Corinth Basket South Stoa, context 122

Collection:		Corinth
Type:		Basket
Name:		South Stoa, context 122
Area:		South Stoa
Context Type:		deposit
Title:		Surface in SW quadrant
Category:		Deposit
Notebook:		1109
Context:		122
Date:		2015/05/26
Lot:		Lot 2015-059
Stratum:		20% small to coarse pebbles, 5% carbon
Description:		Top slope of the context is slight down to the N. The soil color is light yellowish brown. The soil compaction is weakly cemented. The soil is poorly sorted. It is silty sand.
Notes:		Characteristics: more compacted, clayier, and mottled with carbon inclusions than 79. This compacted soil surface will be opened for excavation to clarify our understanding of the occupation of this space over time. The excavation of context 84, abutting 122 in the NE corner, and 89 and 90, abutting the eastern boundary, revealed a layer of whitish yellow chalky soil over a think layer of carbon along the scarp. It is currently believed that this may be a floor surface created during an earlier occupation of the site than the construction of the S Stoa. These two strata are 25 cm below the current surface level. Initial excavation along the southern boundary has revealed a heavily compacted light reddish brown soil, which is similar in color and composition to soil resting on bedrock in other areas of the room. This soil contains a higher frequency of small cobbles and pockets of white ashy material. It does not create a level surface. Along the eastern boundary, SE corner, and Southern boundaries martyrs were left to prevent contamination into the drainage channel and along cuts. Two coins were discovered during excavation, one of which was discovered in a pocket of white ashy soil, as described above. Its elevation was 81.485. The white ashy soil has been found to exist in 2 circular areas at the center of the quadrant. To the west, the soil is red, creating a clear seperation between the white ashy soil and itself. It seems as though the 2 circles of white with pockets of ashy soil connects and extends to the east. Thus, the white circles are actually revealed to be semi-circles. The ash patches are revealed to be limited to 3 distinct areas, small and roughly circular. All of them are within the white. In the SE corner, there seems to be an area of mixed red and white soil. This has lead us to question whether or not the entirety of this context is really mixed. We will stop and change contexts to explore underneath the white semi-circles and see if red appears.
Context Pottery:		Fineware. grey fabric, unguentarium. (saved to lot) .; Fineware. long-petal moldmade, bowl. (saved to lot) .; Fineware. conical bowl, bowl. 1 rim. (saved to lot) .; Fineware. semi-glazed bowl, bowl. 1 rim. (saved to lot) .; Cooking ware. lid. 1 handle. (saved to lot) .Knob type 3
Pottery Summary:		56 frag(s) 0.1 kg. (100% saved) fineware.
		81 frag(s) 0.9 kg. (100% saved) coarseware.
		64 frag(s) 0.35 kg. (100% saved) cooking ware.
Context Artifacts:		hellenistic wall plaster, 1 (saved to lot); iron, nail, 1 (saved to lot); lead, binding strip, 1 (saved to lot); bronze, nail, 1 (saved to lot); bone, unidentified, 22 (saved to lot); charcoal, 5 (saved to lot)
Period:		No precise date (NPD)
Chronology:		1st c. BC-1st c. AD
Grid:		326-324.5E, 1078.4-1081.6N
XMin:		324.5
XMax:		326
YMin:		1078.4
YMax:		1081.6
Site:		Corinth
City:		Ancient Corinth
Country:		Greece
Masl:		81.49-81.54m.
References:		Coin: 2015 379 Coin: 2015 380 Coin: 2015 381