12 LUGLIO 2017  

Area 2000

Continued excavating in the northwest corner of area 2000 (2811) approximately 6 inches in depth. Pickaxed over the entire surface to remove rocks and similar obstructions. Fragmented bone was found along the south edge of 2811 which was very fragile when being removed. Bone fragments were bagged and recorded. As well we uncovered a "brick ring"  in the northeast corner of the same context. Reached a new context in the NW corner of the area, composed of brown-red silty clay, overlying the sterile layer.

In the southeast corner of area 2000, another group of excavators began preparing the area for excavation by trowel cleaning the entire area. Due to the unevenness of the surface in that section, multiple cleanings were required. Cleaning was done in expectation of beginning to excavate a suspected burial feature along the south wall of the area.

Area 3000

Nella porzione sud-occidentale del Settore B è stata completata la documentazione e la successiva rimozione dell’individuo USK 3793, orientato W-E e deposto supino in US – 3789, a ridosso della facciata USM 3380 che lo intercetta in corrispondenza del torace. Nella porzione settentrionale è stata messa in luce una nuova interfaccia, caratterizzata da uno strato a matrice argillosa (US 3751) piuttosto compatto che è intercettato da alcune fosse sepolcrali da attribuirsi verosimilmente alla fase di frequentazione della chiesa di XI secolo. Verso nod-ovest sono stati individuati i limiti di alcune tombe orientate W-E (in particolare UUSS – 3801, -3803 e -3805) ed alcune buche di forma circolare e di piccole dimensioni, forse in fase con le sepolture stesse. 

Today, skeleton 3793 (remains in south west corner of sector B) was partially removed, the skeleton 3800 continued to be exposed, and the north west portion of sector B was cleaned for photogrammetry and then exposed the multiple cuts & fills of 3825. There was one tooth and two small bone fragments found in fill 3827 but nothing besides yellow clay, silt and lithic material in the other holes. The 3800 remains had multiple upper and lower limb bones and one partial foot (orientation unknown) exposed. It’s thought to potentially be laying on the right side of the remains, exposing its left side. Tomorrow, two potential graves will be opened in 3825, 3800 border remains will continue to be exposed and the rest of 3793 will be removed for restoration and analysis.

Area 5000

Today we began to sledgehammer the eastern area in order to continue expanding our area of excavation. The first few layers contained a few pieces of pottery and were very thin; however the third layer was thick (nearly a foot) containing bone fragments, pottery, rocks of various types and sizes, and nails. A Long thin scrap of metal (around four inches long) was also uncovered in this layer but it has yet to be identified. We plan to continue leveling out these newly exposed sections and hope to eventually bring it down the the same level of section B and C.

Area 6000

Prosegue la messa in luce delle tombe A e B del settore Sud dell'area. Per quanto riguarda la prima è emerso, lungo il margine orientale, ciò che rimane di un infante (USk 6189, costituito da femore, tibia e fibula destra oltre ai resti del femore sinistro) tagliato trasversalmente dallo scavo della fossa US -6174 per la deposizione dell'individuo USk 6175 e orizzontalmente dalla messa in opera del piano bituminoso costituente il parcheggio attuale. Per quanto riguarda la tomba B è stata rimossa la copertura in lastre di ardesia US 6173 scoprendo le spallette USM 6194 e due strati: uno di disturbo, sulla metà orientale della struttura (US 6188) e caratterizzato da una forte confusione di elementi ossei integri e casualmente disposti; un secondo più organico (US 6193) nella metà occidentale, protetto dalle lastre di copertura che, al momento della rimozione, risultavano ancora in situ senza tracce di alterazione antropica. La tomba a cassa si pone perpendicolarmente alla facciata di XII secolo dell'abbazia, in concerto con le precedenti scavati durante le scorse campagne e delineando una fascia dedicata a questa tipologia costruttiva ben delimitata.

For context 6188 the median section was levelled and two osseous elements were recovered. The stratum was comprised of a brown soil with yellow granular flecks as well as small stones and brick fragments. We also finished levelling context 6186, which revealed another context categorised by a third set of partial skeletal remains (labelled 6184), hypothesised to be juvenile. We then took photographs of the area so that the new context could be excavated and bagged to continue digging beneath it. We also removed some of the remaining slate plates covering a burial to continue levelling 6188 and found another slate rock under the removed slates. This is most likely over the cranium of context 6188.