Villa Magna

Area BII Summary, 2-8th June 2008

The week’s work focused on cleaning the trench. BII was opened to the same extents (12 × 10m) as in the 2007 season. Due to heavy rains, hearty weeds, and shitty (AKA geo) textile we made progress slowly, but by the end of the week the whole of the trench was looking ship-shape. On Wednesday the limits of the trench were extended three meters to the west by the bobcat. The layer of light, sandy topsoil that was removed covered more of SU 4017, a much-beloved paved surface, which had been partially uncovered last year. It was hoped that by opening the trench in this direction we would better understand the rather enormous (and slightly amorphous) room defined by SU 4034 , a robbed out wall that runs E-W along the north edge of the trench and [SSU 4005] —a N-S running wall that divides the trench in two. Sadly, no west wall was found. We do, however, seem to have stumbled on another cut for an E-W running wall that—like its cousin to the north—was also looted out at some point, and—further to the south—a third wall that seems to have suffered the same fate.

— Megan McNamee· Jun 9, 07:53