21 GIUGNO 2018  

Generale

La quarta giornata di scavi è terminata. Sullo scavo sono venute a trovarci le ragazze della Summerschool in Osteoarchaeology and Paleopathology, organizzata dalla Divisione di Paleopatologia e da IRLAB.

Area 3000

Nella porzione sud-orientale del Settore B è iniziata la messa in luce dell’individuo in connessione anatomica USK 3889, orientato W-E e deposto in decubito dorsale all’interno della fossa sepolcrale US – 3887. Lungo le pareti della tomba, in particolare lungo il margine nord-occidentale, è stato individuato un livello di riduzione (US 3891)riferibile ad almeno due individui adulti, un maschio ed una femmina, i cui resti osteologici sono parzialmente collocati attorno ed immediatamente al di sopra del corpo dell’inumato USK 3889. Nella porzione settentrionale del settore continua la rimozione dei riempimenti UUSS 3896 e 3902, rispettivamente all’interno di UUSS – 3895 e – 3901, con lo scopo di mettere in luce gli individui USK 3905 e USK 3905, entrambi orientati W-E e deposti supini.

Today at the site more bones were uncovered in graves 3891, 3902, and 3896. In 3891 some scattered teeth and a vertebrae were found, none of which belonging to a known skeleton. On skeleton 3889 two metatarsals along with a radius and ulna from right arm were found. In grave 3902 a skull was exposed and the teeth found with it are in tact. In grave 3896 skeletal remains were uncovered of a supposed adolescent individual, which included some of the individual’s arms, legs, and pelvic bone, which are now exposed. 3891 was sprayed with water and the rest of the graves were covered with geotextile.

Area 5000

The students in section D cleaned the section in preparation for a photograph of the exposed bone in the burial pit. Once the photo was taken, the bones were removed and documented. The pit was then cleaned again and cleared. The students then began to dig the burial pits to find and expose new layers that were more consistent with the ground surrounding the burial pits. One burial pit was excavated to uncover a different color clay which we can infer belongs to a separate layer cut by the church wall and another layer. The newly excavated pits were cleaned and photographed. Two pot sherds and several teeth were found in the burial pits. The students in section C continued to excavate 1cm of soil before cleaning off the southern half of the area. The area was wetted to look for the extent of any holes that remain under the surface, before we cleaned the southeastern portion. An interesting hole adjacent to the eastern wall was excavated. This revealed slate similar to the burials in areas 3000 and 6000 and what appears to be part of a tibia that may extend below the wall. We also found non-native mineral, a drip of bronze, marble, and pottery. The area on the opposite side of the wall that appears to be an extension of the hole (existing before the wall was erected) was cleared and pickaxed level to section C. Tomorrow we will begin to excavate the newly cleaned section to investigate further.

Area 6000

Today we continued to slowly excavate several burials in area 6000. On the western side of 6208 we continued to excavate the cranium we discovered yesterday but we are still searching for the perimeter of the burial. As we continue to search for the perimeter it began to appear that the cranium is a reduction instead of a fully-intact burial. We have yet to identify the perimeter of this potential burial. On the east side of 6208, first we found what might be a cervical or thoracic vertebrae. Next, it appeared as though we found two additional bones which we cannot yet identify. In this process, our goal was to level out the sediment.

In the west portion of 6209, we continued to level out the burial. We slowly reveled additional loose elements, including part of a cranium, a left humerus, radius and ulna and multiple ribs. On the east side of 6209 there is currently a partially-exposed burial. It is our estimation that the burial is one body, despite the fact that there are cut stones in between the two halves of the skeleton. In the lower half of the burial we further exposed the tibia and the beginnings of a femur. The left leg is fully exposed at this point. In the other half of the burial, so far we have found a crushed cranium, a connecting vertebrae, a scapula, clavicle, ribs and the possibility of a radius and ulna.

The eastern-most section of 6000, up against the façade, contains a two-foot square of interest which we have leveled down. Here we discovered the edge of a cut that contains what appears to have come out of previous burials as new holes were dug. Aside from many rocks, we discovered a partial jaw, multiple phalanges, and part of a fibula along with various additional chunks of unidentifiable bones.