Podere Cannicci – Day 20

The final day at Cannicci was a moment of magic for all–with odds against the teams occupying both trenches at the main site, the students put their hearts and souls into their labor to get the job done. Trench supervisor Michael and his team managed to remove Context 55 in its entirety, revealing that the pebbled floor continued to wall 8. Simultaneously, Marc found two small, bronze treasures–one, a wonderfully preserved bronze ring, and the other, what is believed to be a thin chain link. Betsy’s trench had similar success: After excavating Context 71, the interior of the small canal between walls 58 and 61, Context 70, comprised likewise of thick, yellow clay, loomed before them as an entire room to be taken down. By lunchtime, the team not only levelled the context to the depth of Context 71, the original reference point, but revealed a potential new wall, dark red soil towards the eastern end of the room, and thick, black clay towards the north-western extent of Context 70. Afterwards, just as the students on the other side of the wall did, the team troweled, articulated the bordering walls, and swept the entire area. 

In Area 1000, Tina and Thuraya made incredible strides exposing a complex floor context while simultaneously showing director Professor Michelle Hobart’s daughter, Charlotte, the fundamentals of excavation. Charlotte spent the rest of the day manning the drone, taking the final aerial photographs of both sites, before joining Betsy’s trench as an extra hand on the other side of the trees.

 In the afternoon, Tina conducted the removal of the remaining dolia collapse while Thuraya and Edo joined the team at the central excavation site to finish documentation with the helpful accompaniment of cold watermelon. All in all, the Cannicci crew felt the depth of their accomplishments today, and after positive news regarding the possibilities of extending our excavation, the following year appears bright with the promise of friendship and discovery!