Corinth Basket Nezi Field, context 1002

Collection:		Corinth
Type:		Basket
Name:		Nezi Field, context 1002
Area:		Nezi Field
Title:		Reddish soil below 999 in Cut 870
Category:		Deposit
Notebook:		1107
Context:		1002
Page:		0
Date:		2013/04/05
Stratum:		20% inclusions: tile, ceramic sherds, fine and medium pebbles, plaster, marble fragments
Description:		Top slope of the context is level down to the E. The soil color is dark reddish brown. The soil compaction is firm. The soil is poorly sorted. It is sandy silt.
Notes:		This contexct is a continuation of the fill of Pit 870. Although we believe we are getting closer to the end of the pit because we have revealed horizontally oriented features in the north, west, and east scarps (a plaster surface and a large boulder associated with the wall forming part of the lower east scarp), the fill in this context is contained within the bounds of the pit and does not run under it, and likely resulted from a dump of material. The soil was moderately compact and more red in color than the previous layers. It contained much pottery and tile, as well as small flecks of charcoal. A marble fragment of a molding and an aditional sculptural fragment were also found. While digging, we managed to uncover more of the plaster and stone surface in the north part at the bottom of the cut. Thanasis the Pickman cleaned around the surface and it is clear that the layer is quite thick, around 10cm, and the mixture of plaster and stones would have been waterproof. The context 1002 is also located partially under the plaster surface in the central part, creating a small hole underneath it, and continues further down in the central part of the pit around the stones and other plaster surfaces (mentioned below). This hole is located opposite of a small hole in the south scarp of the pit, which was filled with soil of both contexts 999 and 1002. In the southern part of the pit, a layer of plaster became visible; it is located immediately north of the small stones revealed in the south scarp of the cut 870. Pieces of plaster and tile were also intermixed in the soil. In the eastern part we came down upon a layer of flat stones and tile laid out horizontally, perhaps belonging to a part of original surface of the pit (?). While we have not reached the bottom of the cut in the center of the pit, the central deposit is getting smaller in diameter as we keep digging. In the eastern-central part of the pit, however, we came down upon some more stones and plaster surfaces, which were laid out horizontally in three layers N-S direction. The large stones comprised the easternmost part of this feature, however, are covered with dark reddish brown soil of a firmer composition than the current deposit, which also runs around the large stones in the eastern scarp of the pit. At this point, unfortunately, we are not able to see the stratigraphic relationship between the large stones, the firmer reddish brown soil that seems to cotinue under and around it, and the smaller flatter stones in the eastern-central part of the pit. The middle step is comprised of a layer of plaster and flat tiles of yellowsish color, while the last step, closest to the central part of the pit, is comprised of a layer of plaster and flat stones. In the western part of the pit, there seems to be a layer of stones and plaster of unknown thickness, and a thin layer of flat tile and plaster above it, which is partially visible in the western scarp of the pit. (end of notes 5/4/2013) (start of notes 9/4/2013): On Monday (8/4), we were unable to excavate due to rain. When we returned to the site on Tuesday (9/4), it became clear that the fill of the pit was finished. Much of the bottom of the pit is now filled with features. On the north, we have the plaster surface revealed in context 999. In the east, there is the large block possibly associated with the wall in the east scarp. At the south, we have another piece of plaster surface, at roughly the same level as in the north. At the west, we have a distinctly harder soil, and in the middle of the pit, there is a lower plaster surface with several embedded tiles (now clearly tiles and not stones), above several large boulders. [25 May 2015: Note that the "marble, veined, coarse grained, moulded on the outside, semicircular cut on the inside" object in Other Finds is actually alabaster, cataloged as MF-2013-38.
Context Pottery:		Coarseware. mid-byz amphora, stabbed, amphora. 1 handle. ; Fineware. late roman2 bodysherds. ; Fineware. pre-roman26 bodysherds. ; Fineware. early roman3 bodysherds. ; Cooking ware. collar rim stew pot (1000-1100), stewpot. 1 rim. handle attaches to rim; Fineware. ? Geometric1 bodysherd.
Pottery Summary:		36 frag(s) 0.19 kg. (0% saved) fineware.
		246 frag(s) 6 kg. (0% saved) coarseware.
		63 frag(s) 0.93 kg. (0% saved) cooking ware.
Context Artifacts:		glass clear light blue, bs 1, curved and irregular thickness, possibly a bowl; wall plaster, white, 1; iron, nail, square shank, 2; glass clear light blue, bs 6; wall plaster, yellow, 1; bronze, lump, 2; wall plaster, red, 3; mortar with traces of bronze attached, 1; glass clear greenish, bs 2; glass clear royal blue, bs 4 (Medieval); marble, white, medium grained, corner, 2 ovolos, 1 cavetto; marble, veined, coarse grained, moulded on the outside, semicircular cut on the inside; wall plaster, black, 1; glass clear unk color, rim 1, bs 2
Period:		Middle Byzantine (802-1058 AD)
Chronology:		late 10th-11th c. CE
Grid:		260.13-259.01E, 1011.79-1013.76N
XMin:		259.01
XMax:		260.13
YMin:		1011.79
YMax:		1013.76
Site:		Corinth
City:		Ancient Corinth
Country:		Greece
Masl:		84.41m.
References:		Object: MF 2013 38