18 GIUGNO 2018  

Generale

Inizia lunedì 18 giugno 2018 l'ottava campagna di scavi a Badia Pozzeveri.

Dopo gli straordinari risultati della scorsa estate, le ricerche riprendono da dove si sono fermate, per approfondire la conoscenza dei livelli archeologici dell'abbazia medievale ed esplorare i contesti cimiteriali attorno alla chiesa di San Pietro.

Terminate le indagini delle aree 1000 e 4000, poste rispettivamente in prospicienza dell'abside e del chiostro, gli scavi andranno ad investire i seguenti saggi:

• Area 2000: posta lungo il perimetro nord della chiesa, investe un cimitero che ha dato alla luce in questi anni un enorme campione scheletrico di oltre 150 individui, tra cui 8 colerosi del 1855.
• Area 3000: è stata aperta di fronte al fronte della chiesa e ha permesso il ritrovamento delle antiche facciate medievali, di fosse fusorie per le campane e di numerose sepolture moderne e medievali.
• Aree 5000 e 7000: aperte lo scorso anno tra le aree 3000 e 4000, insistono sui contesti relativi agli ambienti del monastero.
• Aree 6000: aperto immediatamente a ovest di Area 3000, ha lo scopo di investigare le strutture legate all'edificio sacro e funzionali alla vita del cenobio.

Area 3000

We began our first day in the field for session one by removing all of the geotextile from Area 3000. After which we began on the North end of section B, we brushed sediments  off of the stone wall and began removing the sediments and grass from the grave areas with trowels. During this cleaning process, in the grave in North Western corner within in the twelth century facade, we found a fragment of a mandable prodtruding from the wall. We were able to finish the first half of section B ending at the trench in the center of the extension area.

Area 5000

Today we started by removing the tarps, hay, and dirt from the site and relocating the tarps to the nearby field. Afterwards we began cleaning the already excavated areas, clearing them of debris. Once we did, we separated into two groups. One group, in a sectioned off corner, carefully cleared the clay and dirt off of the tarp that covered the two burials in the section. While removing the dirt various pottery shards, a tooth, and what may be bone were discovered. The other group cleared away the dirt to reveal the ground layer, during which a tooth was discovered. However, it is unknown what strata it belongs to. We will continue the clearing on Tuesday.

Area 6000

Today was our first day excavating at Badia Pozzevari church, we all arrived later that usual due to our orientation and a brief history lesson on the region and landscape. We began with Alessandro explaining a little bit about the areas that were being excavated. Today, before anything, we were cleaning and prepping the site so that it was in the condition in which it was left approximately one year ago. We began with the cleaning of the site which included; removing dirt, grass, rocks, and weeds from the tarps and planks that had been placed over the excavated areas. Once the tarps and other items were cleared, we began removing the excess dirt off the first layer of stratum. At this point, we began using only trowels and brushes on the areas. For the remaining walls in between the bricks, we used exclusively brushes to remove the soil. During the removal of the soil as well as other out of context remains were found. This includes; a molar, a portion of a maxilla, and a long bone fragment. Also, at the site, there was a partially visible grave with part of the skeleton. Tomorrow, we most likely will continue with brushing off the stone wall that separates the graves.