Binchester 2014: Day Twenty-Eight

Jeanna Cook writes from Trench 1

Within the barrack block, between 15 and 20 post holes have been discovered. The holes are rock lined and some have produced impressive finds, such as Alex's bone ring. The holes, all of which are within the larger barrack block structure, may be contemporary to the earlier phase of this structure. They are indicative of a timber structure within the stone walls of the barrack block.

Three of us continued to work in the area where Gaby and Tony had found a large carved drain. Taking away a level of reddish soil, we were able to follow the paving of flat stone to the course of the exterior wall. It appears as though this flat stone paving continues on the other side of the wall. As more of the stone was revealed, the structure of a drain became more clear. This flat paving stone drain runs just underneath the carved stone drain. The angle and level of the flat stone, quite severe, may be related to the slumping of the wall which it probably passes under. Approximately 10 more inches of the carved drain are visible with the work completed this afternoon. It is difficult to say whether the drain is at the same level as the floor surface in this section. 

Michael Boyd writes from Trench 2:

In the Vicus today, Morris continued to remove the stones from the pit adjacent to the fine Roman wall recently revealed. The wall now has 7 courses with no bottom in sight. 

In the bath house, Large Room #1 continues to have all of its walls planned and drawn. Along the edge of the trench on the outside of Large Room #1, the adjacent room has revealed a large stone lintel with the curving plaster structure seen on its adjacent walls.  In the corridor outside Large Room #1, the floor has been completely cleaned and a small section of the flooring has been removed to investigate what, if anything, might be beneath it.

In the section of the trench that was recently opened, the boundaries of an additional large room (Large Room #2) have been defined with most of the room remaining outside the existing trench. In the alcove adjacent to Large Room #2, three large stone lintels were found indicating a possible entrance level to the alcove. 

Elsewhere in the bath house, two stunning examples of painted plaster were discovered; one immediately on the other side of the alcove and one on the floor of the recently re-cleaned corridor. The surface of one shows three distinct colors (yellow, green and red); the other find has what may be an example of detailed drawings.