For the past 2 weeks our group worked in ANS-8 on the northern slope of the acropolis in Antiochia ad Cragum. Our interpretations of the unit changed much over the course of our time as we uncovered new evidence which challenged our preconceptions. Our overall unit was split into two loci for the four of us to work efficiently on two distinct layers. The two loci were separated by a feature which may or may not have been a wall, as it did not have mortar between the rocks although they were in course. Margaret and I worked on the lower locus, completing 10 centimeter passes for the first few days and clearing upper soil layers on the slope. We commonly found at least a large bag of pottery sherds each day throughout the weeks as well as a moderate amount of animal bones and slag. Most of our notable finds were in the upper locus and included a bronze ring, 6 coins, a wick holder, and a bronze figure head. A plaster floor was found on an upper layer in the higher locus but it was very thin and disturbed. Another one was found later on and joined the loci as it was plastered over a feature that was almost certainly a wall. This plaster surface was much thicker and extended from the center of the lower locus eastward and then towards the south into the higher locus. We found a bulk of the individual items near the south by southeast border of the unit which posed many questions.
Our findings pointed towards an indoor room in the higher locus due to the nature of the findings being related to the interior of a building and the presence of a plaster floor. Through the synthesis of these findings we can draw a very speculative theory as to the timeline of the area in our unit. Firstly, a later wall separated our two loci and was surrounded by rock fall from its own destruction. This was built between two higher walls which were visible on either side of our unit. Below this in a different layer the first plaster floor which was damaged by an earthquake which itself was built over a different layer of fill that was used after another destructive event. Under that layer was the thick plaster floor that probably dominated the room and pointed all evidence toward the whole unit being indoors at least at one point. This plaster floor was built over the remnants of a much earlier wall that we unearthed on the final day. With all this in mind, our unit seems to have had a very dynamic history, probably flipping uses numerous times as destructive events and the passage of time took their toll.
If a team proceeds exploring our unit next season I think that they would have an interesting excavation in store for themselves. The presence of the top of an earlier wall points to the presence of much more depth to excavate. Continuing south of the wall feature would be a good starting point, though articulating the wall from the north might also be beneficial. Documenting the plaster surface further and then breaking through it would thus be the first step. The main questions to explore are probably related to the wall feature and its extent. Digging deeper into that may also help answer queries we had regarding the units relation to the indoors and outdoors over time. Opening another unit to the east of ANS-8 would be helpful as well though the large quantity of rockfall and brush would make its opening difficult, however it would look into the potential corner of the wall feature.