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"","","Nezi Field 2007 by Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, Kris Lorenzo (2007-04-09 to 2007-05-18)","EXCAVATION SUMMARY; ; Six weeks ago, on April 10, 2007, we, Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, and Kris Lorenzo, opened an excavation area at the extreme north of the Nezi field under the supervision of Guy Sanders, James Herbst, and Alicia Carter.  Nezi field is an orchard south of the area excavated by H. Robinson in the 1960s, which is itself south of the South Stoa in the Forum.  We worked with a crew of workmen including Kleomenis Didaskalou (pickman), Billy Papanikolaou (pickman), Andreas Oikonomou (pickman), Vassilis Kollias (shovel/barrowman), Iannis Oikonomou (shovel/barrowman), Andreas Didaskalou (shovel/barrowman), Vangelis Kollias (shovel/barrowman), Sotiris Raftopoulos (shovel/barrowman), and Thanasis Notis, the foreman.; ; The original area of excavation covered ca. 160 m² between 263E to 279E and 1002N to 1008N (minimum) / 1013.85N (maximum).  The northern edge of the excavation area is an escarpment left by the excavations of 1936 and 1961, and thus irregular.  On Wednesday, April 18, 2007, we extended the excavation area in order to find the limit of an orange-clay and stone feature at the southern boundary of the excavation area.  The addition covers 266E to 271E and 1002N to 1001N, thus bringing the total excavation area to ca. 165 m².  ; ; Our objective was to investigate Turkish, Frankish, and Byzantine remains and connect them to what was excavated in the area called Agora SW section E (NB 227, 228, and 237) and Agora SW section J (NB 254, 262, 267, 294) in 1961, along with the exploratory trench dug by Amyx and Morgan in 1936 at the southern extreme of the Giambourani field (the field just north of the Nezi field).  This essay will describe the activity in our area in chronological order based upon our interpretation of the stratigraphy.; ; FRANKISH (1210-1458 CE); ; The earliest contexts in our excavation area are two walls whose top courses have just been uncovered.  The first, revealed with B65, B115, B117, B131, B137 (the fill of a possible robbing trench), and B139, runs north-south, and is preserved between 1003N and 1006N.  At its southern terminus, there are two flat squared blocks, each of which has a pivot hole, and have been tentatively identified as a threshold.  The closest date for the wall so far, based on the pottery date for the fill (B115) covering the wall, is the Frankish period.  The second wall, revealed with B129 and B138, also runs north-south, between 1003N and 1007N, but forms a corner with a wall running east-west between 268E and 269.80E.  The closest date for this wall so far is the date of a coin (2007-189) in the fill coving the wall (B129), issued by William Villehardouin between 1246 and 1267 CE.  The two walls appear to be parallel—their southern extents are only approximately 20 cm different—so we hypothesize that they are from the same structure.  It is possible that these walls may be earlier than the Frankish period, but only continuing excavation will determine their date of construction.; ; Above the second wall, the next activities in our excavation area are represented by a stone and clay feature (B26=B86, B88, B90, B123) which may be an oven or furnace, and an associated series of clay floors (B94, B99, B100, B102=B105=B106=B108, B110, B113=B118, B119, B120, B121, B122, B124) laid down over time in the third quarter of the 13th century CE and before the early 14th century CE.  This chronology is based on a reading of the pottery and coins in significant contexts that pre- and post-date the clay floors (B129, B86).  The hypothesis that the stone and clay feature is an oven is supported by the absence of bone inside it, the high percentage of cookware among the pottery recovered from the clay floors, its shape and construction, the burnt stones of the flooring (B90), and the ash outside the oven on one of the clay floors (B100=B102=B105=B106=B108).; ; Before the construction of either the oven or the floors, however, the ground was leveled to prepare the area (B125, B126, B129) in the late 13th century CE, sometime after 1246–1267; this date is based on pottery in a deposit underneath the leveling fill (B128) and the presence in the fill (B129) of a coin issued by William Villehardouin (2007-189).  The first layer of flooring (B122), which was well-preserved, was then laid and the wall of the oven (B123) built on a clay bedding (B124).  The wall is comprised of two lengths (E-W: 96 x 35 cm; N-S: 152 x 35 cm) that meet at a right angle.  Only one course of squared limestone blocks over a layer of tiles is preserved.  ; ; A poorly preserved second layer of clay floors (B110, B113=B118=B119, B120, B121) soon followed, prior to a third, again well-preserved, layer of floor (B100=B102=B105=B106=B108).  After the construction of this third phase of flooring, the area inside the oven was leveled (B89, B92, B93) for the oven’s floor which was constructed with stone packing and clay (B90), and several layers of clay were deposited in the oven (B26=B86, B88).  It is possible that the clay is one single thick deposit that eroded from the walls of the oven after it went of out of use.  We know that the floor of the oven was constructed after the third phase of flooring because the third phase is cut by the leveling for the floor of the oven.  Since the wall of the oven itself predates the third phase of clay floors – this third phase was built up around the wall - it is likely that there was also an earlier floor in the oven, most likely associated with the first phase of clay floor (B122).  The removal of the original flooring and clay in the oven may be related to a deposit of black ash over the third phase of clay floors (B100 et al.).; ; There is also a rubbish pit cut into this third phase of floors (cut = B76).  This pit is oval-shaped, with a maximum diameter of 1.20 m and minimum diameter of 0.90 m.  The density of inclusions, especially cookware and coarse pottery sherds, supports the suggestion that this is a rubbish pit.  The clay floor (B100=B102=B105=B106=B108) is also disturbed by a large stony pile of rubble (B77) that reinforces the interpretation that the oven and floors are situated in a space that is unenclosed by walls.  We found no evidence of either walls or robbing trenches around the clay floors.; ; The primary indicator of roofing over the area is a destruction collapse in the form of a concentrated scatter of roof tiles (B51=B58=B59) that do not extend beyond the rectilinear extent of the clay floors.  This tile scatter also contains worked marble fragments.  The deposit of scattered tiles contains pottery dating to ca. 1260-1280, but the collapse must date to the early 14th century CE because the tiles postdate the deposits in the clay oven, the latest of which contained a coin (2007-113) of Isabelle Villehardouin dating between 1297 and 1301 CE.; ; Other early 14th century CE Frankish activities are the creation of a possible irrigation canal and the robbing out of an earlier wall.  The possible irrigation canal, to the east of the oven and clay floors, takes the form of a roughly north-west/south-east trench (cut=B70) with two east-west subsidiary trenches.  All three trenches are linear, with parallel sides, and the main canal was filled with large amounts of pottery and intact bone after it went out of use.  The presence of an irrigation canal would suggest that the eastern portion of the excavation area is outdoor space and that the levels of fill in this area (B45, B47, B48, B60, B63, B66, B69, B84=B85, B98, B101, B104, B111) were for agricultural or horticultural purposes.  This is in contrast to the western half of the excavation area, where the architectural contexts are located (note: there is also dumping or leveling fill [agricultural?] in this western area: B56, B95, B103, B109, B115=B130, B116=B143, B135, B136, B139). ; ; The robbing trench (cut = B54) removed the top of a wall projecting from the northern scarp into the area excavated in 1961.  At the bottom of this trench are the remains of the wall constructed with stones and tiles, running roughly north-south.  The wall appears to bound a space demarcated by the roof tiles and floor surface visible—though as yet unexcavated—in the northern escarpment because the roof tiles end at the eastern face of the wall.; ; [Addendum 6/14/07: It is now believed that B129 and B131 in fact date to the Ottoman II period and thus some of the Frankish material discussed in this summary has been re-evaluated.  It is now thought that the oven and its associated floors all date to the Turkish period because of their stratigraphic relationship to B129. Some of the fills (B129 and B131) that covered the N-S walls mentioned at the beginning of the Frankish section of this summary also must be associated with Turkish activity in the area. For additional details, see the relevant baskets and the summary by Angela Ziskowski and Lina Kokkinou.]  ; ; ; OTTOMAN II (1715-1831 CE); ; We have uncovered a series of lenses of fill, and, based on the make-up of these contexts, some appear to be dumped, perhaps for leveling purposes (B28, B42, B53, B55, B65=B78=B80, B79, B87, B114).  A large pit or well cuts these deposits (B36, B37, B39, B41, B43, B46; 1008.08N to 1005.96N, and 268.40E to 266.40E).  This pit contained three lenses of fill with pottery dating to the second Ottoman period.  This pit also cuts the Frankish destruction debris discussed above.  We have temporarily ceased excavating this pit because it is 1.41 m deep and difficult for the workmen to climb in and out of; excavation will resume once the surrounding deposits have been excavated to a more manageable height.  The date of the construction of this pit (or well) is clear because it cuts deposits of the Ottoman II period (B65, B49), so the pit had to have been both dug and then mostly filled in during the Ottoman II period.; ; It is interesting to note that the Ottoman II deposits are located solely in the western and northern portions of the excavation area.  This perhaps suggests that they are all associated with a structure or structures outside the excavation area.; ; EARLY MODERN (1831-1949 CE); ; In the Early Modern period, a property boundary wall (B64, B67, B73), running roughly E-W, was constructed.  Within our excavation area, the wall is 16.28 m long, 0.57 m wide, and preserved to a maximum height of 0.55 m above ground.  Its maximum northing is 1011.70N, and its minimum northing is approx. 1009.20N, where it joins the northern scarp of the excavation area.  This wall continues past our excavation area both east and west, but is not preserved to the same height from 275.80 E to beyond the eastern edge of our excavation area, where it has collapsed (B72), thus revealing the north scarp to the eye.  It is constructed of field stones arranged in random courses with mud as a bonding agent.  This wall was presumably excavated in part by Amyx and Morgan in 1936 (NB 153, 154).   It cuts an Early Modern deposit (B40), and has a pottery date of the 19th – early 20th century CE. ; ; The Early Modern activity in the excavation area is agricultural in nature and consists primarily of two layers of plow zone.  The first, B2=B24, lies above a series of plow furrows (B22) in the southern portion of the excavation area and has an average depth of 0.5 m. ; ; At the bottom of the first layer of plow zone, plow furrows were defined which cut into the soil below (furrows = B22).  The furrows vary in length and width and run from the eastern extreme of the excavation area to the western extreme.  They first appear approximately one meter south of the E-W boundary wall.  The plow furrows cut into the walls and uppermost clay deposit of the Frankish oven.; ; The second layer of plowzone (B23=B27=B30=B33=B34=B50=B58=B62), into which the plow furrows were cut, has an average depth of 21 cm.  Perhaps the difference in depth between the first and second plowzones reflects a change in plowing technology.; ; The layers of soil (B14, B38, B44, B57, B61) below the second layer of plow zone (B23 et al.)—perhaps some form of ground leveling—also show signs of Early Modern human activity in the eastern half of the excavation area in the form of an ash pit (B44), probably from a fire.  The top of the pit (discussed above; cut = B71) to the west, which dates to the second Ottoman period, was topped of with one layer of fill (B36) in the Early Modern period, probably to correct for the settling in of the rest of the fill below).; ; Also associated with Early Modern agricultural activities is a linear pile of stones (B4).  This layer abuts the south face of the E-W boundary wall and is most likely a pile of field cobbles which farmers cleared from the field.  These cobbles predate the later phases of fencing (see below for B16, B17) between Nezi field and Giambourani field. ; ; MODERN (post-1950 CE); ; Along both sides of the E-W wall in the Modern period are several fill deposits.  The uppermost fill on the north side of the wall (B3) contains worked marble fragments that may be the result of dumping from the 1936 excavation, or also (in this case) from the later 1960’s excavations under Robinson in sections E and J, north of the Nezi field.  South of the E-W wall are two fill deposits (B5, B14) that may perhaps be the result of terracing for agricultural activity.  However, the uppermost fill (B5) also included marble fragments, some of which were worked.  Because similar fragments also occur in the fill north of the E-W wall (B3)—which, along with B5, also directly borders Amyx and Morgan’s 1936 excavation trench in what was later called section E—we hypothesize that this fill is most likely fill dumped by the 1936 excavators.  Worked marble fragments have been found at this level of elevation only in these two contexts in the area along the north scarp.; ; South of the E-W wall, in the Modern orchard, a series of tree pits and irrigation trenches were cut into the most recent plow zone (B2 = B24).  The irrigation trenches (B18 = B32, B19) comprise two linear cuts running north-south up to the south-west side of individual tree pits, but not joining it (B18 ran up to B7 (cut = B10), B19 ran up to B11 (cut = B15).  Each trench contained a black plastic irrigation hose.  The irrigation trenches continue south out of the excavation area, and probably are connected with other tree pits within the presently growing orange orchard south of the excavation area.  They also cut into the uppermost clay deposit and walls of the Frankish oven.; ; The five tree pits in the excavation area are arranged in three north-south rows, ca. five meters apart.  Each of the tree pits (B6 [cut = B9], B7 [cut = B10], B8 [cut = B12], B11 [cut = B15], B21 [cut = B25]) contained an orange tree and root system, all of which the workmen cleared; the workman, most of whom have extensive agricultural experience, estimate the age of the trees to be no more than forty years old.  Each pit cuts into the surface cut by plow furrows (furrows = B22) and the soil into which the furrows were cut (B23=B27=B30=B33=B34=B50).; ; Tree pit B6 (cut = B9) contained very dark black specially fertilized soil with small white polystyrene inclusions and small areas of yellowish white clay.  Both the specially fertilized soil and yellowish white clay would have been part of a mix of soil and other matter that surrounded the orange sapling when it was put in the pit. The clay and the polystyrene most likely functioned to retain moisture for the sapling.; ; The latest activity in our excavation area is the construction of two phases of cement foundations used to anchor a series of posts supporting chain-link fencing.  This fencing runs along the northern boundary of Nezi field.  Both phases of cement foundations were cemented in part onto the E-W wall (ca. 1011.70N).  Parts of the wall were removed to lay the cement foundations after the wall had gone out of use.; ; The first phase (B17) is a series of small, whitish gray cement foundations.  The second phase of fencing (B16) is comprised of a series of noticeably larger concrete slabs spaced at regular intervals.  We know this phase is later because the metal posts were still intact as a functional fence at the beginning of the 2007 excavation season.; ; CONCLUSION; ; The past six weeks of excavation in Nezi field have produced a stratigraphic sequence and grouping of associated finds to indicate four phases of activity—Modern, Early Modern, Ottoman II, and Frankish.; ; In the Frankish period, there is a distinction between indoor and outdoor space, as seen in the existence of built structures, including what we interpret as an oven, in the western half of the excavation area and agricultural activity in the eastern half.; ; In the Ottoman II period, there is leveling, perhaps for agricultural activity, and the creation of a possible pit or well.; ; In the Early Modern period, there is more agricultural activity (plowing) and the creation of a new division of property, at least since the Frankish period (the boundary wall at the north of Nezi field cuts through the middle of single Frankish deposits).; ; In the Modern period, there is a different type of agricultural activity—the planting of an orchard rather than plow zone—but also archaeological activity at the northern extreme of the excavation area.; ; There remain a number of questions that we hope will be addressed in future excavation:; ; --Are the squared blocks in the southern scarp, between 269E and 271E, part of a wall?  Are they associated with the structure enclosed by the two north-south walls currently being excavated?  ; ; --Does the large cut stone block revealed in the western scarp of the robbing trench (cut = B54) in the northern third of the excavation area indicate the presence of a wall running perpendicular to the wall at the bottom of the robbing trench (B54)?  ; ; --What is the Ottoman II pit (cut = B71) that we have not finished excavating, a pit or a well?; ; --The removal of several contexts (B40, B56, B116=B143, B135, B136) in the northern quarter of the excavation area has revealed a deposit of clay with a flat-bottomed linear depression and a flat surface cut by the Early Modern boundary wall’s construction trench (cut = B73).  Is this clay deposit indoor space or outdoor space?  Is the flat-bottomed linear depression the bedding for a wall similar to the clay oven’s (cf. B124)?; ; --Is the tile scatter revealed under B135 and B136—its northern edge was always visible in the north escarpment—a destruction horizon?  What is its full extent and relationship, if any, to the wall at the bottom of the northern robbing trench (cut=B54)?     ;   ; --Since we have begun to uncover several contexts that suggest the presence of interior space, in addition to numerous exterior contexts, what is the sequence of changes in outside vs. inside space in Nezi field?; ; And finally, one brief observation and a caveat.  Several baskets (B86, B105, B129) in closely-dated contexts within our excavation area have had their pottery dates raised significantly by coins found in the deposits—this is unusual for archaeology at Corinth.  And the caveat: a portion of a number of deposits—primarily the clay floors and their related contexts—was set aside for water sieving, which has not yet been performed.  The data provided may alter some of our pottery readings and interpretation of the activities associated with the floors.","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","","Report","Frankish to Modern Strata in the Southern End of Nezi Field","","","","Corinth","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2007 by Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, Kris Lorenzo (2007-04-09 to 2007-05-18)",""
"","","Nezi Field 2007 by Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, Kris Lorenzo (2007-04-09 to 2007-04-27)","INTRODUCTION; ; In the past three weeks, we, Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, and Kris Lorenzo, opened an area at the extreme north of the Nezi field under the supervision of Director of Excavation Guy Sanders and Site Supervisor Alicia Carter.  Nezi field is an orchard south of the area excavated by Henry S. Robinson in the 1960s south of the South Stoa in the Forum.  We worked with a crew of workmen including Kleomenis Didaskalou (pickman), Billy Papanikolaou (pickman), Andreas Oikonomou (pickman), Vassilis Kollias (shovelman), Iannis Oikonomou (shovelman), Andreas Didaskalou (barrowman), Vangelis Kollias (barrowman), Sotiris Raftopoulos (barrowman), and Thanasis Notis, the foreman. The original area we began to excavate on April 10, 2007 covered ca. 162 square meters located 263 E to 279 E and 1002 N to 1008 N (minimum) / 1013.85 N (maximum).  The northern edge of the excavation area is an escarpment left by the excavations of 1936 and 1961, and thus irregular. On Wednesday, April 18, we extended the excavation area to the south in order to find the limit of an orange clay feature at the southern boundary of the excavation area.  The addition covers 266 E to 271 E and 1002 N to 1001 N. The current excavation area thus covers ca. 167 square meters.  ; ; Our objective is to investigate Turkish, Frankish, and Byzantine remains and connect them to what was excavated in Agora SW section E (NB 227, 228, and 237) and section J (NB 254, 262, 267, 294) in 1961, along with the exploratory trench dug by Amyx and Morgan in 1936 at the southern extreme of the Giambourani field (the field just north of the Nezi field).; ; The entire excavation area is divided into two unequal parts by a wall running roughly E-W, which we are continuing to uncover. Within our excavation area, the wall is 16.28 m long, 0.57 m in width, and preserved to a maximum height of 0.55 m above ground.  Its maximum northing is 1011.70 N, and the minimum northing is approx. 1009.20 N, where it joins the northern scarp of the excavation area.  This wall continues past our excavation area both east and west, but is not preserved to the same height from 275.80 E to beyond the eastern edge of our excavation area, where it has collapsed, thus revealing the north scarp to the eye in this area.  It is constructed of field stones arranged in random courses with mud as a bonding agent.  This wall was presumably excavated in part by Amyx and Morgan in 1936 (NB 153, 154). ; ; This essay will describe the activity in our area in chronological order based upon our interpretation of the stratigraphy.  So far, our read pottery, coins, and small finds provide a date of Early Modern for most of our deposits.  This date coincides well with our interpretation of formation of the excavation area.; ; PRE-EARLY MODERN; ; The earliest activities in our excavation area are represented by an area of destruction debris consisting of densely-packed roof tile fragments lying horizontally on a clay surface (B51=B58=B59).  These tiles extend from 267.60 E to 271 E, and 1006.90 N to the southern edge of the excavation area, and may extend beyond it.  The tile scatter also contained worked marble fragments.  The tiles are scattered in a concentrated area, with their north and east extents noticeably rectilinear.  This deposit is dated by pottery to the Frankish period, ca. 1260-1280 CE.  South of this tile scatter is an orange clay feature (as yet unexcavated) surrounded on its north and northeast sides by stone blocks, on the very edge of which some of the tiles rest.  This feature (1004 N to 1001.53 N and 268.95 E to 267 E) contains orange clay, white clay, and gray clay. ; ; Based upon the presence of a tile scatter, fragments of worked stone, clay of three different colors, and worked blocks bordering the aforementioned clay, we have formulated three hypotheses: that the extant evidence indicates the destroyed remains of some sort of enclosure associated with 1) a hearth, 2) a potting installation, or 3) a floor(s).; ; This area of destruction debris is cut by a large pit or well (B36, B37, B39, B41, B43, B46; 1008.08 N to 1005.96, and 268.40 E to 266.40 E).  Five of the six lenses of fill of this pit or well are dated by pottery to the second Ottoman period (AD 1715 -1831) and may represent a filling in of this feature at that time.  IT is possible that this activity may be related to the large and well-built Ottoman house (the Giambourani House) previously excavated less that 10m to the NW of Nezi field.  The uppermost lens of fill (B36) in this pit or well contained Early Modern pottery and we suggest that this deposit may have been dumped into the pit in the Early Modern period to level out the surface of the ground in this area of the field as the settling of earlier dumped fills may have created a depression in the ground over time. We have temporarily ceased excavating this pit because it is 1.41 m deep and difficult for the workmen to climb in and out of; excavation will resume once the surrounding deposits have been excavated to a more manageable depth.; ; North of this area of destruction a robbing trench (B52/B54) has been excavated at 1011.5 – 1014N/264 – 264.85E.  This robbing trench was dug to partially rob a N-S running wall that continues into the previously excavated area to the north of Nezi field, thus linking the two areas.  Pottery from the fill of the robbing trench dates to the Frankish period, ca. AD 1300.  But further excavation is needed to establish a more reliable date based on the relations between the robbing trench and other deposits and features in the area.  Specifically, we want to know the relationship between the robbing trench and the E-W wall that may (or may not) cut it at ca. 1011.5N/264.5E.  We also want to excavate more of the deposits cut by the robbing trench to establish a more secure date.; ; EARLY MODERN; ; The Early Modern activity in the excavation area is agricultural in nature, consisting primarily of two phases of plowing and planting in the southern half of the excavation area.  The earlier phase was excavated with B23=B27=B30=B33=B34=B50=B57=B62 which overlay the entire excavation area.  The mixed nature of this soil and its lack of association with any built structures suggest to us that this is plow zone.  Several deposits excavated immediately under this zone also contained Early Modern pottery (B14, B36, B38, B44, B57=B61).  Based on their location at the northern down-slope end of the field and their relative depths, we suggest that these deposits were purposefully laid down to level the field for the planting of crops in this first phase of Early Modern agricultural activity.; ; The later phase of plowing was excavated with B2=B24, which overlay distinct plow furrows (the cuts of which were recorded with B22).  The furrows vary in length and width and run from the eastern extreme of the excavation area to the western extreme.  They first appear approximately one meter south of the E-W wall.; ; Associated with later phase of Early Modern agricultural activities is a linear pile of stones excavated with B4 (1009.70 N to 1010.90 N, and 264.70 to 272.66 E in its extremes).  This layer abuts the south face of the E-W wall and we suggest that it is a pile of field cobbles which farmers cleared from the field in the course of their agricultural activity to the south.  Since these cobbles predate the later phases of fencing (see below for B16, B17) between Nezi field and Giambourani field, we hypothesize that there was an earlier fence or field boundary, which B17 replaced, but has left no discernable trace.; ; Also associated with the later phase of Early Modern activity in Nezi field is a small pit (fill of this pit = B44) of dumped material including ash, sherds, cobbles and boulders.  ; ; MODERN; ; South of the E-W wall, a series of tree pits and irrigation trenches were cut into the second phase of Early Modern plow zone.  The irrigation trenches (B18 = B32, B19) comprise two linear cuts running north-south up to the south-west side of individual tree pits but not joining a specific tree pit (B18 ran up to B7/B10, B19 ran up to B11/B15).  Each trench contained a black plastic irrigation hose.  The irrigation trenches continue south out of the excavation area, and probably are connected with other tree pits within the existing orange orchard south of the excavation area.; ; The five tree pits in the excavation area are arranged in three north-south rows, ca. five meters apart.  Each of the tree pits (B6/B9, B7/B10, B8/B12, B11/B15, B21/B25) contained an orange tree and root system, all of which the workmen cleared; the workmen, most of whom have extensive agricultural experience, estimate the age of the trees to be no more than forty years old.  Each pit cuts the surface cut by plow furrows (furrows = B22) and the soil which the furrows cut (B23=B27=B30=B33=B34=B50).; ; Tree pit B6/B9 contained very dark black specially fertilized soil with small white polystyrene inclusions and small areas of yellowish white clay.  Both the specially fertilized soil and yellowish white clay would have been part of a mix of soil and other matter that surrounded the orange sapling when it was put in the pit. The clay and the polystyrene most likely functioned to retain moisture for the sapling.; ; Along both sides of the E-W wall are several fill deposits.  The uppermost on the north side of the wall (B3) contains worked marble fragments that may be the result of dumping from the 1936 excavation, or also (in this case) the later 1960’s excavations under H. Robinson in sections E and J (see NB228), north of the Nezi field.  South of the E-W wall are two fill deposits (B5, B14) that may perhaps be the result of terracing for agricultural activity.  However, the uppermost fill (B5) also included marble fragments, some of which were worked.  Because similar fragments also occur in the fill north of the E-W wall (B3)—which, along with B5, also directly borders Amyx and Morgan’s 1936 excavation trench in what was later called section E by Schmiel in 1961 (NB228)—we hypothesize that this fill is most likely fill dumped by the 1936 excavators.  Worked marble fragments have been found only in these two contexts in the area along the north scarp.; ; These fill deposits are cut by the latest activity in our excavation area: the construction of two phases of cement foundations used to anchor a series of posts supporting chain-link fencing.  This fencing runs along the northern boundary of Nezi field.  Both phases of fence foundations were partly cemented onto the E-W wall at ca. 1011.70 N and destroyed this wall in these places.  ; ; The earlier phase of fencing survives as a series of small, whitish gray cement foundations (B17).  The second phase of fencing survives as a series of noticeably larger concrete slabs spaced at regular intervals (B16).  We know this phase is later because the metal posts were still intact as a functional fence at the beginning of excavation.  It is possible that these two phases of fencing were built at the times of the two previous excavation campaigns in this area of the archaeological site, one in 1936 and one in 1961.; ; CONCLUSION; ; The first three weeks of excavation in Nezi field have produced a stratigraphic sequence and grouping of associated finds to indicate a solidly Modern and Early Modern date for the vast majority of our excavated contexts.  The possibly earlier contexts consist of the pit (B36, B37, B39, B41, B43, B46), the tile scatter, and the orange-clay feature.  We hope that further excavation will refine our chronology.  We will continue our notebook research on the previously excavated area north of Nezi field in order to understand better the relationship between that area and the stratigraphy of Nezi field, particularly in the area north of the E-W wall.  Based on the remains of an enclosure in the SW corner of the excavation area and the robbing trench with its associated wall projecting out of the north scarp, we are hopeful of fulfilling our goal of investigating Turkish, Frankish, and Byzantine remains and connecting them to previously excavated sections E and J.","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","","Report","Pre-Early Modern to Modern Strata in the Southern End of Nezi Field","","","","Corinth","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2007 by Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, Kris Lorenzo (2007-04-09 to 2007-04-27)",""
"","","Nezi Field 2007 by Lina Kokkinou and Angela Ziskowski (2007-05-21 to 2007-06-09)","EXCAVATION SUMMARY; We, Angela Ziskowski and Lina Kokkinou, from May 21 to June 9 2007 continued the excavation in the northern edge of the Nezi field, in the same excavation area opened by Lydia Herring, Josh Langseth, and Kris Lorenzo in the previous Corinth excavation sessions of 2007. We worked under the supervision of Guy Sanders, Ioulia Tzonou-Herbst, James Herbst, and Alicia Carter. We excavated with workmen Kleomenis Didaskalou, Vasilis Papanikolaou, (pick men), Vasilis Kollias, Iannis Oikonomou (shovel men), Andreas Oikonomou, and Vangelis Kollias (barrowmen). ; Our purpose was to continue the survey of the previous sessions, which extended as early as the Frankish strata, and to form a better opinion about the Frankish activities in the Nezi field and begin exploring earlier (Byzantine) activities in the area. Nevertheless during our work we also discovered traces of Early Modern activities.; ; ; BYZANTINE (610 to 1210 AD); We did not have enough time to work adequately with the Byzantine strata. We dug only a few baskets dated in Byzantine period and therefore it is too soon to form a final opinion about the Byzantine activities at the Nezi area.  However, it appears that a substantial grey, ashy layer (at least 6 meters in diameter) of Early or Middle Byzantine material will be exposed in 2008 which could very well represent some sort of industrial area (heavy burning) and would explain the large number of nails and iron lumps which were being excavated in this area this season. Nevertheless, on the basis of the evidence so far there was some activity in the Byzantine era in the southernmost part of the excavation area (1001.00N – ca 1006.00N) between ca 266.5 E and 274.00 E (B149, B161, B207, B215, B219, B 225, and 226). It is difficult to interpret B149 and B161 because they seem to extend further to the south of the limits of the excavation, and need to be evaluated in following sessions.  B226, a small oval depression seems to be directly above the substantial grey ashy layer which will be exposed in the 2008 excavation season which will most likely date to the Early (610-802 AD) or Middle Byzantine (802-1058 AD) periods.  B219, which is part of the fill of the foundation trench for the N-S wall at 269E, though small and incomplete, probably dates the construction of the N-S wall at 269E in the Middle Byzantine period on the basis of the pottery evidence. This wall was exposed in the previous sessions with B129 and B131 and was considered Frankish due to a coin of W. Villehardouin that was discovered in the fill covering the wall (B129). The presence of this coin can be explained by the use of this earlier wall by the Franks.  During the Late Byzantine period (1059-1210 AD) a small part of this wall that maybe included a threshold, was robbed (B207, B215). ; In addition, this N-S wall continued and was connected to an apsidal structure (that may have been added later based on limited exposure of the construction features) in the north (at 1008.60 N).  We excavated both the wall of this structure and the area within it.  While layers directly above the apse dated to the Late Byzantine or Byzantine NPD (B 176, 179, 213, 214), the construction of the apse clearly dates to the Middle Byzantine (B 206, 216, 217, and 222).  The upper layer of soil within the apse dated to the Frankish period (B 204), but the lower levels varied from Frankish to Middle Byzantine (B 208 and 209).  I suspect the reason for this is twofold; first, the lower levels of the interior of the building (I hesitate to call them floors since they were not level nor was there a deposit of material on them) are truly Byzantine and secondly, the area within the apse was partially excavated before wall itself which could have contaminated some of the material inside the structure.  ; Layers (B 218, 220, and 221) from the western edge of the apse and the western N-S wall (running along 266.00 E) of this building were dated to the Frankish period and will be dealt with in that section.; ; ; FRANKISH (1210-1458 AD); A significant amount of our work was dedicated in the area between N-S wall at 266E (revealed with B 65, B115, B117, B131, B137, and B139) and N-S wall at 269E (revealed with B129 and B138), and in the area West of the N-S wall at 266E. ; Courses of the western wall (running along 266.00 E) of this building were exposed in the north beyond the E-W crosswall (1006.00 to 1007.00 N) (B 218 and 220).  Moreover, it seems that the crosswall extended further to the west and under the western balk of the excavation (B 221) and may have been the northernmost point of the original structure.  However, the construction of the apse dates to the Byzantine period while most of the two N-S walls were exposed in Frankish levels.  Thus we are excavating a lower, earlier level of the apse (giving it an earlier date), it may be part of an earlier building onto which the later Frankish building levels were set, or it may simply be explained by the fact that the ground slopes downward from south to north.  ; Regarding the area between the N-S wall at 269E and the N-S wall at 266E, it became evident that at least in the Frankish period, the area was used as a room and that it was covered by a roof. As stated above, the N-S wall at 269E must have been constructed in Middle Byzantine period (802-1058 AD). There is no evidence yet about the use of the room in the Byzantine period (excluding the apse area which may be a separate structure), because we did not excavate below the Frankish strata in this area. This wall continued to be used by the Frankish population as the east wall of a roofed room. The west wall of the room was N-S wall at 266E.  The roof of the room suffered probably multiple destructions around the middle of the 13th century AD (B184, B210). We were able to trace the red floor of the room below the destruction in some areas of the room.; After the destruction of the room (B184, cut = B 191) a pit or well was created in the central West area of the room. This pit/well was used as a rubbish area for bones, tiles, stones etc. The digging of the pit/well was not completed in this session and its date is not secure (Frankish or Ottoman). ; It is very possible that the area west of the N-S wall at 266E and its threshold is also a room, because with B196 we discovered part of a wall and its robbing trench that runs in the N-S direction and is almost parallel to N-S wall at 266E. This wall stands immediately to the east of the western limit of the excavation at 263E. The hypothesis that the area between the two walls is a room is supported by the discovery of a small area of red soil, possibly a floor immediately to the west of the threshold of N-S wall at 266E. For definite conclusions about the activity in this area we have to extend the excavation area further to the west and also to study carefully the area to the north, where B141 and B142 were done.; A small partial roof destruction limited to the southeast of the threshold of N-S wall at 266E and dated to the first half of the 13th century AD can either belong to a roof of the area west of N-S wall at 266E, or to a roof of the room east of N-S wall earlier that that of B184. This small part of the roof could have slipped and fallen from the roof of a room  west of N-S wall at 266E in the area east of N-S wall at 266 E, then unroofed. It could also have fallen vertically down from a roof covering a room east of N-S wall at 266E.; East and north of the structure discussed extensive layers of fill were excavated exposing very few features.  These baskets of fill extended from 265.00 to 279.00 E and 1001.00 to 1013.82 N (B 172, 181, 200, 202, and 212).  In the southeastern corner of the excavation (274.00 to 279.00 E and 1002.00 to 1006.00 N) there were a number of layers that were clearly clay surfaces (B 165, 167, 175, and 185).  These layers consisted of a hard, packed clay on whose surface many finds laid.  Earlier in the season, channels (B 68) were exposed running across this space and it was suggested that these may have been irrigation channels.  However, it is now believed that it was not garden fill deposited in this area.  In addition, a small pit (B 183 and cut 186) was cut into these clay surfaces.  The material of this pit was dated to the second half of the 13th century, the same date as the clay surfaces.  Moreover, the relatively straight edges of the north (discussed below) and west edges of these surfaces suggest that they may have been at the edge of a building, if not necessarily inside.  ; In addition, a possible robbing trench was cut into the northern edge of these clay surfaces (B 173 and cut 182).  With the flat, clay surfaces jutting against this trench’s southern edge, it very well may represent the robbing of an E-W wall.  This trench (B 182) is also cut by another trench (B 111) which runs N-S.  Further consideration and excavation will be necessary to understand this area.; Even further to the north of this trench, we removed a martyr between a pit-like area (B 104) and a small wall (B 170).  We then removed the small cobble wall (B 199), dated to the second half of the 13th century, which was collapsing off the north edge of the Nezi excavations.  ; Throughout the central area of the excavations (269.00 to 274.00 E and 1001.00 to 1011 N) we removed a thick layer of soil that can be best described as silty (B 188, 223, and 227).  This soil contained little pottery (in comparison to other areas of fill here) and many bones.  Since there is a depression in the Nezi field at this point, it is reasonable to suppose that this soil was washed into place by rain or flooding.  Below it we were exposing a black/grey ashy layer which will be excavated at the beginning of the 2008 excavation season.  ; Above this silty soil, we removed one small clay patch (B 224) that jutted against the N-S wall which runs along 269.00 N.  In addition, two pits were cut through these levels.  The first (B 151 and cut 187) (at 271.00 to 272.00 E and 1002.00 to 1002.50 N) was exposed by B 140.  The second (cut B 193) was a substantial pit (270.00 to 271.80 E and 1007.00 to 1009.30 N) exposed by B 145 (the layer directly above B 188).  This pit (B 147, 148, 150, 153, 159, 160, and 163 = martyr) was dumped with fill that varied substantially in date although the latest material was dated to the Frankish period.  We stopped digging at B 160 after determining that it has cuttings into the bedrock for a well and that to continue any deeper would be dangerous and logistically difficult at present.  ; ; EARLY MODERN (1831-1949); This session’s survey did not add much to the evidence we had from the previous sessions about the Early Modern activities in the Nezi field (a property boundary wall, an ash pit, agricultural activity). In the Early Modern period part of N-S wall at 264E, which was revealed in B52 and B54, was robbed, as the pottery found in the robbing trench of the wall confirms (B 197, B 198, B 201).  In addition, a layer of soil (B 180) over a portion of this wall, which was left at higher level and not robbed as parts both south and north of it, suggesting it may be a different wall crossing this one) also dated to the early Modern period.; ; ; CONCLUSIONS; We have begun to uncover layers of Byzantine material in the Nezi excavations.  It appears that the lower levels of the walls and the interior fill of the only building exposed all belong to this period.  Moreover, the final days of excavation exposed a grey, ashy layer over a large area of the field which will almost certainly date to the Byzantine period once it is excavated next season.; The majority of the excavations carried out during this session were securely dated to Frankish contexts.  During this period we see a space being actively used in the southwest corner of the excavations, which may or may not be an interior room but further investigation will be required to determine this.  Also, human activity is visible within the structure.  At some point in the 13th century there are multiple destructions, after which a large pit is cut into the floor of the interior of the building.  ; Outside of this building, one finds several hard, clay surfaces in the southeastern corner of Nezi field.  These surfaces exposed finds laying flat upon them.  The trench cut to the north of them and the fact that the western edge of them is relatively straight suggests that they may indeed be floors of some sort.  In addition, the whole Nezi area north and east of the building seems to have been primarily covered in layers of fill under which a large silty layer had washed through the area.  This silty area seems to be dividing the Frankish and Byzantine deposits suggesting a possible period in which it was not used.  The numbers of iron nails and large iron lumps found throughout this area and the large ashy deposit made visible by the removal of this silty soil all suggest, in my opinion, that we are coming onto an exterior space used heavily for industrial purposes.  ; Several additional cuts (which may represent robbing trenches for walls) and deep pits make up the only other features in this area.  The large number of pits also suggests that this was an outdoor area.  ; Finally, the only significant evidence for the early Modern period in this session’s excavation include a number of layers which were removed from a robbed out wall that was exposed in the northwestern corner of the excavation.  I suspect that the wall itself dates to the Frankish period and it was robbed out during the Early Modern period.","Corinthia | Ancient Corinth | Central Area | Nezi Field","","Report","Byzantine to Early Modern period in the southern end of Nezi Field","","","","Corinth","Corinth:Report:Nezi Field 2007 by Lina Kokkinou and Angela Ziskowski (2007-05-21 to 2007-06-09)",""