03 LUGLIO 2017  

Generale

Inizia oggi la terza settimana di scavo. 

Area 2000

We were able to begin excavating again after our area was flooded for a few days. Because of the flood, there was a large deposits of sediment washed in and around the area with our exposed skeleton (which was covered during the rainy days). Half of the group trowl cleaned the north section with the skeleton, while the other half began cleaning the south section before starting excavation there. For the first half of the day, half of us we re-excavated the skeleton, finding the feet, femora and other lower limbs, and the cranium. As well as this, the other half began finding grave outlines in the south section; only one burial was known to be there at first, but two more grave outlines were traced. Right next to the burials in the south section, a post-hole was dug, containing three layers of charcoal with large stones seperating each of the layers. A cluster of three rocks were found in the post-hole that aligned with the 14th century wall, but were easily removed (not part of the wall). After lunch, we uncovered the os coxae, first vetebral portion of the sacrum, other vertebra bodies, the left distal portions of the radius and ulna, and the left phalanges; on top of this, the grave cut was found. Tomorrow, we will finish excavating the skeleton and remove it, and start excavating the burials in the south section.

Area 3000

Perpendicolare alla facciata USM 3380, nella porzione sud-occidentale del Settore B, è stata completata la messa in luce dell’individuo USK 3786, orientato W-E e deposto leggermente in decubito laterale sinistro all’interno della fossa sepolcrale US – 3771. L’inumato, probabilmente una donna sui 25-30 anni, si presenta complessivamente in buono stato di conservazione; del cranio, in apparizione laterale sinistra, si conserva solamente la mandibola, mentre il resto è stato intercettato ed asportato dalla facciata dell’abbazia di XII secolo, che risulta quindi di epoca successiva alla sepoltura in questione. Il lato sinistro del corpo sembra essere addossato alla parete settentrionale della fossa, mentre il resto del corpo si trova ad una maggiore profondità, come se fosse scivolato sul fondo. Gli arti superiori sono entrambi leggermente flessi sul bacino; l’arto inferiore sinistro è leggermente flesso, mentre quello destro è disteso; le caviglie sono chiuse ed i piedi uniti contro la parete orientale della tomba. Al di sotto del femore destro è stato rinvenuto un chiodo che potrebbe avvalorare l’ipotesi della presenza originaria di alcune tavole lignee du cui doveva essere stato adagiato il defunto, le quali, una volta decomposte, avrebbero causato la slittamento di alcune parti del corpo verso il fondo irregolare della fossa stessa. Lungo il perimetrale meridionale USM 5003 è stato quasi completato lo scavo dell’individuo USK 3781, che sarà meglio documentato nel corso della giornata di domani.

Today we continued to excavate the skeleton fill 3770 and the skeleton in sector B south of the east-west trench was completely exposed and photographed. Tomorrow, the skeleton in 3770 will be further exposed and photographed by staff for photogrammetry. We are hopeful that both skeletons will be completely removed tomorrow.

Area 5000

Oggi sono state scavate molte delle buche messe in luce nei giorni precedenti. Si presentano molto diverse tra loro, sia nel riempimento che nella dimensione e nella profondità. Una di esse, US 5362 presentava al suo interno numerosi frammenti ceramici privi di rivestimento e due grandi scorie metalliche. Queste sembrano avere origine ferrosa e sarà interessante scoprire nel corso delle indagini quale ruolo avessero all'interno dell'abbazia. I tagli presentano comunque un certo allineamento che farebbe pensare a un impostazione di pali utili a sorreggere una struttura lignea di forma circolare precedente alla costruzione della chiesa abbaziale. Saranno le prossime indagini a stabilire che tipo di relazione ci sia tra le numerose evidenze stratigrafiche individuate fino a adesso.

Today we continued the excavation of section c following the discovery of several new holes. We began excavating three of the larger holes and found each to be unique in construction and contents. One, to north of the western side of the bell foundry, was roughly twenty centimeters deep with a squared off, flattened base, containing fill composed of loosely packed clay and several large cobbles of uneven, rounded shape between ten and fifteen centimeters in diameter. The second of the larger holes was dircetly to the north of the bell foundry and was approximately thirty to forty centimeters deep with a rounded base and contained similar loose clay with a high concentration of charcoal. The third such hole was roughly thirty five centimeters deep, also with a rounded bottom. It too contained similar soil as well as some red clay and pottery fragments, which were bagged and will be washed and examined later. We continued excavating the smaller holes that dot the section, most of which were most likely for temporary supports for posts during construction of whatever structure was originally in area 5000. One hole, isolated from the other holes of similar size and not positioned near an associated post hole as the others were, toward the northern edge of section c, was roughly twenty to twenty five centimeters deep, with a pointed base, and was entirely filled with ash and charcoal, possibly associated with black staining on a patch of soil nearby, possibly remnants of a fire, which is to be excavated over the next few days.

Area 6000

Una volta terminata la documentazione relativa alla sepoltura USK 6175 è iniziata la rimozione della suddetta. Sul lato occidentale del settore è invece proseguita la rimozione del riempimento US 6169 all'interno del quale, allineata sul margine meridionale, sta venendo alla luce una serie di ossa che, dopo ulteriori indagini, potrebbe confermare la presenza o meno di una riduzione.

We finished exposing the remains in 6168 and began to excavate them from the burial.  We removed the upper and lower extremities and are working on the pelvis and vertebrae next.  These bones will be later analyzed in a laboratory setting.  For this burial, we finished completing a skeletal context sheet to document more information about the location of the remains and about the cut of the burial.  We continued to remove the burial fill of 6169 to expose any remains present and revealed a possible reduction located around the edges of the cut.  While removing the fill, we also found a cow vertebra!