Villa Magna

Area A4, 9-15th June 2008

During the second week, we cleaned the trench in its entirety save for a few small patches. we worked from W to E, identifying and clearing a deep layer of compacted soil mixed with reuse material (7003) in the W part of the trench, under which we uncovered a roman pavement, 7004, in which were a series of cuts. Two were of very large dimensions, while a smaller had a very regular circular profile and appears to be a post-hole. As we kept clearing the rest of the area from a layer which appears similar to 7003, named 7012, we uncovered several new features. From N to S, a Roman pavement 7031 which was damaged on the W side, and which ended in a large N-S cut on the E side. In it were several cuts, among them two postholes. It is bordered to the S by an E-W wall, SSU 7028. At the intersection of this wall and wall 7007 are two cuts which may be postholes. This wall appears to end to the E at the same point as the cut 7038 limits the pavement, but another wall section continues along the same stretch to the E end of the trench. To S of wall 7028 is an area which we call the vaschetta area, within which the contexts appear confused. It requires further cleaning, but it is clear that a large square area frames it, probably framing a vaschetta and paved with cocciopesto, as visible on the S side of the risparmio. To the E, there appears to be a very large room. Large parts of this area of the trench is covered by a thin layer of yellow clay, which is later than Roman but earlier than the construction of the casale. It has been cut in several parts, identifying these cuts as quite modern. The E part of the trench revealed areas covered with packed Roman materials, and also modern layers which correspond to the channels that run roughly NNE-SSW through thrench A1. On the whole, we have found hardly any materials, pottery or otherwise, save for a few pieces of pottery and marble at the bottom of the deep layer 7003 where we begun our work this week. However, the older layers that we have uncovered consist largerly of packed Roman materials, which will probably yield plenty.

— Monica Hellstrom· Jun 15, 08:30