| Collection: | Corinth | |
| Type: | Basket | |
| Name: | Temple E, Southeast, context 317 | |
| Area: | Temple E, Southeast | |
| Title: | Grave cut with capital marker | |
| Notebook: | 1108 | |
| Context: | 317 | |
| Date: | 2014/05/15 | |
| Description: | Top slope of the context is level. The context shape in plan is sub-rectangular. The top break of the cut is sharp. The sides of the cut are vertical. The break at the base of the cut is sharp. The base of the cut is tapered blunt point. Truncation: Truncated at south end by grave 2014-04 (grave cut 188). | |
| Notes: | On 14/5/14, this grave cut was defined north of the threshold grave and as being cut by it (grave 2014-04). It appears to be a cut against a small bench-like structure (302) to its west and to follow the orientation of the N-S wall 21. It is probably the most northerly grave in the church's NE corner. This cut had a column capital as a grave marker. On 15/5 - 16/5, the top lens of grave fill was removed as context 308. This context was sieved 100% through 7 mm mesh. 1 bucket (approx 5 %) was reserved for flotation. Panagiotis and Angela worked at the wheel-barrow and the sieve. Much broken tile and ceramic, lots of disarticulated human bone, and a small amount of glass and iron were recovered. This context also contained large amounts of pebbles (some cobbles) and plaster chunks which made the ground quite hard and excavation required a small pick. Only 1 piece of painted plaster was kept. Excavation was suspended on this grave on 16/5 and part of 19/5 in order to determine the association of a bench-like structure (302) to this cut. After its removal and the removal of the leveling course under it (324), it seems as though 317 was cut along the face of 302 after all. Excavation resumed on the grave fill in 19/5 and progressed to 6/6 as context 347. On 20/5, a layer of flat, broken tiles was uncovered as part of this fill, though no differentiation was observed in the matrix above and/or below this layer. (Top: 85.09, Bottom: 85.03). Below the tile, bones are present including the articulated feet discovered in the bottom of grave 2014-04. On 21/5 - 23/5 and 2/6 - 6/6, more of these bones, including a pile along the east cut wall of at least 1 disarticulated individual (BL 2014-15, Skeleton 391), were uncovered, as well as one extended burial (skeleton 375, BL 2014-16). The disarticulated bone pile probably belongs to the previous interment in the grave, which was either removed prior to placing the extended burial in the bottom, or pushed to the side to make room for this individual. The primary burial is extended and supine, with the arms crossed over the abdomen and the legs extended out straight. The right arm is higher than the left on the body, but tucked under the left arm. Both arms are palm down on the body. The head and shoulders are elevated, with the head to the north and tucked into the NW corner of the grave cut, much like the "lugist" position noted for the primary interments in graves 2014-04, -03, and -06. The head is facing south, and does not have any stones are tiles propping the head or mandible into place, though a layer of tile fragments, laid roughly horizontal, and coarse pebbles separate the primary inhumation from the secondary bone pile. The mandible is accordingly gaping open and resting on the cervical vertebrae. The primary inhumation appears at preliminary glance to be an elderly male. By 26/5, the secondary bone pile was mapped and mostly removed (session 2), though a few elements, probably associated were later exposed on the west side of the primary inhumation. Some of these elements, however, appear to belong to a separate grave which was disturbed by the digging of this one, as they extend to the W into black, sediment rich with greenish clay inclusions under the bench-like structure (302). At least one individual was buried in this grave, as the skull is visible near the right femur of the primary inhumation. By 5/6, the primary inhumation was mapped, photographed and removed from the grave. On 6/6 the bototm of the grave cut was identified and the boundaries of the earlier grave identified to the best abilities. The disturbed grave fill was removed as context 472, and the bones most likely to have belonged to this earlier grave removed as skeleton context 473. 2 flotation samples were taken from the lower grave fill (347) - one from under the tile layer (top: 85.09), and one from the material in and around the pelvis of the primary inhumation. Some infant material was also retrieved from the grave scattered as individual elements and mainly on the L. side (E) of the primary inhumation. | |
| Period: | Turkish I (1458-1680 AD) | |
| Grid: | 123.9-122.78E, 1071.96-1073.89N | |
| XMin: | 122.78 | |
| XMax: | 123.9 | |
| YMin: | 1071.96 | |
| YMax: | 1073.89 | |
| Site: | Corinth | |
| City: | Ancient Corinth | |
| Country: | Greece | |
| Masl: | 84.71-85.44m. | |
| References: | Images (8) |