And elsewhere on the site…

Paula Martino writes:

After almost three weeks of swinging a pick axe through sticky clay, roots, and rocks it looks like The Hole to Nowhere is now The Hole to Something. Alison, Bob, Diana, and I were so excited when we started to find a large deposit of flat lying pottery and a few sizable chunks of charcoal this morning. Thanks to Claire and David for coming over to help lend a hand today. We’ve divided our section into fine grids and began the task of carefully articulating the pottery with small tools. I’m quite excited to be able to get down to some real archaeology before leaving for home on Friday. Mazel tov!

Now we get the good finds…?

Emily Bates writes:

Suddenly it’s week three and the excavation is almost over (for us first session people).  And of course, the really good archaeology is just now starting to show up.  We came down onto a layer of broken pottery, perhaps vessels from a storeroom that broke in the destruction of the palace?  It’s great to uncover these large pieces of flat-lying pottery, some of which you can tell are from single pots, broken in place.  My area also has a confusing zigzag wall, possibly of a different construction than is found in this area and of course, more wall plaster.

Half of me wishes I was able to stay on for the next three weeks and continue to find more interesting archaeology, but the other half of me is very much looking forward to being clean, well-rested and no longer a mosquito’s lunch.  So all you second session people have lots to look forward to, but just remember to appreciate the fact that I pickaxed through a lot of annoying stones to get you guys there.