Villa Magna

Area D Summary, 2-8th June 2008.

The weather caused several delays in excavation this week, and we were only able to finish clearing the backfill from 2007’s excavations by the end of the day Friday (06 June 2008). On Saturday, we started to excavate the rooms exposed in 2007 (surface contexts 5035 , 5034 ). In both these rooms, we have a destruction layer presumably caused by the roof collapse of the structure. Under this destruction layer in 5035 , a beaten earth floor, compact with white inclusions, appeared. Within this floor, there appears to be another structure of as yet indeterminate nature. In the context 5034 , a large iron (?) piece emerged in the NE corner of the room, possibly part of a brazier. The walls of this room also suggest a coffering construction. The walls were formed by filling a mould with rocks, concrete, etc., letting it set, and then shifting the mould down to complete the next section of the wall.

The cleaning of the trench, particularly part of the ditch (NE quarter), also reminded us of the basic phasing of the area. Our earliest element seems to be the road. The SE corner of the road has construction on it as well as some missing paving stones, which has led to a suggestion that we have the remains of a monumental gateway. The road is followed by the wall 5022 , which cuts the preparation of the road. This seems to be aligned with nothing else in the exposed area. After the destruction of this wall, the building, walls 5008 , 5037 , 5018 , 5033 , 5044 , and 5043 (containing contexts 5035 , 5034 , 5037 ) is constructed and is possibly associated with the portico pilaster bases along the N edge of the road. This building continues further to the N, as evidenced by aerial photographs. After the destruction of this building, the ditch and the palisade foundation are constructed.

We also laid out the perimeters of the extension of the trench, which is to be expanded on Monday. We are exposing three meters to the N to investigate more of the building. We are also expanding three meters to the W to expose more of the palisade foundation and the road.

— Ryan Ricciardi· Jun 9, 07:43