July 27, 2018
Zominthos Field Notes 2018: Week 3
ROOMS 1-2
During the third week, the investigation focused on the fallen from the upper storey structural and other elements of the rooms (Fig.1). In specific, we investigated two groups of conical cups and other vessels at the SE part of Room 1 (Fig.2) and at the corner of Rooms 1 and 2 (Fig.3) and also a layer of clay-earth with traces of fire and pebbles on it from both Rooms 1 and 2. Moreover, we excavated at the SW part of Room 1, a thick layer of lime plaster with some pieces of black, red, white and blue fresco within. At the NE corner of Room 1 we also investigated the limits of the East and the North Wall. Among the finds of Room 1 were more than a hundred conical cups, a part of a rounded cup, parts of a vessel with a hole for the effusion of liquids (Fig.4), parts of pithos with corded decoration, a miniature cup, animal bones and small parts of burnt beams and reeds.
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CORRIDOR 23 & AREA 31
The excavation continues at Corridor 23
(Fig.1) whose walls (south and north) are now clear. The east boundaries haven’t been found yet. Almost all of the paved floor has been revealed consisted of bigger and smaller (most of them fractured) plaques.
A unique double door entrance
(Fig.2) has been revealed at the east of the south wall of neighboring Room 1 which leads to Corridor 23.
At Area 31
(Fig.3) the excavation continues revealing a large amount of small stones possibly from later periods such as the roman time. Close to them, but on different layers, some artifacts have been found: among them a small chip of obsidian
(Fig.4).
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ROOM 38
This year’s work in Room 38 was finished during this week
(Fig. 1). In the SW part of the room the excavation of the floor layer was completed and some more limestone and schist slabs of the pavement came to light. In the west wall of the room a small niche was investigated yielding some pottery sherds and a great amount of bones
(Fig. 2). In the area to the south of the north door of the room, part of an older wall came to light in a layer below the level of the threshold of the door as well as that of the simple stone construction that has been revealed to the east of the central pillar
(Fig. 3). In this layer a conical cup belonging to an older type of middle minoan date came to light under the eastern part of the threshold
(Fig. 4).
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AREA 45B
This week is proved that the south wall of Area 45A/B separates it from the Area 48 to the South
(Fig.1). The excavation at the northeast part of Area 45B, yielded large quantity of LM pottery and some animal bones.
ROOM 46
The excavation of Room 46 begun during last year’s season. Work in the room resumed during this week with the removal of the sixth layer of earth, which is still in progress
(Fig. 1). The fill of the room continues to be poor in finds: apart from pottery sherds, only some bone fragments and a tiny piece of rock crystal were collected. Noteworthy among the sherds is a fragment of the foot of a type of cup (kylix) dating to a later period (mycenaean)
(Fig. 2).
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ROOM 47
This week excavation continues in three rooms which included in complex of Rooms 47.
Room 47 Α is the eastern among the complex of rooms. In its east side revealed also a natural rock like the Rooms 47 B and 47 C. This fact shows us that complex of rooms 47 is based on natural rocks which maybe has been used as places for ritual acts in the oldest period of the Central building
(Fig.1)
The finds collected this week included a variety and quantity of pottery with medium and small size vases and an important number of stone tools
(Fig.2).
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ROOM 48
Room 48 is a space to the south of Room 45, whose exact western, southern and eastern limits are not yet clear
(Fig. 1). Room 48 was originally named the area to the south of Room 45A. With the appearance during last week’s work in Room 45B of its southern wall, the area to the south of Room 45B became also part of Room 48. In the last area two layers have already been removed as part of this season’s excavation of Room 45B. The excavation of Room 48 was extended this week to its middle and western parts, i.e. the section to the south of Room 45A. After the removal of a disturbed surface layer, a second layer has been excavated. Among the pottery fragments few of later (classical) date were found.
AREA 61
The excavation of the area 61 finished for this season with the removal of three more layers of soil
(Fig.1), containing small and medium fallen stones and plaque schists especially at the east and south part of the area. During the removal of those layers, a south wall is revealed.
A lot of pottery fineware and courseware was found along with a sherd of a vessel with the plastic decoration of a head’s ram
(Fig.2) and animal bones.
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AREA 62
The area 62 is located in the north of area 13 and west of the kiln and has been excavated in the 80s’. In the NW part of the area a small part of a paved floor was discovered
(Fig.1). A small accumulation of pottery like pithos was collected.
AREA 63
The excavation of the third week continued at the north of Room 57A. in the external side of the north wall of the Area 63. Two walls and a paved floor were discovered
(Fig.1). The whole area was plenty of pottery from different vases in shape and dimensions, like coarse wares, small conical cups and foot of cooking pots.
