Alex Attacks!

Unfortunately, Hurricane Alex in the Gulf had us ducking for cover all week long! Luckily for us, the rain stayed away just long enough for us to make some new discoveries and open a new trench. Right is one of the many bricks found in Unit 12- this one had a Bonifay maker's mark stamped into its surface.

While finishing a level in Unit 12 and preparing Unit 3 for excavation, we noticed a new feature. In this picture below, notice the light colored line along the far right in the right hand unit. After conferring with our P.I., John Phillips, we believe that we might have a dripline! A dripline is made when water runs off a gutter-less roof and washes light-weight sediments away. This process leaves a coarse, pebbly line that differs considerably from the sediments outside of it. Finding a dripline helps us identify the orientation, and perhaps even the roofline style of the building (or buildings) we're studying!

Colors have been enhanced so that the dripline is more easily discernible.

Finally, on Wednesday and Thursday we worked on opening our first Trench (left). Trench 1 consists of four adjacent 1 meter by 1 meter units several meters south of Block 1. This trench bisects a large, very artifact rich tree fall. Although the top several levels will be highly disturbed because of said tree fall, we hope to find intact midden (or garbage dump). Nothing tells more about people from the past than the things they threw away!

We've already recovered diagnostic ceramics and a piece of writing slate. We're excited to see what lies under the treefall!