Corinth Basket: Temple E, Southeast, context 1037
Collection:   Corinth
Type:   Basket
Name:   Temple E, Southeast, context 1037
Area:   Temple E, Southeast
Context Type:   Deposit
Title:   Section in Apse - More Silty Fill
Category:   Deposit
Notebook:   1110
Context:   1037
Date:   2016/06/15
Stratum:   fine rounded, subangular, tabular and platy pebbles, medium rounded and subangular, tabular pebbles, coarse subangular, spherical and platy pebbles, tile fragments, few cobbles; overall 40%
Description:   Top slope of the context is level. The soil color is light yellowish brown. The soil compaction is soft. The soil is poorly sorted. It is sandy silt.
Notes:   This context is a continuation of the same deposit as context 1036. Since context 1036 was quite deep (ca. 30cm), we thought it might be prudent to change contexts so as to document any potential changes within the deposit. The first pass of this context produced fewer inclusions, inclusing less tile fragments and less cobbles. The first pass (ca. 10cm) did not expose the bottom of the fill and so we proceeded to do a second pass. There have been small, occasional bits of lime throughout this and context 1036, but not enough to suggest a floor or subfloor though a chunk of Cosmati style flooring (later note: not cosmati, but finished pebble, plaster flooring) in the second pass. There were also some thicker tile fragments in this pass. The second pass revealed some very small spots with orangey marl in them. We may becoming down on different fill.
Coin 2016183 found in sieve.
Coin 2016-184 found in sieve. [Note: Coin 2016-184 not a coin (bronze tack). 2016/06/21 K. Petrole]
There is also some lime concrete chunks in the fill at this depth. The level exposed is ligher with a pebble texture among the orangey marl. There is som limestone dust in the southeast quadrant of the section. However, it apperas mixed with the fill not a floor.
Coin 2016-185 found in sieve.
There are also chunks of limestone likely from working limeston blocks for the church. This limestone dust and mortar dust covers at least the southern portion of the section. The orangey marl soil inclusions are not part of a new level, but mixed in with the same soil as above. There is more clay in the bottom of the fill. It is also a little darker, not including the orangey marl inclusions. This lowest level over the limestone and mortar dust came out in a third pass. The dust is more concentrated next to the walls and could be from the masons dressing the walls.
2016/06/16
There are broken tiles in the north third of the section lying on top of the limeston/mortar dust. There seems to be at least three distinct tiles. The limestone dust does not appear to be as prevalent under these tiles, but it is present. There is darker soil around the tiles. Having uncovered these tiles and limestone dust, we decided to close this context.
Mostly classical and roman pottery.
Context Pottery:   Fineware. plain glazed, unslipped (800-1100), pitcher. 1 bodysherd. ; Fineware. white ware, lid. 1 bodysherd. ; Fineware. white ware, undecorated, cup. 1 handle. ; Fineware. white ware, polychrome, plate. 1 bodysherd.
Pottery Summary:   117 frag(s) 0.4 kg. (0% saved) fineware.
    815 frag(s) 5.95 kg. (0% saved) coarseware.
    224 frag(s) 1.02 kg. (0% saved) cooking ware.
Context Artifacts:   iron tack with small head 1; glass clear yellowish bs 1; curved bronze sheet 1 (possibly fibula, similar to MF-5429); iron lumps 2; glass clear bluish bs 2, rim 2, base 2; tessera stone 1; Floor frgt, smoothed pebble floor, pebbles placed haphazardly, 1; glass clear colorless bs 6, base 2; charcoal 3; iron tack with large head 1; bronze tack 1 (other number Coin 2016-184); tessera glass greenish 1; glass clear greenish bs 2, rim 1, thick base 1; bronze lump 1; iron nails square shaft 2
Period:   Byzantine
Chronology:   12th
Grid:   131-129.6E, 1071-1073.3N
XMin:   129.6
XMax:   131
YMin:   1071
YMax:   1073.3
Site:   Corinth
City:   Ancient Corinth
Country:   Greece
Masl:   84.73-85m.
References:   Image: digital 2016 0642
Image: digital 2016 0643
Coin: 2016 183
Coin: 2016 184
Coin: 2016 185