Just another day at Livias

Today was a warm day at Tall el-Hammam (AKA Sodom/Abel Shittim/Livias) with temperatures reaching 18-20C. We closed the square that was proported to be a Roman cistern today. We struck water that had a strong sulfur smell to it but did not find a cistern. This will now be filled in so the local farmer can use the field. There was some Roman pottery but no wall for the cistern although there was a floor or surface lined with stones.

This is the corner of the Roman building. The cornerstone looks like it might have fallen off the corner because it is laying flat. We will determine this tomorrow if possible. The walls are 1.2 meters wide which are standard for Roman walls. We found another Tessaera which means that there is a mosaic floor in the building. We are now just getting down to the material that is not contaminated with modern debris and should find some additional Roman pottery. Tracy Stripling is standing in the inside of the building where she and Jessica Holmes (standing on the wall) dug for an afternoon clarifying the inside of the wall which falls in our square.