting point with which to examine early Roman and Hellenistic habitation in this area with it effectively sealing off these earlier layers from much of the later contamination and fills.","",""
"","Corinth","","","Report","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Forum | South Stoa","Corinth:Report:South Stoa 2016 by Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr (2016-05-04 to 2016-05-20)","Final Report: Excavations of South Stoa, Shop 1 Rear, Session 2 2016","South Stoa 2016 by Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr (2016-05-04 to 2016-05-20)","","","Final Report: Excavations of South Stoa, Shop 1 Rear, Session 2 2016; ; Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr; ; DATES OF EXCAVATION: May 4-20 2016; ; COORDINATES: N: N 1090.40; E: E 353.95; S: N 1084.70; W: E 349.60; ; INTRODUCTION; ; This is the final report for the excavation of Shop 1 Rear in Session II of the 2016 season.  Shop 1 Rear is the rear room of Shop 1 in the South Stoa.  It is bounded by four walls built of large, well-worked ashlar blocks: 457 to the east (N: N 1106.51, E: E 356.40, S: N 1086.50, W: E 348.67), 458 to the south (Greek phase; N: N 1086.38, E: E 355.83, S: N 1084.15, W: E 351.81), 459 to the west (N: N 1095.75, E: E 351.30, S: N 1086.60, W: E 347.25), and 461 to the north (N: N 1092.75, E: E 35364, S: N 1090.63, W: E 349.19).  The coordinates of the interior space of the room are: NE corner, E 353.85, N 1092.30; NW corner, E 349.60, N 1090.80; SW corner, E 351.80, N 1084.70; SE corner, E 355.90, N 1086.50.  Our excavation was limited to the portion of this area south of the section line (running from E 350.2, N 1090.4 to E 353.95, N 1088.05) laid at the beginning of Session II; the area north of the line has been saved for microstratigraphic analysis by Panagiotis Karkanas.  Excavation began on May 4th and continued until May 20th.  Guy Sanders (director), James Herbst (architect), and Danielle Smotherman (field director) supervised.  Our team consisted of Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr (area supervisors), Panos Kakouros (pickman), Marios Vathis (pickman and sieve), and Panagiotis Rontzokos (shovelman, barrowman, sieve).  Photogrammetry has been carried out for every context of the excavation.; ; Shop 1 Rear was first excavated by Oscar Broneer in the 1930s and 1940s, mainly in March 1934 (Corinth NB 139).  During Session I Jiang and Judson removed most of his backfill, and thus everything excavated in Session II seemed undisturbed by his activities.  Broneer's sounding beside the west wall (Wall 459), excavated as Cut 301/Context 298 in Session I, cut through the center of the foundation trench on the east side of Wall 459.  The Neolithic and Early Helladic sherds Broneer found in the fill of the trench were most likely redeposited by the stoa builders from some of the purely prehistoric deposits excavated in Session II.  The fill of the foundation trench to the north and south of Broneer's sounding (excavated in Session II as Cut 507/Contexts 511, 544; Cut 506/Contexts 505, 510, 512) appeared undisturbed by Broneer, since it yielded only ancient material and was overlaid by ancient contexts.  Broneer’s trench along the east and south walls (Cut 509) was probably an excavation of those foundation trenches. ; ; Shop 1 Rear was next excavated by An Jiang and Catharine Judson in Session I of the 2016 season (April 5th-21st).  After removing Broneer’s backfill, they excavated several layers of Roman and Hellenistic fill.  A compact, partially preserved deposit (Context 449) with two cuts for pithoi (Cuts 382, 389) was the only possible surface identified in Session I.  Because of its 4th cent. BC pottery date, Jiang and Judson proposed that this surface had been in use before the construction of the stoa and was repurposed for Shop 1 Rear.  The last context excavated in Session I, a large rectilinear cut (Cut 497/Context 478), was closed artificially at the end of the session and reopened in Session II.; The goals of this session are to find evidence for the date of the construction of the stoa, to investigate activities in the area during and before the use of the stoa, and to prepare the stoa for consolidation, conservation, and presentation to the public.; ; PREHISTORIC; ; Prehistoric activity in the area of Shop 1 Rear may be divided into five phases, all occurring during the Early Helladic II period.  This date is firmly established, with twenty-two of the prehistoric contexts dated to that period by their own pottery.  The remaining eight are dated broadly to the Early Helladic period by their pottery, but seven of these may be narrowed to EH II by their stratigraphic relationships.  Only our last context from this session (Context 551) lacks a precise date within EH.  A larger, unexcavated portion of what appears to be the same surface as Context 551, separated from it by a large bothros (Cut 548/Context 547) and extending to the bedrock in the southeast corner of the section, may yield material with a more specific date when it is excavated in Session III.  ; ; In the first phase of prehistoric activity, the EH inhabitants of Corinth leveled off and trampled down a sandy exterior surface (Context 551, preserved in a 1.00 x 0.50 m area).  Although its full extent is unknown—it is truncated by the foundation trench of Shop 1 Rear to the west and continues under our section line to the east—it appears to be bounded by bedrock to the northwest and southeast.  In the northwest, it lay over a small portion of downward sloping bedrock, as well as some rocky fill.  In the southeast (to be excavated in Session III), it runs up to the edge of what appears to be a deep, anthropogenic cut in the bedrock.  It is clear from the scarp of Broneer’s sounding (Cut 301) that the bedrock, though visible at the level of this surface to its northwest and southeast, drops dramatically in the area below this surface, creating a deep gully that appears to be have been filled deliberately.  For this reason, we believe that this hard, compacted surface may be the result of the EH II inhabitants of Corinth filling this gully and then packing down the fill.  The small amount of pottery in this surface suggests that it was not used or exposed for very long before being covered by later fill.; ; In the second phase, a broad, shallow bothros was cut into this surface and filled with waste (Cut 548/Context 547).  Some of the waste appeared to derive from the collapse of a building nearby: pieces of chopped up bedrock, some stone tools, pieces of lime (perhaps plaster or flooring), several cobbles with faces, and many pieces of mudbrick, one of which had a face.  The bothros also contained 120 pieces of bone, many of which were preserved in rather large pieces, and a great deal of pottery: 458 sherds at 4.64kg.  Among the pottery were an EH II firedog stand knob (C-2016-20) and a Late Neolithic ritual vessel handle (C-2016-19).  The majority of the pottery was EH II and so, along with the bone, might have been the accumulated trash of nearby inhabitants.  The Late Neolithic sherds and chert blade (MF-2016-39) in this deposit may already have been in the soil excavated to create the pit, so that they were redeposited as backfill in the pit.; ; This bothros may be associated with another EH II bothros excavated in Session I beneath Shop 2 Rear (Cut 430/Context 429). Both bothroi were cut into surfaces at relatively similar elevations: the sandy surface (Context 551) in Shop 1 Rear at 80.68-80.49 and the clayey surface (Context 442) in Shop 2 Rear at 80.70-80.59.  Like the bothros beneath Shop 1 Rear, the bothros beneath Shop 2 Rear contained large pieces of bone in smaller quantities, a comparable amount of pottery (368 sherds at 6.15kg), and material possibly from a collapsed building: many cobbles, some stone tools, and two EH rooftiles.  The similarity of these bothroi suggests that they were dug and filled at around the same time.  This in turn suggests that their respective surfaces may be two parts of the same large surface, separated from one another by the digging of the foundation trench for Wall 459.  The difference in soil between the two surfaces is attributable to the mixed nature of the packed down fill of which they are composed.; ; The third phase of EH II activity in Shop 1 Rear is represented by the construction, use, and maintenance of an exterior surface over a considerable period of time.  The surface was initially constructed by laying down rocky fills (Contexts 539-546) over the sandy surface discussed above (Context 551) and covering this fill with a lens of clayey silt, which was packed down, over the fill (Context 538, preserved in a 3.85 x 0.75 m area).  This surface was then used for some time, as demonstrated by the significant amount of pottery that had been trampled into it.  Eventually another layer of rocky fill (Context 537) was laid down on top of the first lens, with another compacted clayey lens created on top of it (Context 536 preserved in a 2.60 x 0.35 m area).  After another period of use, a second remodeling, with a third layer of fill (Contexts 532, 534, and 535) and a third clayey lens, appears to have occurred.  The second remodeling is less clear than the first, however, because the center of the third surface appeared to have been eroded away, leaving only two patches of it in the north (Context 533, preserved in a 1.20 x 0.55 m area) and south (Context 531, preserved in a 1.85 x 0.30 m area).  Perhaps the surface went out of use for some time and slowly wore away, or perhaps it was destroyed in a single event such as a winter torrent.  Either way, the eroded portion of the third lens seems then to have been repaired by three layers of fill (Contexts 527, 528, and 530) laid against the eroded edges of this lens.  These repairs were not overlaid by any lens of the surface.  In their full extent the next four lenses (Contexts 517 [1.50 x 0.40 m], 520 [1.20 x 0.65 m], 521 [1.70 x 0.20 m], 529 [1.50 x 0.30 m]) most likely overlay the repairs to the third lens, but these higher lenses were so eroded that they bore no stratigraphic relationship to the repairs  They survived only in a small portion in the south of our area, truncated by the classical cellar to the south (Cut 497), eroded away to the north and west, and running under our section to the east.  They formed directly over the third lens with no fill between them, and therefore appear to have accumulated unintentionally through use of the surface. ; ; We argue that all these lenses and fills represent the construction, remodeling, use, and repair of a metaled road.  Our pickman, Panos Kakouros, who has excavated other roads at Corinth, was the first to suggest this interpretation and has maintained it throughout our excavation.  The character of the surface is consistent with this interpretation.  First, it was very hard and compact, in parts composed of thin, overlying lenses.  Second, it appeared to have been eroded away and repaired several times.  Third, it had cultural material from disparate periods (from MN to EHII), sometimes in equal proportions, trampled into it.  One would expect a much narrower chronological range for the artifacts in other kinds of exterior surfaces, such as working areas, whereas a road could have accumulated material from a wide range of periods through water action.  Finally, the fills below the lenses, especially those below the first lens, contained many stones, generally increasing in size toward the bottom.  The fill below another EH II road at Lerna is similar in composition (M. H. Wiencke 2000. The Architecture, Stratification, and Pottery of Lerna III. Vol. IV. Princeton: 287).  ; ; The orientation of this road is difficult to determine since only a relatively small part of it is both preserved and visible.  If we look to the area below Shop 2 Rear for the continuation of this road, we do find another surface below Shop 2 Rear (Context 388, preserved in a 3.2m x 2.45m area) that lay at nearly the same level as the fourth lens of the road (Context 529)(81.00-80.81 and 80.98-80.83 respectively), but the surface below Shop 2 Rear does not have a series of lenses above or below it as we found in Shop 1 Rear.  It is possible the upper lenses were destroyed during the construction of the South Stoa, since Context 388 is almost exclusively overlaid by Hellenistic fills, but this fails to explain why the first through third lenses of the road under Shop 1 Rear do not appear to continue into the area beneath Shop 2 Rear.  Perhaps the road was  oriented N-S, so that it continues not under Shop 2 Rear, but under Shop 1 Front.  Context 388 under Shop 2 Rear, then, might have been a work area (as it was originally interpreted) beside or at the end of the road.         ; ; After the road finally fell out of use, it appears to have suffered significant erosion, creating a wide, shallow depression running roughly NE-SW across our area.  This depression was then filled in the fourth phase of EH II activity with a layer of cobbles (Context 524-526) with a thin layer of earth and pebbles over and between them (Context 523).  These deposits must have been made at the same time, since fragments of the same Early Helladic black-slipped one-handled cup (C-2016-16) were found in both the pebbly soil (Context 523) and the cobbles (Context 525)..  In addition to this vessel, a few Late Neolithic and Early Helladic sherds and a triangular stone burnisher (MF-2016-30 in Context 526), were found among the cobbles.  Based on the flat, apparently worked surfaces of some of the cobbles, and the pieces of mudbrick and chopped up bedrock throughout, we believe these layers represent the ruins of an earlier structure that were redeposited in the depression caused by the erosion of the road.  ; ; These cobbles may have been laid as a pavement, and they do resemble the pavements identified at Eutresis (J. L. Caskey and E. G. Caskey. 1960. “The Earliest Settlements at Eutresis: Supplementary Excavations, 1958.” Hesperia 29: 126-167).   Fragments of a complete vessel and pieces of mudbrick are more likely to be found in dumped rubble than among carefully laid stones, however, and pebbly soil (Context 523) laid over a pavement is difficult to account for.  More likely, the cobbles and the soil were cleaned up from a nearby area and dumped in this convenient natural ditch by the inhabitants of Corinth.; ; If this layer of cobbles did serve some purpose, it had fallen out of use by the fifth and final phase of EH II activity.  More soil (Context 522) was heaped upon the cobbles as well as upon the latest lens of the road (Context 516).  Little more can be said about these fills, since they were partially disturbed by later activity and partially hidden by our section.; ; Our excavation produced a great deal of prehistoric pottery from purely prehistoric contexts.  Almost every deposit contained a mixture of Late Neolithic and Early Helladic wares, with only a few Middle Neolithic sherds.  ; ; The Late Neolithic pottery was predominated by Grey Burnished (469 sherds), Black Burnished (380 sherds), and Matt Painted (277 sherds).  The paint on the Matt-painted sherds was often very well preserved, especially the Late Neolithic Matt-painted fruitstand in Context 527 (C-2016-17) .  The Late Neolithic ritual vessel handle in Context 547 (C-2016-19) is even more unique: although its triangular section is not uncommon, we have so far been unable to find any comparanda for its undulating ridge.; ; The Early Helladic pottery was most often represented by Red-slipped (725 sherds), Cream-slipped (547 sherds, some with fine incision), and Black-Slipped (400 sherds); the next most frequent ware was EH Lightware (31 sherds).  The EH II black-slipped one-handled cup in Contexts 523 and 525 (C-2016-16) and the cooking pot in Contexts 540 and 543 (C-2016-21) were the two almost intact prehistoric vessels found this session.  24 sherds of an Early Cycladic Red-Slipped vessel (yet to be reconstructed or inventoried) found in Contexts 538, 542, 543, and 544 was also of interest.; ; Two Early Helladic terracotta spindle whorls were also found in Context 538 (MF-2016-35 and MF-2016-36), not upon the surface of the road, but within the fill beneath.  Other important small finds from the fill that so far lack dates include two stone tools (MF-2016-33 in Context 532, MF-2016-38 in Context 537) and an obsidian core (MF-2016-37 in Context 537).; ; The good preservation of the finds and pottery from all periods in our trench suggests that they were probably close to their primary contexts, and that they had not been redeposited many times.  Stone tools, textile tools, and pottery show that habitation layers were close by. At the same time, the solid date of all these contexts suggests that EH II was a period of major renovation of this area, apparently involving the cleanup of some nearby collapsed buildings (Context 523-526 and Context 537).  In light of both these factors, as well as the current lack of evidence for EH I contexts, it seems that the area of Shop 1 Rear was abandoned in the Late Neolithic and only revisited in Early Helladic II.  The Early Helladic inhabitants of Corinth would have encountered an area much altered by their Neolithic predecessors: earth filled with Late Neolithic sherds and tools as well as a deep cut in the bedrock.  In filling and leveling off this cut and constructing their road, they would have mixed their own waste with that of their predecessors, creating a “Mixed Fill,” much like the one found in several places at Lerna (M. H. Wiencke 2000. The Architecture, Stratification, and Pottery of Lerna III. Vol. IV. Princeton: 29).; ; Several previous excavations at Corinth uncovered mixed deposits of Early Helladic and Late Neolithic.  According to Phelps 2004, Walker-Kosmopoulos found Late Neolithic in equal proportions with Early Helladic on the north side of Temple Hill in 1920.  In 1931, Hill likewise discovered Late Neolithic with much Early Helladic on the site of the current museum.  Finally, Weinberg in 1938 found Black and Grey Wares mixed with Early Helladic west of the museum.  It would be valuable to revisit these deposits now that the pottery sequences of the Late Neolithic and Early Helladic in the Peloponnese have been better defined.  Perhaps the Early Helladic material in these contexts is also confined to EH II.; ; CLASSICAL?; ; There is very little evidence of human activity between EH II and the construction of the South Stoa, probably because the builders of the South Stoa cleared and leveled the area before construction.; ; Before that, however, the inhabitants of Corinth dug a long, rectilinear pit (Cut 497/Contexts 478 and 513-515) running E-W that widens slightly toward the west (1.00m wide at the east, 1.40m wide at the west).  Its preserved length is 2.70m, but it was truncated to the east by Broneer's excavation trench (509) and to the west by the foundation trench for Wall 459 (Cut 506).  It is quite deep (0.72m), with vertical sides and a roughly leveled bottom.  Its southern side and some of its base were cut into bedrock, while its northern side was cut into the prehistoric surfaces discussed above.  ; ; The form of this cut suggests that it was a Classical cellar.  Two comparable cellars associated with the Classical Buildings I and II in the forum area of Corinth were excavated in 1971 by Charles Williams (Hesperia 41.2: 143-184).  Both cellars are 1-2m wide (Cut 497 is 1.3m wide), cut into bedrock, and not waterproofed (as ours); Cellar B also widens toward one end.  ; ; HELLENISTIC (LATE 4TH TO EARLY 3RD CENT. BC); ; After the cellar had fallen out of use, it was filled in the late 4th/early 3rd cent. BC or later (Contexts Contexts 478, 513-515), before the construction of the west foundation trench and probably during the initial leveling of the area in preparation for the stoa.  The filling of the cellar was most likely part of the construction process, as joining sherds of the same matt-painted vessel (C-2016-14) were found in the cellar fill (Contexts 478, 515) and the foundation trench fill (Context 505).  Next the foundation trenches were dug, the walls were constructed, and the trenches were backfilled.  The builders then deposited several layers of fill (Contexts 456, 503, 508) over the cellar fill and the foundation trench fill in order to level Shop 1 Rear.  Since none of the fills in the foundation trench itself dated later than the 4th cent. BC, they are all dated by their stratigraphic relationship to the cellar fill, which was cut by the foundation trench, to the late 4th/early 3rd cent. BC.; ; One of the leveling fills over the foundation trench (Context 508) was overlaid by a possible surface (Context 449) into which two pithos stands were cut (Cuts 382, 389).  As stated above, Jiang and Judson believed that this surface predated the construction of Shop 1 Rear, and they therefore interpreted the Hellenistic fill of a large cut in this surface (Cut 493/4/Contexts 424 [first half of the 3rd cent. BC], 436, 438) as the leveling of Shop 1 Rear immediately after its construction.  However, the fill (Context 508) over the foundation trench (Context 511) and beneath this surface (Context 449) makes it clear that this surface postdated the construction of Shop 1 Rear.  For this reason, we believe that Context 449 may have been the original floor of the room, or at least another leveling fill for the floor, since the pithos stands were cut into it.  Cut 493/4 and its fills would then reflect a significant change to the room, perhaps after it or part of the surface had fallen out of use.; ; This interpretation of Context 449 suggests that Shop 1 Rear was constructed and in use by the end of the 4th cent. BC or later.  This date is brought down to the first quarter of the 3rd century BC by a single sherd found in Session I in the fill of the east foundation trench of Shop 2 Rear (Cut 322/Deposit 321)—the other side of the same foundation trench we excavated this session.; ; Most of our Hellenistic contexts contained a great deal of Late Neolithic and Early Helladic pottery.  In the cellar we found a Late Neolithic Matt-painted bowl rim (C-2016-18 in Context 513) and a Late Neolithic Black-burnished roll handle (C-2016-15 in Context 515), as well as a Neolithic figurine (MF-2016-25 in Context 513); in the leveling fill we found an Early Helladic II obsidian blade (MF-2016-21 in Context 508).  The presence of this material is easily explained.  The builders of the South Stoa inevitably dug down into earlier layers while excavating the foundation trenches, and then used this same soil to backfill the trenches and level off the rooms.  The soil in the cellar could have come from the foundation trench of another room that was built before Shop 1 Rear.; ; CONCLUSIONS; ; This excavation of Shop 1 Rear has provided evidence that the South Stoa was constructed in the late 4th to early 3rd cent. BC, which supports the down-dating of the construction of the stoa from the widely accepted date of 338-323 B.C. to the 3rd century B.C. by Sanders, Miura, and Kvapil (2014) and James (forthcoming).; ; Through the discovery of a Classical cellar beneath Shop 1 Rear, the excavation has added to our understanding of this area soon before the construction of the stoa.  Along with Classical Buildings I and II, it indicates that this area was already occupied by structures and probably saw a good deal of activity.; ; The prehistoric layers beneath Shop 1 Rear have shed further light on the prehistoric layers beneath Shop 2 Rear.  Together these layers have provided a wealth of material that promises to open up new lines of research in the prehistory of Corinth.  Although no settlement has been located, the kinds of material culture we have found, as well as its good preservation, indicate that there were probably Late Neolithic and Early Helladic II settlements nearby.  The discovery of the EH II road suggests that the Early Helladic settlement may have seen a good deal of traffic, and some of it (based on the discovery of obsidian, non-local chert, and Cycladic pottery) may have come from rather far away.; ; FUTURE GOALS; ; •    Continue excavation to clarify the nature of the sandy surface (Context 551) as well as the fill below it.; •     Explore the possibility of more connections between the prehistoric layers excavated last session in Shop 2 Rear and those in Shop 1 Rear.; •    Use Panagiotis Karkanas’ analysis of the microstratigraphy to come to a better understanding of the formation processes in this area.; •    Compare the pottery from our excavations with that from other prehistoric excavations at Corinth.; ; ; CONTEXTS: 497, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 508, 509, 510, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 516, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, 529, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 540, 541, 542, 543, 544, 545, 546, 547, 548, 549, 550, 551; ; MF-2016-21 Early Helladic II Obsidian Blade in 508; MF-2016-25 Neolithic Figurine in 513; MF-2016-30 Triangular Stone Burnisher in 526; MF-2016-33 Stone Tool 532; MF-2016-35 Early Helladic Terracotta Spindle Whorl in 538; MF-2016-36 Early Helladic Terracotta Spindle Whorl in 538; MF-2016-37 Obsidian Core in 537; MF-2016-38 Stone Tool in 537; MF-2016-39 Late Neolithic Chert Blade in 547; ; C-2016-14 Late Neolithic Matt-painted Jar in 505; C-2016-15 Late Neolithic Black-burnished Roll Handle in 515; C-2016-16 Early Helladic Black-slipped One-handled Cup in 523, 525; C-2016-17 Late Neolithic Matt-painted Fruitstand in 527; C-2016-18 Late Neolithic Matt-painted Bowl in 513; C-2016-19 Late Neolithic Ritual Vessel Handle in 547; C-2016-20 Early Helladic II Firedog Stand Knob in 547; C-2016-21 Tripod Vessel in 543, 540","",""
"","Corinth","","","Report","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Forum | South Stoa","Corinth:Report:South Stoa 2016 by Alexandra Daly amp Thalia Parr (2016-04-05 to 2016-04-22)","EXCAVATIONS OF SOUTH STOA, SHOP 2 REAR","South Stoa 2016 by Alexandra Daly & Thalia Parr (2016-04-05 to 2016-04-22)","","","FINAL REPORT: EXCAVATIONS OF SOUTH STOA, SHOP 2 REAR, SESSION 1 2016; ; Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr ; Dates of Excavation: April 5 – April 22; Coordinates: N: 1090.40 N, S: 1085.50 N, E: 351.40 E, W: 345.20 E; ; ; INTRODUCTION; ; This is the final report for the excavation of Shop 2 Rear in the first session of the 2016 season.  Shop 2 Rear is a rear shop room in the South Stoa.  It is bounded by four walls built of large, well-worked ashlar blocks—Walls 459 (coordinates to be taken in Session 2), 462 (N: 1086.10 N, S: 1084.80 N, E: 350.90 E, W: 346.70 E), 464 (N: 1091.10 N, S: 1089.10 N, E: 349.40 E, W: 345.05 E), 465 (N: 1094.75 N, S: 1086.00 N, E: 346.00 E, W: 342.10 E)—and by the robbing trench (Cut 428, N: 1086.70 N, S: 1078.65 N, E: 349.60 E, W: 332.65 E) that spoliated most of the south wall of the stoa.  Shops 1, 3, and 4 were excavated by two other teams at the same time as our excavation of Shop 2 Rear.  Excavation began on April 5th and continued until April 22nd.  Guy Sanders (director) and Danielle Smotherman (field director) supervised.  Our team consisted of Alexandra Daly and Thalia Parr (area supervisors), Thanasis Notis (foreman and pickman), Kostas Arberores (pickman), Vassilis Kollias (barrowman), and Panagiotis Rontzokos (shovelman).; ; Shop 2 Rear was first excavated in 1934 by Oscar Broneer.  In addition to exposing the walls, he excavated the north and west foundation trenches (Cuts 349, 352), as recorded in NB 139 and shown in Broneer 1954 Corinth 1.4 Pl. 6.2 and 7.1.  Modern material throughout the fills of these foundation trenches (Contexts 345, 348) demonstrates that Broneer backfilled them after excavation.  Broneer later excavated the robbing trench (Cut 428) and in doing so widened it and cut into his own backfill of Shop 2 Rear.  We have found no indication in his notebooks and publications that Broneer excavated the east or south foundation trenches, and we believe that their fills have remained undisturbed since the construction of the room, because they yielded only ancient material and were overlaid by ancient contexts.  In the southeast corner of the room Broneer left a Late Roman or Byzantine wall (Wall 288), which was laid over earlier contexts.  ; ; The goals of this session were to remove Broneer’s backfill, to find evidence for the date of the construction of the South Stoa, to investigate layers predating the stoa, and to prepare the stoa for presentation to the public.  ; ; ; PREHISTORIC; ; The earliest layers in our area are a series of deposits containing a mixture of prehistoric pottery, mainly Early Helladic and Late Neolithic, including a ritual vessel leg (C-2016-6 in Context 445), with some Middle Neolithic.  These layers also contained two Cycladic frying pan base fragments (in Contexts 420, 442), some non-local chert, much obsidian, and several pieces of andesite (including a grinder in Context 476), all of which suggest trade or migration.  There were also several stone tools in these layers, including a burnisher MF-2016-7 in Context 415, and an Early Helladic spindle whorl (MF-2016-11 in Context 452).  The current understanding is that most of these layers are colluvium filling a sharp drop in the bedrock, which is represented by Cut 502 and may be an erosion gully.  The amount of pottery in all these colluvial layers, and of bone in Contexts 476 and 477 (the latter containing a cow or bull horn), suggests that they may have washed down from a nearby settlement.; ; Between these colluvial layers, four separate phases of human activity are represented by three thin compacted surfaces (Contexts 388, 442, 500) with prehistoric cultural material trampled into them and by two pits (Cuts 419, 422).  If the majority of the other prehistoric layers are in fact colluvium, then these surfaces would have been formed by brief and probably intensive activity during dry periods, when prehistoric people could have made use of and traversed the area.  ; ; The earliest phase of human activity is represented by a surface (Context 500, preserved in a 2.8m x 1.8m area) dating to EH II and containing much ash, which was probably used as a hardening agent.  An exceptionally high number of snails was present throughout the surface, and one part contained a concentration of carbon.  Context 500, then, appears to have been a surface intentionally created through the use of ash, perhaps for cooking, as evidenced by the snails and carbon.  An anthropogenic (rather than natural) deposition of the snails is supported by the presence of many more snails in an unexcavated bothros immediately below Context 500.; ; After this surface (Context 500) had fallen out of use, several layers of colluvium accumulated above it, forming overlapping ledges of soil within the erosion gully (Cut 502).  During excavation, these ledges appeared to be anthropogenic and were recorded as cuts (Cuts 453, 475, 483), but they are now considered to be the result of water action.; ; Another earthen surface containing a high concentration of bone was formed during EH II (Context 442, preserved in a 1.9m x 1.55m area).  Because this surface lacked evidence for the intentional preparation seen in the earlier floor (the ash in Context 500), we believe it may have been created circumstantially by a single event, such as a feast, which could have generated the bone trampled into it.  A bothros cut into this surface and filled with bone (Cut 430/Context 429) may support this interpretation.  The Neolithic sherds in the fill of this cut would then be the result of backfilling the pit with soil containing Neolithic sherds.; ; Above the earthen surface with bone (Context 442), more colluvium accumulated (Contexts 415, 420, 425) until the end of EH II and into EH III (as indicated by the inclusion of a fine-incised body sherd in Context 425).  Two of these deposits (Contexts 415, 420) filled two pits (Cuts 419, 422) that are the only evidence for human activity during this phase.  Along with Cut 430, these pits run along the southwest corner of the area in a line from east to west, each cutting the one that came before it.  The alignment of these three cuts suggests chronological proximity, but the function of Cuts 419 and 422 seems to have been different from that of Cut 430.  While Cut 430 appears to have been intentionally filled with waste, Cuts 419 and 422 appear to have been filled with colluvium, and thus were standing open.  If so, they may have been storage pits.; ; Above all of this lay more colluvium (Contexts 392, 393, 397, 400, 404, and 413), above which a third surface (Context 388, preserved in a 3.2m x 2.45m area) represents the fourth and final phase of prehistoric human activity, also during EH III.  A chert scraper and two whetstones trampled into this surface, as well as a chert awl just below it in a layer of colluvium (Context 393), suggest that it may have served as a working area.; ; ; HELLENISTIC; ; The only possible testament to Hellenistic activity in the area before the construction of Shop 2 Rear is a pit (Cut 386/Context 384) that contains Hellenistic pottery.  This cut was made before construction of the room began as it was covered by a deposit cut by the south foundation trench (Context 365) and was likely unrelated to the construction because it was not oriented with the room.; ; The earliest layers that may be associated with the construction of the South Stoa are Hellenistic deposits of fill (Contexts 359, 365, 368, and 370), which together covered most of the southeastern half of Shop 2 Rear.  Given the quantity of prehistoric pottery mixed with the Hellenistic (including a fine incised EH III handle fragment C-2016-3 and body sherd C-2016-4 in Context 365), we believe that the builders of the South Stoa excavated this soil from foundation trenches elsewhere and dumped it into the area that later became Shop 2 Rear.  This sequence of events is supported by the fact that all of these layers were cut by the south and east foundation trenches of Shop 2 Rear (Cuts 322, 325).  The area of Shop 2 Rear may have been chosen because the erosion gully had created a natural depression suitable for dumping.  The fill belonging to the pre-construction pit discussed above (Context 384) had a diffuse boundary with one of the Hellenistic deposits of fill (Context 365) and so may have been part of this dumping process.  ; ; The construction of Shop 2 Rear is dated broadly to the Hellenistic period by the fill of the south foundation trench (Cut 325/Contexts 328, 339, 498) and more narrowly to the first quarter of the third century BC by the fill of the east foundation trench (Cuts 322, 496/Contexts 321, 372, 431, 491, 499).  Given the mixture in these fills of Hellenistic pottery with much earlier material, including an Early Helladic spindle whorl (MF-2016-20 in Context 499), the backfill of the east and south foundation trenches, like the Hellenistic deposits cut by the foundation trenches, is most likely the result of digging by the builders of the stoa.  ; ; The south foundation trench must have been constructed before the east, as it was cut by the lowest portion of the east foundation trench (Cut 496, 1.7m x 0.6m).  This lowest portion was an undercutting of the east foundation trench that made it significantly wider than the portion of the trench above, and it may have been meant to accommodate the wider blocks in the southern portion of the fifth course down of the east wall (Wall 459).  Regardless, the stratigraphy of the foundation trenches makes it clear that the south wall was constructed before the east.  The east wall abuts and so must postdate the north wall (Wall 464).  It seems, then, that the north and south (Wall 462) walls were constructed first, followed by the east and west (Wall 465) walls.  This is the most logical order in which to construct the walls of a stoa: first the walls that constitute its length, then those dividing individual rooms.; ; There is some evidence for the use of Shop 2 Rear after its construction.  A small rocky deposit of fill (Context 324) was laid over the fill of the south foundation trench and therefore provides a terminus ante quem for the construction of Room 2 Rear in the second half of the third century BC.  Given its quantity of prehistoric sherds, it was likely not use accumulation but a leveling fill, perhaps needed after the fill of the south foundation trench had sunken as it settled over time.  A shallow circular pit (Cut 319) in a reddish patch of fill (Context 359) in the northeast of the room is more likely to post- rather than pre-date the construction of Shop 2 Rear, as it respected the boundary of the east wall. It may have been a pithos stand.  Its mixture of prehistoric and third century BC pottery suggests that the fill of this pit (Cut 319/Context 318) was backfill after the pit had fallen out of use.; ; ; LATE ROMAN; ; The next phase of activity for which we have evidence in the area of Shop 2 Rear dates to the second quarter of the fifth century AD or later.  A Roman lamp rim in a deposit of fill along the east wall of the room (L-2016-2 in Context 315) provides this date as a terminus post quem for all the other contexts discussed in this section.  ; ; It is clear that some of the Late Roman activity took place while Shop 2 Rear was still in use as a room, because several layers of fill (Contexts 315, 309, 296, Cut 307/Context 319) from this period respect the east and south walls.  Two layers (Contexts 309, 315) covering the foundation trenches contained material over a large chronological range and may have been deposited as leveling fill after the original construction of the room.  After the deposition of these layers, a large pit (Cut 307), which given its depth may have served as a storage pit, was cut into them.  After this pit had fallen out of use, it was filled with soil containing material ranging in date from prehistoric to the third century BC, including two fourth century BC loomweights (MF-2016-1, MF-2016-2 in Context 304), three lead weights (MF-2016-3, MF-2016-4, MF-2016-5 in Context 306), and an iron ring (MF-2016-6 in Context 308). Next, another deposit (Context 296) seems to have served the same purpose as the previous leveling fills (Contexts 315, 309), this time to level off the filling of the storage pit (Cut 307).  The Middle Roman pottery and large amount of carbon in this leveling fill (Context 296) suggest that its soil derives from a destruction layer, perhaps from Alaric’s destruction of Corinth in 396 A.D, which would match the date provided by its pottery.  ; ; Late Roman activity in this area appears to have continued after Shop 2 Rear had fallen out of use, since Wall 288 (N: 1087.70 N, S: 1085.10 N, E: 351.40 E, W: 349.60 E; 1.50m x 2.2m x .71m) and the layers of fill deposited under it (Context 294, which contained the lead weight MF-2016-8, Contexts 291, 290) were laid on top of the south and east walls of the room.  The layers of fill are interpreted as leveling fill for the foundation of the Wall 288, which consisted of rubble and spolia.  One of the spoliated materials was a threshold block with a possibly Byzantine cutting.  This threshold block and the rubble served as the foundation for a spoliated stele base, with part of the stele foot embedded within it, which may be a member of the now lost superstructure of Wall 288. ; ; ; EARLY MODERN; ; We believe that most early modern activity in Shop 2 Rear was related to Broneer’s excavation.  His excavation of the north and west foundation trenches (Cuts 349, 352) has already been discussed above.  Most likely, another part of his activity in this area is a small patch of soil near the north foundation trench, which contained modern material (aluminum and glass, Context 351).  Over most of the interior of the room, Broneer deposited several layers containing modern material (Contexts 354, 313, including a belt buckle MF-2016-18, and 314) as well as a layer of a fine soil with very little material (Context 317).  Panos Kakouros suggested that the fine, material-poor deposit may have been soil that Broneer had sieved (Context 317).  All four of these contexts must have been deposited by Broneer, since they were cut by the robbing trench (Cut 428), which he excavated after Shop 2 Rear.  A thin layer of soil under Structure 311 (Context 312) seems to have accumulated after Broneer’s excavation.  Structure 311 consisted of three toppled column drums, roughly in a line extending from the northeast corner of the room (N: 1090.30 N, S: 1088.80 N, E: 349.00 E, W: 348.20 E).  This structure does not appear in any of Broneer’s photographs of Shop 2 Rear during excavation, so it must have been placed there after his excavation of the room.  ; ; ; CONCLUSION; ; This excavation of Shop 2 Rear successfully removed Broneer’s backfill and clarified the extent of his activity in the room.  After exposing the walls, Broneer appears to have focused on the north and west foundation trenches, neglecting the interior as well as the east and south foundation trenches.  Our dating of the fill of the east foundation trench supports the down-dating of the construction of the South Stoa from the widely accepted date of 338-323 B.C. to the third century B.C. by Sanders, Miura, and Kvapil (2014) and James (forthcoming).  ; The most unexpected and exciting discovery of this excavation is the long series of undisturbed Early Helladic layers beneath Shop 2 Rear.  This area seems to have been used sporadically during EH II and EH III for short-term, intensive activities such as food preparation.   The accumulation of colluvium indicates that water action would periodically have made the space unusable.  The great amount of cultural material within the layers of colluvium suggests that a settlement might have been located nearby.  An analysis of water action in the surrounding area may indicate the source of this material.; ; ; FUTURE GOALS; ; •    Excavate the redeposited bedrock in the northwestern half of Shop 2 Rear to find any other evidence of ancient activity and to clarify the relationship between Broneer’s activity and this deposit.; •    Continue excavation of the foundation trenches to find the bottom of the foundations and any further dating evidence for the construction of the South Stoa.; •    Through further excavation and Panagiotis Karkanas’ analysis of the microstratigraphy, clarify the formation and nature of the prehistoric layers (anthropogenic and natural) in the southeast portion of Shop 2 Rear.; •    Process the soil samples taken from various parts of the trench.  For the later deposits, we hope that this will clarify whether the carbon present in the soil is the result of cooking, destruction, or some other process.  For the prehistoric deposits, we hope that this will shed light on aspects of diet and animal use in the Early Helladic period at Corinth.; ; ; Coins; ; 2016-5, 2016-7, 2016-8, 2016-9, 2016-11, 2016-12, 2016-13, 2016-14, 2016-15, 2016-16, 2016-17, 2016-18, 2016-19, 2016-22; ; ; Inventoried objects; ; C-2016-3, C-2016-4, C-2016-6; L-2016-2; MF-2016-1, MF-2016-2, MF-2016-3, MF-2016-4, MF-2016-5, MF-2016-6, MF-2016-7, MF-2016-8, MF-2016-11, MF-2016-18, MF-2016-20","",""
"","Corinth","","","Report","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Forum | South Stoa east","Corinth:Report:South Stoa east 2016 by An Jiang and Catharine Judson (2016-04-05 to 2016-04-21)","South Stoa Shop I Rear","South Stoa east 2016 by An Jiang and Catharine Judson (2016-04-05 to 2016-04-21)","","","An Jiang, Catharine Judson; 2016 Corinth Session I; South Stoa Excavation, Shop 1 Rear ; Coordinates: N: 1092.3, S: 1084.7, E: 355.9, W: 349.6     ; Excavation Dates: April 5-21, 2016; ; Introduction; This is the final report of the first session of the Corinth excavation for 2016 in Shop 1 Rear in the South Stoa. Guy Sanders (director), James Herbst (architect) and Danielle Smotherman (field director) supervised. An Jiang and Catharine Judson (area supervisors) recorded. The workmen were Panos Kakouros (pickman) and Marios Vathis (shovelman and sieve), Vassiles Kollias and Giannes Oikonomopoulos (wheelbarrow). Photogrammetry has been carried out for every context of the room since April 11, 2016. ; ; In Shop 1 Rear, the area of excavation was bounded by the four walls of the room: Wall 457 to the east (N 1106.511; S 1086.5; E 356.4; W 348.667), Wall 458 to the south (Greek phase; N 1086.379; S 1084.15; E 355.829; W 351.808), Wall 459 to the west (to be measured in Session II), and Wall 461 (N 1092.747; S 1090.634; E 353.638; W 349.193) to the north. The coordinates of the interior space of the room are: NE corner E: 353.85, N: 1092.3; NW corner, E: 349.6, N: 1090.8; SW corner, E: 351.8, N: 1084.7; SE corner, E: 355.9, N: 1086.5. ; ; The goals of the excavation in this room are to determine the chronology of the activities in the room during the use of the Stoa (where these levels are preserved); to investigate the pre-Stoa activities in this area; and to prepare the area for consolidation, conservation, and presentation to the public. The dates during which we excavated are: April 5-21, 2016.; ; Shop 1 Rear was previously excavated by Oscar Broneer in the 1930s and 1940s. The bulk of excavation was carried out in March of 1934 (Corinth NB 139). Broneer began by removing “fill and rough masonry” across the entire area. On March 3, he records removing rubble foundations (c.70 cm thick) from this specific room. These walls may have been Byzantine in date, based on vague references to the general area in the notebook during this part of March. On March 20, Broneer excavated a trench along the entire length of the west wall between crosswalls Wall 371 to the south and Wall 461 to the north. This trench is identified both by the old excavation photos (Corinth 1.IV, pls.6.2, 7.1 and 27) and by the modern material we found in the fills along the western wall (Contexts 298 and 310). In this area, Broneer reports finding “little except some Early Helladic and Neolithic potsherds and a few Greek sherds” (p.116). On March 21, he reports that the fill close to the west wall goes deep below floor level, and that this produced primarily Early Helladic and Neolithic pottery. This may refer to the very deep sounding that we excavated as Cut 301/Context 298. Broneer also excavated in the SE corner of the room on March 21, and along the east wall on March 22, reporting Neolithic fill, Neolithic and Classical sherds, and several coins (late Classical/Hellenistic [Corinth P/T?], 1 coin of Demetrios Poliorketes, 1 coin of Manuel I). The coin of Manuel I came from the level of the toichobate (NB 139, p.122), and possibly indicates the level of Byzantine occupation in this area that was cleared away by Broneer. The trench dug along the eastern and southern walls was probably an excavation of the foundation trenches. Broneer revisited this area in 1946, but appears to have done little but cleaning in this room, based on his description of work in the notebook (Corinth NB194).; ; Prehistoric; Late Neolithic and Early Helladic pottery is present in contexts across the center and southern part of the room, typically mixed with later (generally Hellenistic) pottery. There is an especially high concentration of prehistoric pottery found in layered fills in the central area of the room (especially contexts 424, 438, and 436). The presence of this pottery and associated finds (e.g. obsidian and chert blades, EH spindle whorl [MF-2016-17]) indicates the presence of prehistoric activity in this area of the site. This is also confirmed by the presence of prehistoric levels in the space of Shop 2 Rear immediately to the east. None of the contents of these deposits are in their primary (prehistoric) context, however: all deposits with prehistoric pottery also contain later material and are indicative of later activities in the area rather than prehistoric ones. The mostly likely scenario is that, during the construction of the Stoa, foundation trenches were dug into prehistoric levels and the resulting soil was immediately redeposited as a fill level in the room’s interior with little time for Hellenistic ceramic contamination (especially Contexts 424, 436, and 438). Other contexts (e.g. Context 411) also contain prehistoric material but in lower concentrations, and are more likely the result of later filling and leveling operations within the space after the initial construction of the Stoa walls and the fill event represented by the almost pure prehistoric contexts.; ; Based on the appearance of the section in the scarp of Cut 301 compared to contexts in Shop 2 Rear, and the depth that Broneer dug to against Wall 459, it is likely that Broneer (like the builders of the Stoa) cut into prehistoric activity levels. The Neolithic and Early Helladic pottery that he mentions in both the western part of the room and in the southeast corner probably represent the spread of prehistoric activity levels across the space as well as the redeposition caused by Hellenistic construction. A matte-painted terracotta figurine in the museum comes from his excavations along the east wall (MF 13360). ; ; The pottery demonstrates that prehistoric occupation of the area ran from at least Late Neolithic through Early Helladic II. LN matte-painted and grey burnished ware, and EH red and black slipped wares are the most representative pottery types for the deposits in question. Characteristic shapes include LN fruitstands (cf. C-2016-8, C-2016-10), a LN ritual vessel (C-2016-11), a LN shoulder bowl (C-2016-9), EH bowls with incurved rims, and EH sauceboats. ; ; Classical; There are some traces of Classical activities in the room. Two deposits of fill (Contexts 456 and 478), located in the southern area of the room, date to the 4th and 5th centuries BC respectively, based on pottery. It is currently unclear what sort of activity these deposits represent, as there are no preserved surfaces dating to this period in this part of the room. One whole vessel containing traces of blue pigment was excavated in Context 456 (C-2016-5), but was resting on stones within a fill level rather than on a surface.; ; The exact type of activity in the Classical period in this room is difficult to establish, because we currently have too few excavated contexts that can be securely associated with this period. Context 478 and the associated Cut 497 may indicate the location of any stratified Classical activity in the area of the room, but the pottery from 478 is heavily prehistoric and likely represents redeposited prehistoric fill. Broneer probably also excavated part of this same deposit next to the Wall 457, as he mentions a mixture of Neolithic and Classical pottery from this specific area. His trench cuts through the deposit and exposes it in cross-section. ; ; Based on the quantities of Classical pottery present in other excavated contexts across the room, this period does not appear to form a major phase of occupation in this area. ;  ; Hellenistic; Pre-Stoa phases of activity in the late 4th and early 3rd centuries are most likely represented by a possible floor (or at least well-consolidated surface), removed as Context 449. This context dates to the 4th century BC. Its connection with the 4th century fill Context 456 in the southern part of the room is unknown, as the two deposits are spatially separated and different in appearance and formation. Two pits were dug into Context 449, and probably were meant to hold pithoi (Cuts 389 and 382). These pits were dug into the top of the surface, and therefore are likely contemporary with this 4th century surface.  ; ; The construction of the Stoa, currently dated to c.280 BC by Sarah James' 2015 excavations, is marked in the interior of the room by the redeposition of fills (Contexts 424, 436, and 438) in the center of the room (discussed above in the Prehistoric section). Their redeposition in the large cut through the consolidated surface (Context 449) suggests that this surface was highly disturbed during/by this construction project. The remainder of this surface and the pits cut into it in the northern part of the newly formed room were not covered over as part of the Stoa construction, however, and may have remained in use for some time. The pithoi in pits 389 and 382 may have been removed in conjunction with the Stoa construction. Pit 407 was also dug into the surface (Context 449) during the first half of the 3rd century BC and may mark the point at which it went out of use as a surface. Additional leveling fills were added across the southern part of the room sometime in the 3rd century BC (Contexts 411 and 398). Context 398 sealed the contents of Pit 407 (Context 403) and therefore indicates that there were multiple phases of leveling and remodeling within the room, most likely associated with the construction of the Stoa. ; ; Shortly after the construction of the Stoa, Wall 371 (L 2.5 m, W 0.50 m; N 1087.0, S 1085.8, E 353.7, W 351.3) was constructed in order to subdivide the interior space of the room. This wall was constructed in two successive, but closely dated, phases, sometime in the later 3rd century BC (post-275 BC, Context 374). This represents a restructuring of the use of the space. Probably linked with this is the gradual infilling of the two pits next to the northern wall, which had been left open after the construction of the Stoa and the probable removal of their pithoi. Context 383 (the western pit) was filled in by the late 3rd century BC, and Context 376 was filled in by the early 2nd century BC, based on the pottery (Context 376 is dated primarily on the basis of C-2016-7, a bowl with outturned rim). The coins from both pits corroborate but do not narrow this dating, as they provide a terminus post quem of the mid- to late-3rd century BC for both contexts (Context 383: 2016-78 [Ptolemy II, 285-246 BC], Coin 2016-85 [Argos, 352-228 BC], Coin 2016-86 [Argos, 352-228 BC]; Context 376: Coin 2016-63 [Argos 350-228 BC], 2016-64 [Demetrios Poliorketes, 306-283 BC], 2016-67 [Corinth P/T Group VIII, 287-252 BC]). In addition to large numbers of coins, the pits contain high concentrations of pottery and other small finds, including metal fragments (MF-2016-19: bronze handle), lamp fragments, roof tiles, ostrich egg shell (cf. MF 3957, ostrich egg shell from Broneer’s excavations against east wall), bronze rings, and pebble cement fragments. These two pits were covered and closed with a layer of fill covering the NE corner (Contexts 367, 390). The pottery from this fill event provides a terminus post quem date of the late 3rd century BC, but the fill layer was likely laid down sometime in the early 2nd century BC, based on the contents of Context 376. This fill also contains a high concentration of coins, including a Classical coin from Cleonai (2016-50, 471-421 BC), a late Classical/Hellenistic coin from Argos (2016-56, 400-200 BC), and several Corinthian P/T Type VII coins (2016-88, 2016-89, 2016-90, 2016-92: 303-287 BC). ; ; Roman; There is limited evidence for the Early Roman modification of the Stoa in this space. Pit 361 and its associated fill 364 date to the 1st century BC and are sealed by Context 360, dating to the Late Hellenistic or Early Roman period. This pit likely represents a change in function of the space, and is the first dateable act of deposition after the early 2nd century BC that we can reconstruct in the room. A thin deposit of fill (Context 346) also dates to the Early Roman period, and lies across the entire area of the room. This represents a further modification of the space after the closing of Pit 361. The date of this context is based on the pottery, but this deposit also contains 16 coins mainly dated to the earlier Hellenistic period (2016-44 [Thasos, 300-200 BC], 2016-33 [Demetrios Poliorketes, 306-283], 2016-38 [Antigonos Gonatas, 277-239 BC], 2016-36 [Lokris, 338-300 BC], several Corinthian P/T). There is one much later coin in this context, however (Coin 2016-39, Late Roman minimus), which may either pull down the date of the context dramatically or be later contamination. This level is the latest stratified deposit across the majority of the room.; ; Middle Roman activity in the room is only represented by Cut 334 and associated fills (especially Contexts 332 and 337) in the NE corner. This may be a rubbish pit associated with some construction event in the area, as many of the small finds in these contexts are broken building materials (tiles, marble revetment, cement, plastered blocks, wall plaster fragments, pebble cement flooring). The squared shape of the cutting may indicate that this originally had some other function than for trash dumping, however. ; ; We speculate that the later Roman use levels of the room were removed in the post-Roman period (Broneer mentions Byzantine walls in this area) or during early excavations without any comment in the notebook, and all that remained were traces of various filling operations from Roman construction.; ; Modern; The latest activity in the interior of the room is modern backfilling and trampled fills. Cuts 301 and 316, and Contexts 287, 297, 298, and 310 represent Broneer’s activities, including both excavation and backfilling. The bottom of this modern excavation and backfilling has not been clearly identified in the area of Context 298, since we stopped digging along the west wall after the first week of the session. One of Broneer’s goals in this area was presumably to expose the entire eastern profile of Wall 459 in the area of Context 298. This deposit exposed four courses of the wall, with at least one more likely still buried, as known from the excavations in Shop 2 Rear. In addition, the construction of the stone patch (Context 326) in the NE corner of the room also probably belongs to this period because of the modern material found in it. All excavation in the area took place in the 1930s and 1940s. The terminus post quem for the backfilling of the western soundings in the room is provided by coin 2016-6, a 1954 drachma. In all areas of modern excavation, a number of modern glass, metal and plastic objects were found, including a complete modern medicinal bottle (MF-2016-16).; ; Conclusion; The excavation activities of this session have raised more questions about ancient activities in the room than they have answered. The primary problem that is raised by the types of contexts in Shop 1 Rear so far excavated is that there are no clearly identified floor levels, and therefore no clear idea of activities within the room during different use phases. Most of the deposits represent fill events rather than occupation phases. Various construction phases also severely disrupted earlier levels and therefore caused a high degree of fragmentation of deposits within the space of the room. Nonetheless, we are able to link at least some of the contexts with the construction of the Stoa and therefore can mark chronological points of change to the space (pre-Stoa, Stoa construction, mid- to-late 3rd century restructuring, Early Roman, Middle Roman), even if their function is not always clear. ; ; Future goals; 1. To determine the spatial boundaries and nature of prehistoric occupation in this space, and how it relates to similar deposits in Shop 2 Rear.; 2. To investigate the type of activities in the room in the Classical period (occupation, redeposited fill, etc.).; 3. To determine the date of the construction of the Stoa walls and how this construction relates stratigraphically to other phases of occupation (e.g. relationship with prehistoric levels, Classical levels, Roman levels).; ; ; Appendix; List of Inventoried Objects:; C-2016-2 Corinthian A Stamped Amphora Handle (context 346); C-2016-5 [pottery with blue pigment] (official name TBD) (context 456); C-2016-7 Bowl with Outturned Rim (context 376); C-2016-8 Late Neolithic Fruitstand (context 411); C-2016-9 Late Neolithic Shoulder Bowl (context 478); C-2016-10 Late Neolithic Fruitstand (context 411); C-2016-11 Late Neolithic Vessel: Leg (context 411); MF-2016-9 Bronze and Iron Boss (context 390); MF-2016-12 Bronze Stylus (context 360); MF-2016-14 Conical Loomweight Type X (context 411); MF-2016-15 Conical Loomweight Type IX-X (context 367); MF-2016-16 Modern Glass Medicinal Bottle (context 287); MF-2016-17 Early Helladic Spindle Whorl (context 424); MF-2016-19 Bronze Vessel: Handle (context 383); ; List of Coins (64 in total):; 2016-2 (context 284) Byzantine (Manuel I?); 2016-6 (context 287) Modern 1954; 2016-21 (context 298) Possibly Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-23 (context 320) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-24 (context 320) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-25 (context 330) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-26 (context 330) Antigonos Gonatas (277-239 B.C.); 2016-27 (context 337) (not a coin); 2016-28 (context 337) Greek, illegible; 2016-29 (context 337) Argos (c.350-228 B.C.); 2016-30 (context 337) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-31 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-32 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-33 (context 346) Demetrius Poliorketes (306-283 B.C.); 2016-34 (context 346) Epidauros; 2016-35 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-36 (context 346) Lokris (c.338-300 B.C.); 2016-37 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-38 (context 346) Antigonos Gonatas (277-239 B.C.); 2016-39 (context 346) Roman minimus (5th – 6th A.D.); 2016-40 (context 346) Greek, illegible; 2016-41 (context 346) Greek (Macedonian king?); 2016-42 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-44 (context 346) Thasos (c.300-200 B.C.); 2016-45 (context 346) Greek, illegible; 2016-46 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-47 (context 346) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-48 (context 364) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-49 (context 364) Greek, illegible; 2016-50 (context 367) Cleonai (c.371-321 B.C.); 2016-51 (context 367) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-52 (context 367) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-53 (context 367) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-54 (context 367) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-56 (context 367) Argos (c.400-200 B.C.); 2016-57 (context 367) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-63 (context 376) Argos (c.350-228 B.C.); 2016-64 (context 376) Demetrius Poliorketes (306-283 B.C.); 2016-65 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-66 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-67 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VIII (c.287-252 B.C.); 2016-68 (context 376) (not a coin); 2016-70 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-71 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-72 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-74 (context 376) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-78 (context 383) Ptolemy II Euergetes (285-246 B.C.) golden coin; 2016-79 (context 383) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-80 (context 383) (not a coin); 2016-81 (context 383) Megara (c.307-293 B.C.); 2016-82 (context 383) Greek, illegible; 2016-83 (context 383) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-84 (context 383) Greek, unclear; 2016-85 (context 383) Argos (c.352-228 B.C.); 2016-86 (context 383) Argos (c.352-228 B.C.); 2016-87 (context 383) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-88 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VII (c.303-287 B.C.); 2016-89 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VII (c.303-287 B.C.); 2016-90 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VII (c.303-287 B.C.); 2016-91 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-92 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VII (c.303-287 B.C.); 2016-93 (context 390) Corinth Pegasus/Trident; 2016-98 (context 398) Corinth Pegasus/Trident Group VII (c.303-287 B.C.); 2016-118 (context 449) illegible; ; List of Contexts (51 in total):; 284 Cleaning of dark soil near west wall; 287 Removal of pebbly matrix in western half of room; 297 Dark soil SE corner of cut exposed by 284; 298 Dark soil next to west wall of room; 301 Cut of 298 into 310; 310 Red Soil in NW + SW corners of room; 316 Cut filled by 310; 320 Clay across northern center of room; 326 Patch of stones in NE corner of room; 330 Dark stony soil in NE corner; 332 Red stony soil in NE corner; 333 Cut filled by 330; 334 Cut filled by 332; 337 Cobbles filling cut 334 under deposits 330 + 332; 342 Fill cut into clay surface in room center; 344 Cut filled by 342; 346 Clayey layer in center of room; 360 Clay patch next to southern crosswall; 361 Cut filled by 360 + 364; 364 Fill of cut 361 below deposit 360; 367 Clay patch next to N wall; 371 Late crosswall in S of room—top course; 374 Foundation course of structure 371; 376 Fill of pit abutting N wall; 382 Cut filled by 376; 383 Pit abutting N wall; 389 Cut filled by 383; 390 Clayey patch between Broneer and square cutting in east of room; 394 Soil under western block of wall 371; 396 Small pebbly patch next to N wall; 398 Pebbly matrix in S of room center; 403 Small bothros; 407 Cut filled by 403; 411 Pebbly layer S center of room; 421 Cut filled by 396; 424 Pebbly matrix in center of room; 427 Patch of wash on E Broneer scarp; 436 Small clay patch; 438 Cobbly layer in center of room; 449 Clay deposit in N center of room; 456 Clayey deposit in S of room; 457 N-S wall/ E wall of Shop 1 (Greek); 458 E-W wall/ S wall of Shop 1 (Greek); 460 E-W wall/ N wall of Shop 1 front; 461 E-W wall/ N wall of Shop 1 Rear; 468 N-S wall / E wall of Shop 1 (Roman); 469 E-W wall/ S wall of Shop 1 Rear (Roman); 478 Layer of black soil below 456; 493 Cut filled to S by 411, 424, 438; 494 Cut filled to N by 424, 438; 497 Cut filled by 478","",""
"","Corinth","","","Report","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2008 by Sarah Lima (2008-04-07 to 2008-06-13)","Western Suite of Rooms in the 1961 Byzantine House, Late Byzantine and Frankish Levels","Nezi Field 2008 by Sarah Lima (2008-04-07 to 2008-06-13)","","","During the second and third sessions of the 2008 season at Corinth, a contingent of Team Green excavated to the W of a 1960s-excavated courtyard within the greater area of North of Nezi. The area of excavation initially consisted of a rectangular space, roughly 6.0 x 9.0 m, bounded by four walls and subdivided by two smaller walls. The coordinates for this space fell between 1030 and1039 N, and 260 and 266 E on the Nezi gridding system. During the last week, the excavated area was expanded as far as 267 E.  The work team consisted of Billy Papanikolao (pickman), Vasilis Kollias (barrow man between 10.05.08 and 06.06.08), and Andreas Oikonomou (barrow man between 06.06.08 and 06.12.08). Alicia Carter and Guy Sanders oversaw the excavations.  ; ; History of Excavation; ; Corinth notebooks relate the extent of 1960s excavation activity in this area, which the excavators referred to as the western limits of the “1961 house.” Charles Williams (NB 253 from 1963) describes the northern and western walls bounding the space, noting that their deepest foundations appear to be Late Roman (Wall nos. 3 and 4, descriptions pp. 23, 26-27, and 29; drawn on pp. 10, 23, 16, 129). Williams also described uncovering the top of an E-W running wall that he called “Wall 6.” The foundations of a wall just to the N of Wall 6 were already visible to Williams when he was excavating, and that was given the name “Wall 5.” He excavated a deep deposit consisting of ash, carbon, mudbrick, plaster, and tiles on edge in the narrow space between the two walls, and speculated that this might represent foundations for a staircase. 2008 excavations around Walls 5 and 6 demonstrated that Wall 5, although truncated, continues eastward, and that the foundations of Wall 6 probably cut a surface much higher than where they rested when we began excavating. These observations make it more likely that the walls represent different phases of dividing the room(s) west of the courtyard, rather than a staircase. ; ; Each of the previously mentioned walls has been given a new number during the course of the 2008 excavations. The concordances between these numbers are: ; ; Wall 3, also given a 1960s number of Wall 58 (E-W wall bounding rooms to N, continues eastward from W limit at roughly 259 E) = Wall 5562; Wall 4 (N-S wall bounding rooms to W, runs from ca. 1039 to 1029 N = Wall 5724; Wall 5 (E-W wall abutting E facing section of Wall 5724, truncated to E) = Foundations: 5604, Wall Superstructure: 5603/5638; Wall 6 (E-W wall ostensibly bonding with Wall 5724, robbed out to E) = Wall 5725; ; The 1960s excavations were also responsible for the excavation of two pits within this space. One lay to the S of Wall 5725, and may have been discovered while excavators were attempting to locate the wall’s lowest limits. The other was located in the very SW corner of the area excavated in 2008, near the junction of Wall 5724 and the E-W wall running across the S limit of the room. This southern E-W wall does not appear to have a structure number corresponding to 1960s or 2008 excavations. This pit was excavated to the level of 84.80, which marks the top of a large cornerstone for an Ottoman building to the W. The construction of the Ottoman wall truncated part of Wall 5724. It is likely that 1960s excavators stopped when they reached the hard cornerstone and did not continue excavating within that space. ; ; 1960s excavations also identified a robbing trench for a large N-S running wall forming an eastern boundary between the courtyard to the E and its associated western room(s). That wall was labeled Wall 71; in 2008, the robbed wall was also given a number of 5473. The first top plan of this area for 2008 demonstrates the location and shape of each of the features described above, along with their elevations. ; ; The phasing of the walls begins with Wall 5562 and Wall 5724 which are demonstrably the earliest based on the depths of their foundations. Wall 5724 also has spatial and stratigraphic relationships with two other E-W walls to the W and N of the courtyard: Wall 5603/5638 (foundations = 5604), and Wall 5725. Wall 5725 appears to bond with Wall 5724 in multiple construction phases, making them contemporary. On the other hand, Wall 5603/5638 is a later reuse of a later foundation event, of which the upper limits do not survive. The robbing trench of Wall 5725 also has a relationship with the robbing trench of Wall 5473. Since the robbing trench of the E-W wall 5725 lies beneath the robbing trench of the N-S wall 5473, we surmise that Wall 5725 must have been robbed well before Wall 5473 was installed. ; ; Late Byzantine; ; Late Byzantine levels were excavated beneath Frankish fill just to the west of the junction between Wall 5562 and Wall 5473, and in the foundation trenches for Walls 5725 and 5724. These levels began at an elevation of approximately 84.85-84.99 to the S (fill 5768), and at an elevation of 84.75 to the N (top of foundation trench fill 5727, fill 5830).; ; The earliest features excavated during this season were the foundation trenches for N-S wall 5724 and E-W wall 5725. Because the walls appear to bond both at upper and lower levels, we expected to find a similar date for both foundation trenches. This proved to be the case, since the foundation trench cuts for Wall 5725 and Wall 5724 cut fill levels with dates in the first half of the 12th century (fills 5727 and 5768, respectively). Within the foundation trench of Wall 5724, a nearly complete jug and two-handled storage jar were recovered, possibly as an intentional foundation deposit within fill 5686. Unfortunately, the overlying levels 5547 and 5509 yielded pottery dating to the 3rd quarter of the 13th century, so the resolution of when the walls were definitively constructed remains rather coarse, within the range of early 12th-late 13th century.  ; ; When lower levels of Walls 5724 and 5725 were revealed during the excavation of the foundation trenches, it became apparent that each one has at least two phases of construction. The excavation of fill 5770 within the foundation trench for Wall 5724 revealed a change in soil strata that corresponded with a visible difference in the appearance of the wall coursing. If the foundation trench fill 5770 represents fill of a second lower foundation trench, then the earlier building event can be dated by a coin to 969-1030 or later. Further excavation is necessary to establish whether the lower level reached in the excavation of fill 5770 actually represents a foundation trench, since it would clearly cut a lower surface than the plastered surface exposed to the E of Wall 5724 at the end of excavations.; ; There also appears to be a robbing event that is Late Byzantine in date. The N-S oriented Robbing Trench 5791 runs from just S of the E-W Wall 5562 to a point where it meets with the robbed out section of E-W Wall 5725, at ca. 1035 N by 265 E. It underlies levels dated to the 12th century (5786), as well as one level dating to the 14th century (5586). The terminus post quem for its construction is context 5830, which dates based on coinage to 1140-1170. The rough terminus post quem from the fills yields dates in the early 12th century (fills 5790, 5840, and 5844). Although it cannot be definitively demonstrated that this robbing event took place during the 12th century as opposed to the 14th century, the dates from the fills seem to point primarily in that direction. The question of whether this is actually a robbing trench also remains open for discussion. The trench is thin, approximately 0.50 m wide, and runs alongside and over a series of small cobbles and tiles set into a line—possibly part of the unrobbed wall. This does appear to be somewhat unusual as a robbing event, though, since it seems more likely that they would have exposed the whole of the top of the wall. Further exploration to the E of the robbing trench as it exists now could be desirable for confirming or disproving the line that we have identified; it may instead represent a continuation of a debris surface that was exposed by Jody Cundy and Megan Thompsen their excavations in the room to the N of the 1960s courtyard. If we have identified a Late Byzantine robbing event of a N-S wall, then a shape emerges of a long rectangular room, bordered by Walls 5562, 5724, a robbed out N-S wall of cobble-tile construction (evidenced by Robbing Trench 5791), and probably also E-W cross wall 5725, which bonds with Wall 5724. The question of how the N room would have been accessed remains in question. ; ; It appears that this area once rested on a higher level than the open space to the E, since we have a difference of elevations at which use surfaces occur. In the courtyard to the E, there is a pebbled surface that appears to be truncated by some kind of division, since the pebbled surface does not occur within the area to the W. Instead, we have identified Late Byzantine foundation trenches cut into a level of Byzantine fill stratified above a plastered floor surface- the only surface that we definitively identified during the course of our excavations in this area. Note: this surface was not excavated in the 2008 season.; ; ; Frankish; ; Frankish periods are well represented to the W of the courtyard. Contexts with Frankish pottery occur between elevations from 85.62 (fill 5581) to ca. 84.55 to the N (contexts 5581, 5583, 5837, 5644), and relatively consistently between 84.95 (fills 5667, 5646; 5509 overlies and is still higher) and 84.55 to the S (fill 5744).; ; During this period, it appears that Wall 5725 was still in place, dividing the room into two halves. The N-S running wall that was robbed during the Late Byzantine period (Robbing Trench 5791) may or may not have been replaced at this time, which would leave the room open to the E. The date of the construction of Wall 5473 remains in question, but it probably would have replaced the earlier robbed wall. ; ; In the southern of the two western rooms, two pits were excavated. Pit cut 5767 was created at least as late as the mid 12th century (cutting fill 5768), and was filled in at least as late as the 2nd quarter of the 13th century (filled by 5754). It is SW in orientation, irregular in shape, and appears to have been truncated by the NE cornerstone of the Ottoman house to the W. Pit cut 5723 was excavated and filled in by the mid 13th century. It underlies fill 5667, which gives a terminus ante quem of mid-13th century for its filling; but the surface which the pit cuts (i.e., the plastered floor surface) has not yet been excavated, and refine the dating of this feature. Although these pits have been included in the summary of the Frankish period, it is possible that both of them are actually Late Byzantine in date. A great many features depend on their relationship with the white plastered floor surface, unexcavated as of 13.06.08. ; ; It would appear that during the 13th century, significant leveling activity took place in the room to the N of wall 5725. Several strata consisting of reddish brown fill with tiles were excavated from the area (contexts 5500, 5503, 5513, and 5494). These contexts lay at similar elevations, and reflect a late filling event that may have been associated with a change in function for the room. ; ; A pit was cut into these dumped fills (pit cut = 5498), and it then underwent subsequent filling activity that consisted of the dumping of various strata of debris and construction material inside of the pit (contexts 5516, 5497, 5491, 5481). Additionally, a stratum with a hard, white plaster consistency was deposited within the pit and spread across the majority of the room toward the E (contexts 5499, 5512, and 5537). All of these contexts have been dated to the last quarter of the 13th century and may represent a single filling event, utilizing different kinds of material.  Much later, perhaps as late as the 18th century, pit cut 5498 appears to have been utilized in the construction of a small wall spur (#5478), as a depression for setting the stones. ; ; Pit cut 5717 lay beneath the bottom boundary of 5498, making it the earlier of the two cuts; but the fact that it is filled by two Late 13th century fills must place its terminus of use not long before the construction of 5498. Since the surface that it cuts has not yet been excavated, it is impossible to say how long it has been in use. The fact that a pit was cut twice into the same location in spite of significant filling events suggests that it could be an important feature for establishing how this area functioned during the Frankish period. Three levels of mixed fill lay between the two cuts (5723, 5727, and 5744), one of which contained a gold ring of Roman date. The pit cut also truncates a small E-W wall spur (Wall #5875), which bonds with the highest courses of Wall 5724. This structure only continues for approximately 1.0 m, and its original extent may be revealed by further excavation, since we had not identified its bottom course as of the end of the 2008 season.; ; Fill 5723 also partially covered the Wall Foundations 5604, which lay beneath Wall 5603/5638. However, it is thought by the director that the foundations 5604 were originally cut into a much higher, later stratum. If they do actually underlie fill 5723, then their terminus ante quem is 1260 +/- 10. The cobble fill was also ostensibly overlain by cleaning pass 5547, which yielded pottery of the 3rd quarter of the 13th c. Even if we successfully determine the date of the foundations, it is nearly impossible to say what the date is for Wall 5603/5638, since there is no matrix of soil around the stones and their construction is definitely different from the cobbles of Wall 5604.; If these walls are Frankish, then their truncation must also be explained, as well as their function in a room where there was already an E-W dividing wall ( Wall 5725) in place. ; ;  A well was constructed in the N room during the second half of the 13th century. Unfortunately, the boundary for the top of the well cut was diffuse, making it difficult to definitively establish the time after which it was constructed. Although the director has speculated about a later level for the cut, I propose that the well was dug into fill deposit 5513, which has been dated to the 13th century. We know that the well was out of use and filled in by the 3rd quarter of the 13th century, since it is overlain by dumped fill 5512. Only a single layer of fill was excavated from the well, but there is more remaining if further excavation of that area makes further access practicable. ; ; In the S room, we uncovered what appeared to be a robbing trench for a N-S wall (Cut 5859). This robbing trench is oriented slightly differently from robbing trench 5791 in the N room, which dates to an earlier period. From the stratum that trench 5859 cuts (fill 5744), we know that it was created after the 3rd quarter of the 13th century. Overlying contexts 5735 and 5801 establish a terminus ante quem of 4th quarter of the 13th century for the robbing event. The trench is rather irregularly shaped and its limits were diffuse when we were first attempting to identify its path. In particular, we were puzzled by the fact that the trench did not appear to continue southward further than 1.5 m. If a wall did exist along that line, it does not appear to have been an extensive one. We are continuing to explore the potential boundaries of this wall to the S of cut 5859 (e.g., context 5870), and the possibility exists that its limits may be different from what we have currently identified. ; ; Dividing wall 5725 was also robbed (cut 5546) after the 3rd quarter of the 13th century and before the 4th quarter of the 13th century, if it is safe to assume that the trench was filled around the same time that it was cut. The wall was robbed to the E of where it intersected with both of the two aforementioned robbing trenches (5791 and 5859). The result was a truncation of the remaining exposed E-W running wall section, which remained in place between ca. 261-264.50 E. Therefore, the area to the W of the courtyard would have remained partially divided between N and S after the robbing. The robbing trench 5546 underlies the bottom of the robbing trench for Wall 5473, which presumably also means that the foundation event for Wall 5473 postdates the robbing of wall 5725. It remains in question to what extent these western room(s) were divided from the courtyard during the second half of the 13th century.  ;  ; Yet another robbing pit (cut 5719) was created to the E of Wall 5725 during the last quarter of the 13th century, probably for the purpose of robbing the lowest stones of the wall. It truncates robbing trenches 5791, 5546, and 5859, making it the latest of all four robbing events. There still remains some of this context to be excavated, since the boundary of the cut was diffuse where it overlay the wall 5725, and it was uncertain which strata belonged with the robbing event 5546 and which belonged with the later robbing pit (5719).; ; To the S, we explored the martyr of robbing trench 5893 (i.e., the robbing event of wall 5473). Our goal in examining the line of Wall 5493 was to determine where its W limits lay, so that we might be able to definitively determine whether or not there was ever a full length N-S predecessor further to the W that could have truncated wall 5725. While exploring the robbing trench fill, we also uncovered a foundation trench (#5894) for a later wall spur installation that cut into it. Since we know that the terminus post quem for the robbing event was 4th quarter of the 13th century at least (based on the fact that it overlies the robbing trench 5546 for E-W wall 5725), we also know that the foundation of the small wall spur must postdate that period. ; ; Conclusion; ; Excavation within the area to the W of the 1960s-excavated courtyard revealed Late Byzantine and Frankish construction events that indicate a consistent division of the space into N and S rooms. What remains unclear is whether those rooms were entirely separate and divided from each other, or whether access was readily available between them. According to the data set that we currently possess, it seems most feasible that Wall 5725 existed as a continuous E-W wall during the 12th century, dividing an area consisting of Wall 5562 to the N, Wall 5724 to the W, and another E-W wall to the S. There may or may not also have been a small N-S wall dividing the room to the N from the courtyard and the S room that was removed at this time, depending on how the evidence for robbing trench 5791 is interpreted; if it is regarded as a continuation of the tile deposit visible to the E, then that entire N area should be regarded as a continuous unit stretching from E-W. ; ; These walls may also have Middle Byzantine predecessors, but that question cannot be answered without further excavation below currently exposed levels. The presence of Middle Byzantine pottery within foundation trench fill pairing with a different kind of wall construction along similar lines (Wall 5724, fill 5770) suggests that this is at least a possibility. ; ; The Frankish period seems to have divided the courtyard space from the western space by robbing out Wall 5725 and installing a N-S running wall - possibly one that lay where putative robbing trench 5859 is located. The presence of a new N-S wall would explain the truncation of the E-W wall and the high elevation of Frankish fills within the W rooms. However, we have yet to locate an extensive N-S wall (or robbing event thereof) that would have functioned in this capacity.; ; ; ; ; I. Lotting registry; ; contexts saved: ; # 5481: fill of pit cut 5498, subpacking of wall 5478 (Frankish, 1300 +/- 10); # 5491: fill of pit cut 5498, subpacking of wall 5478 (Frankish, 1270-1280); # 5497: fill of pit cut 5498, subpacking of wall 5478  (Frankish, late 13th century); # 5499: Plaster pit lining (Frankish, 1280 +/- 10); # 5500: Stratum cut by pit 5498 (fourth quarter of the 13th); # 5547:  Fill between walls 5604/5603/5638 and wall 5725 (third quarter of the 13th); ; partial saves: ; # 5503: stratum cut by pit 5498 (fourth quarter of the 13th, needs final weights and counts); # 5512: plaster fill (third quarter of the 13th, needs final weights and counts); # 5516: clayey pit fill (c. 1300, needs final weights and counts); # 5667: fill cut by pit 5723 (mid 13th, needs final weights and counts); # 5675: fill of pit 5723 (mid 13th, needs final weights and counts); # 5686: fill of foundation trench 5718 for wall 5724 (early 12th, 1120 +/- 10); # 5703: fill of robbing cut 5719 (fourth quarter of the 13th, mini lot with 5708, frankish and loomweight held); # 5708: fill of robbing cut 5719 (fourth quarter of the 13th, mini lot with 5703); # 5735: dumped fill to W of 1960s excavated courtyard (fourth quarter of the 13th, needs final weights and counts); #5754:  stony fill within pit cut 5667 (second quarter of the 13th); (# 5778: soft fill within robbing trench 5791 (third quarter of the 13th, glaze ware held for lotting with 5798); # 5798: fill within robbing trench 5859 (fourth quarter of the 13th, saved for lotting with 5778); # 5870: fill to W of 1960s excavated courtyard (late 13th); # 5604: fill within cobble wall foundations; ; saved for mending: ; # 5558: fill covering and filling well 5806 (Frankish, mid-13th c.); ; ; II. Lotting groups for relevant features (saved contexts bolded) ; ; Pit cut 5498; 4th quarter of the 13th c., out of use by 1300; TPQs for construction: cuts 5503 (4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery); 5513 (13th c., pottery); 5500 (4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery); TPQs for filling events: 5516 (1300, pottery), 5499 (1280 +/- 10, pottery), 5497 (late 13th, NPD, pottery), 5491 (1270-1289), 5481 (1300 +/- 10, pottery); TAQs: overlying contexts unknown.; ; Pit cut 5717; 4th quarter of the 13th century; TAQ/TPQ: Underlies and is filled by 5627 (late, 13th, pottery); TPQ for filling: Filled by 5644 (late 13th, pottery); TPQ: cuts same reddish brown tiled surface as robbing trench 5491; TAQ: definitely overlain by 5503 (4th quarter of the 13th, pottery); ; Cut 5806 for well 5876 ; Constructed and filled by the 4th quarter of the 13th century; TPQ for construction: G.S. feels that level of cut unknown, so no definitive TPQ; ; TAQ for filling: out of use by 3rd quarter of the 13th century, because overlain by 5512 (=5499) (3rd quarter of the 13th c., pottery) and 5537 (2nd half of the 13th c., NPD, pottery);; TPQ for filling: Top fill and covering head: 5558 (mid 13th c., pottery), if cuts 5513, TPQ date is 13th century.; ; Robbing pit 5719 (E of Wall 5725); excavated and filled in the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TPQ for filling: Filled by 5703 (=5708), 4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery; ; TPQs for construction of trench: Robbing trench for 5725 is truncated by 5719;;  Robbing trench 5791 is truncated by 5719; 5719 cuts 5735 (4th quarter of the 13th); 5719 cuts 5746 (Frankish, 3rd quarter of the 13th c.); 5719 cuts 5837 (3rd quarter of the 13th c.); ; S. Robbing trench 5859; Excavated and filled in by the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TAQs for filling: 5744 overlies (3rd quarter of the 13th, pottery), 5735 overlies (4th quarter of the 13th, pottery), 5801 overlies (Frankish, 2nd half of the 13th century); cut by robbing pit cut 5719 (4th quarter of the 13th c., TAQ); TPQs for filling: Fill 5798 (Frankish, 4th quarter of the 13th century), 5808 (Frankish, 3rd quarter to mid 13th c.), 5812 (2nd quarter of the 13th, strat. relationship), 5816 (Late Byzantine, Late 11th), 5822 (Late Byzantine, early 11th/early 12th), 5858 (2nd quarter of the 13th, strat. Relationship); TPQs for construction: 5746 (3rd quarter of the 13th century, pottery), Plastered surface; or, if it cuts 5667, mid 13th, pottery; ; Cobble wall foundations 5604; Need to know level of top of cut to know TPQ; cobble fill overlain by 5547 (3rd quarter of the 13th c., rough TPQ); ; Pit cut 5723; excavated and filled in by the mid 13th c. ; TPQ for construction: Cuts plastered surface; TAQ for construction: Underlies 5667 (mid 13th c., pottery) ; TPQ for filling of pit: 5675 (mid 13th c., pottery); ; N. Robbing trench 5791 (N-S); 1140-1170 or later; TAQs for filling: 5786 overlies to W (Late Byzantine, 12th century), 5586 overlies to E (14th c.? or later); TPQs for construction of trench: cuts same level cut by well, same level cut by pit 5717; it’s a flat reddish brown tiled surface.; TPQs for filling:  5778 (3rd quarter of the 13th), 5790 (12th c., NPD), 5840 (Late Byzantine, 1090-1110), 5844 (Late Byzantine, 12th century); ; Pit cut 5767 (the SW corner pit); Constructed 1150+, filled in by 1250.; TAQ for filling: Contexts overlying cut unknown, filled at least as late as the mid 13th.; TPQs for construction: fill 5668 (mid 12th c., pottery) is cut by 5767; TPQ for filling: filled by 5754 (2nd quarter of the 13th century, pottery); ; III. Phasing of features based on pottery dates and stratigraphic relationships; ; Post-Frankish; Corner of Ottoman house (top of cut unknown); Corner of Ottoman house (top of cut unknown); E-W wall spur 5478: 18th century? No foundation for upper part of wall spur; ; E-W wall 5603/5638: Probable reuse of foundations 5604, so impossible to date; ; Foundations of 5604: need to know level of top of cut to know TPQ; cobble fill overlain by 5547 (3rd quarter of the 13th c., rough TPQ); ; ; Frankish; Foundation trench # 5894 for wall spur E of 5473: 4th quarter of the 13th century or later, strat. relationship; TPQ for filling event: fill 5892 (Late 13th, strat. relationship); TPQ for construction: cuts robbing trench 5893 (filled in by 3rd quarter of the 13th c. or later, pottery); ; Robbing trench # 5893 for wall 5473: 4th quarter of the 13th c. or later, pottery; ; TPQ for filling event: fill 5510, fill 5886 (3rd quarter of 13th), fill 5770 (Late 13th); TAQ for filling event: foundation trench 5894 cuts robbing trench 5893; TPQ: overlies cut 5446, which dates to the 4th quarter of the 13th century.; ; Robbing trench # 5546 for wall 5725: Excavated and filled in by the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TAQ for filling: 5837 (3rd quarter of the 13th, stratigraphic relationship); Underlies robbing trench for wall 5473 (4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery); TPQs for filling: Filled after 5852 (Frankish, 3rd quarter of the 13th century); ; Pit cut 5717: 4th quarter of the 13th century; TAQ/TPQ: Underlies and is filled by 5627 (late, 13th, pottery); definitely overlain by 5503 (4th quarter of the 13th, pottery); TPQ for filling: Filled by 5644 (late 13th, pottery); TPQ for construction: cuts same reddish brown tiled surface as robbing trench 5491; ; Pit cut 5498: 4th quarter of the 13th c., out of use by 1300; TPQs for construction: cuts 5503 (4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery); 5513 (13th c., pottery); 5500 (4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery); TPQs for filling events: 5516 (1300, pottery), 5499 (1280 +/- 10, pottery), 5497 (late 13th, NPD, pottery), 5491 (1270-1289), 5481 (1300 +/- 10, pottery); TAQs: 5516 (1300, pottery), 5494 (1275-1300, pottery); ; Robbing pit 5719 (E of Wall 5725): excavated and filled in the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TPQ for filling: Filled by 5703 (=5708), 4th quarter of the 13th c., pottery; ; TPQs for construction of trench: Robbing trench for 5725 is truncated by 5719;;  Robbing trench 5791 is truncated by 5719; 5719 cuts 5735 (4th quarter of the 13th); 5719 cuts 5746 (Frankish, 3rd quarter of the 13th c.); ; We underdug this context and there is still some martyr remaining. ; ; S. Robbing trench # 5859 for N-S wall: Excavated and filled in by the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TAQs for filling: 5744 overlies (3rd quarter of the 13th, pottery), 5735 overlies (4th quarter of the 13th, pottery), 5801 overlies (Frankish, 2nd half of the 13th century), cut by robbing pit cut 5719 (4th quarter of the 13th c.); TPQs for filling: Fill 5798 (Frankish, 4th quarter of the 13th century), 5808 (Frankish, 3rd quarter to mid 13th c.), 5812 (2nd quarter of the 13th c., stratigraphic relationship), 5816 (Late Byzantine, Late 11th), 5822 (Late Byzantine, early 11th/early 12th); TPQs for construction: 5746 (3rd quarter of the 13th century, pottery), cuts plastered surface.; ; Cut for well 5806: constructed and filled by the 4th quarter of the 13th c.; TPQ for construction: G.S. feels that level of cut unknown; I suggest that it cut level 5513 (13th century); TAQ for filling: out of use by 3rd quarter of the 13th century, because overlain by 5512 (3rd quarter of the 13th c., pottery) and 5537 (2nd half of the 13th c., NPD, pottery);; TPQ for filling: Top fill 5558 also covers head (mid 13th c., pottery); ; Pit cut 5767 (the SW corner pit): mid 13th; TAQ for filling: Contexts overlying cut unknown, filled at least as late as the mid 13th; if 5509 overlies, then the TAQ is the 3rd quarter of the 13th c.; TPQs for construction: 5668 (mid 12th c., pottery) is cut by 5767; TPQ for filling: filled by 5754 (2nd quarter of the 13th century, pottery); ; Pit cut 5723: excavated and filled in by the mid 13th c. ; TPQ for construction: Cuts plastered surface; TAQ for construction: Underlies 5667 (mid 13th c., pottery) ; TPQ for filling of pit: 5675 (mid 13th c., pottery); ; Late Byzantine; ; N. Robbing trench 5791 (N-S): 1140-1170 or later.; TAQs for filling: 5786 overlies to W (Late Byzantine, 12th century), 5586 overlies to E (14th c.? or later); TPQs for construction of trench: cuts same level cut by well, same level cut by pit 5717; it’s a flat reddish brown tiled surface, cuts 5830 (1140-1170); TPQs for filling: 5778 (3rd quarter of the 13th), 5790, 5840 (Late Byzantine, 1090-1110), 5844 (Late Byzantine, 12th century); ; N foundation trench, Wall 5725 (cut #5721): 1st half of the 12th century; TPQs: cuts 5727 (early 12th, NPD, pottery); TPQ for filling: 5727 (early 12th, NPD, pottery); 5711 (Late Byzantine, late 11th); TAQ for filling: 5547 (3rd quarter of the 13th c.); There are other fill levels to be excavated, but they may relate to an earlier phase of wall. ; Wall 5725 bonds with Wall 5724.; ; S foundation trench, Wall 5725 (cut # 5720): 1st half of the 12th century; TPQs for construction: Cuts (at least) 5768 (mid 12th c., pottery); ; TPQ for fillingFilled by 5680 (12th c., NPD, pottery); possibly we missed a 2nd layer of fill. ; TAQ for filling: to the best of our knowledge, overlain by 5509 (3rd quarter of the 12th c., pottery); Wall 5725 bonds with 5724.; ; Foundation trench, wall 5724 (cut # 5718): 1st half of the 12th century; TPQs: At least cuts 5768 (mid 12th c., pottery); TPQ; TPQs for filling: 5686 (1120 +/- 10 or early 12th, pottery); lower fill 5770 (969-1030, coin; late 10th/early 11th, pottery) may relate to an earlier construction event.; TAQS: to our knowledge, overlain by 5509 (3rd quarter of the 12th century, pottery); Wall 5725 bonds with 5724.","",""