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2006 TRENCH PC 29
Field Supervisor: Ivo van der Graaff, University of Amsterdam
Field Supervisor Ivo van der Graaff
Opening
Report - Ivo van der Graaff, Field Supervisor:
Trench PC 29 is an entirely
new unit in our excavation. Located along the western fringe
of the hill, it has been deliberately planned to study the archaeological
layers related to the site's perimeter wall. In antiquity, this
structure probably performed the dual function of a terracing
and a fortification wall. In the former case, it held back the
fill brought on site to level the hill for construction activities
and in the latter it acted as a defensive structure against any
outside aggression.
Ivo van der Graaff with students in PC 29 during the second week
of excavation.
Presumably the wall's
construction date can be traced back to the last phase of activity
on the hill. According to the evidence uncovered thus far, this
would roughly place the date of its construction to the 4th century
B.C. Historically, it is in this period that the Romans started
to pose a substantial threat to the Etruscan domain from the
south, while Celtic tribes simultaneously crossed into the Mugello
valley from the Northern Apennine passes. In this picture of
general unrest it is easy to understand why a need to reconstruct
or reorganize the defenses may have been felt.
To better assess the wall's construction date and technique however,
the trench has been planned so that we can excavate the associated
depositional layers present on the inside and outside of the
perimeter. Since the internal layers were probably deposited
behind the wall after its construction, their analysis will probably
yield important information as to when it was built, while excavation
outside of the perimeter will reveal evidence pertaining to the
wall's construction method and use.
Angela DiMaggio digs with dental tools in PC 29 (photo: Lisa
Mabli).
After much initial clearing
of the underbrush growing in the trench, the excavation process
is now proceeding at full speed. I am therefore confident that
we can achieve the goal of better understanding the outer walls
before the season's end.
Sifting for small finds from Trench PC 29.
View from the east of Trench PC 29 during Week 3.
Ivo van der Graaff, foreground, works with his crew in PC 29.
Final
Report - Ivo van der Graaff, Field Supervisor:
The location of Trench
PC 29 was chosen to uncover the arx's perimeter wall on the western
part of the hill. As we scouted the area it quickly became apparent
that we had stumbled on a portion of the site where a clandestine
robbers pit had been dug some years earlier. A close examination
of the pit revealed a wall running east-west through its northern
edge. Since we had uncovered a perimeter wall featuring two parallel
structures reinforced by perpendicular cross walls in PC 20,
the decision was made to use these unfortunate circumstances
to see whether such a construction method had also been used
on this part of the site.
View of Trench PC 29 from the southeast during Week 2.
The first two weeks were
spent removing the humus and soil overburden which in time had
naturally collected over the trench. I also concentrated our
efforts on excavating the eastern locus of the trench where I
hoped we would uncover the main evidence pertaining to the date
of the perimeter wall. In fact, since the perimeter wall probably
doubled in function as a fortification and terracing structure,
the fill brought in behind it once it was constructed would give
us the best evidence for dating it. Our activities in this part
of the trench also uncovered the remains of the wall mentioned
above, and revealed the remains of a possible similar structure
in the scarp along the northern portion of the trench.
View from the east of Trench PC 29 during Week 3.
At the start of the third
week however, since the main perimeter wall still eluded us,
I decided to concentrate our efforts on uncovering its remains.
Soon enough we hit its top courses and I quickly realized that
it was in a very bad state of preservation. Given its location
along the edge of the arx terrace, most of the structure seems
to have collapsed downhill since the site was abandoned. As digging
in the area continued, we also started to uncover the front of
the wall. It quickly became apparent that many of the top blocks
were dislodged and out of place, making the task of discerning
the original wall face very difficult. A small portion, however,
was still preserved on the southern edge of the structure and
gave me a small insight into its construction method. This method
involved the stacking of large irregular blocks on top of each
other without the use of mortar, while the interstices were filled
in with smaller stones. Furthermore, we uncovered a small outcrop
of bedrock on top of which the wall was founded, giving me hope
that we have at least partially found its bottom.
View of Trench PC 29 from the south during Week 4.
Trench PC 29 from the north during Week 4.
Meanwhile, our efforts
continued in the eastern locus of the trench where we excavated
the rear face of the wall. We also encountered several strata
pertaining to the settlement's urban development. The primary
east-west wall mentioned above proved to be only three courses
deep and can be associated with the last habitation phase of
the site. Just below this feature, we uncovered a stratum which
was somewhat red in color due to the many pieces of burnt mudbrick
it contained. Crude mudbrick, in fact, tends to fire itself when
it is exposed to the temperatures of a destructive fire. As we
continued its excavation it became apparent that we were dealing
with a possible floor level on top of which the structure of
a building had collapsed during a fire. This layer can therefore
be associated with the destruction of the settlement's second
habitation phase in the early 4th century BC.
East locus of Trench PC 29 viewed from the northwest at season's
end.
The season ended after
we took a pass in the stratum underneath the floor level mentioned
above. This stratum seems to have been a leveling fill used to
accommodate the structural reorganization of the site. As far
as the wall's construction date is concerned, I can confidently
say that the main perimeter wall was constructed at least in
conjunction with the second phase of the settlement. This seems
to be the case as, up to this point, no foundation trench pertaining
to its construction has been exposed in the uncovered strata.
These layers of fill were therefore deposited behind the wall
after its construction and hence such a date can be ascribed
to it. I look forward to continue excavation of the unit to in
future years to further ascertain the wall's date and function.
View from the east of Trench PC 29 at season's end.
View from the south of Trench PC 29 at season's end.
View from the west of Trench PC 29 at season's end.
Ivo van der Graaff and Candace Vaden take levels for final drawings.
Ivo van der Graaff explains Trench PC 29 to students and staff
during trench tours.
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