Today marked our second week of excavation at Podere Cannicci. While the team in search of the necropolis continued to expand the trench with hopeful spirits, the group at Area 1 spent the morning cleaning the site and preparing for further excavation, defining the limits of the trench and meticulously troweling the eastern pebbled area. During this time, Michael and Federico got the students acquainted with the tools of the trade, showing them proper pickaxing and shovelling techniques.
After lunch, the Area 1 team began by teaching the students about the basics of stratigraphy: gathered around a table behind the excavation area, Federico and Betsy defined “contexts” and discussed how to discover, document, and excavate them, emphasizing always the importance of thorough records. Equipped with their new knowledge and practice with different tools, the students of Area 1 spent the remainder of the afternoon exposing Contexts 39 and 70, representing a burn layer and thick, yellow clay, that had been identified during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
The students are excited for what the future holds!
Interconnected Mobility of People and Economy along the River Ombrone 