Search the site...

Paphos Theatre Archaeological Project
  • Home
  • The Project
    • Our approaches
    • Visualising the Site >
      • Paphos Theatre in VR
      • STARC 3D Visualisation >
        • STARC 3D Visualisation
      • Drone Footage 2017
      • Drone Footage 2018
      • Orthographic
    • 2018 Public Lecture
  • Archaeological History
  • The Team
    • Join as a Student team member
    • Volunteer Program
    • The Team in pictures
  • Research Projects
    • Zooarchaeology at Paphos
    • Recycling Paphos
    • Digital Artistic Documentation
  • Publications
    • Posters
  • Paphos Theatre Education Blog
  • The Archive
    • The Archive: Season reports and media >
      • 2019 Season Press Release
      • 2017 Season Report
    • The Archive: News and Events
    • The Archive: Cultural collaborations
  • Merchandise
  • Project Patron
  • Latest news
  • Contact Us
  • Support Us
  • Nea Paphos Colloquium III
    • Conference program
    • Abstracts
  • Images
    • Drone
    • VR
    • Excavation
    • Griffin Inv 9101
    • Griffin 9144
    • Aerial
  • Puzzles
  • Dig Life
  • Home
  • The Project
    • Our approaches
    • Visualising the Site >
      • Paphos Theatre in VR
      • STARC 3D Visualisation >
        • STARC 3D Visualisation
      • Drone Footage 2017
      • Drone Footage 2018
      • Orthographic
    • 2018 Public Lecture
  • Archaeological History
  • The Team
    • Join as a Student team member
    • Volunteer Program
    • The Team in pictures
  • Research Projects
    • Zooarchaeology at Paphos
    • Recycling Paphos
    • Digital Artistic Documentation
  • Publications
    • Posters
  • Paphos Theatre Education Blog
  • The Archive
    • The Archive: Season reports and media >
      • 2019 Season Press Release
      • 2017 Season Report
    • The Archive: News and Events
    • The Archive: Cultural collaborations
  • Merchandise
  • Project Patron
  • Latest news
  • Contact Us
  • Support Us
  • Nea Paphos Colloquium III
    • Conference program
    • Abstracts
  • Images
    • Drone
    • VR
    • Excavation
    • Griffin Inv 9101
    • Griffin 9144
    • Aerial
  • Puzzles
  • Dig Life

education blog

Architectural Elements and Bipod Lifting

12/10/2011

1 Comment

 
By Nicole Castle
As we enter our second week of the 2011 season, work continues in trench 11A under the Cypriot sun, removing the rocky fill above the nymphaeum. In the near distance, across the site the team is also hard at work in Trench 11B, as they continue excavation of the bedrock and the well from last year, and the extension of the medieval walls to the east.

Focusing on Trench 11A, the use of the bipod last week enabled the removal of a number of large rocks, making way for us to continue working through the tumble layer, and loosening more of the rocky fill. Breaking through patches of plaster proves difficult where some rocks were ‘cemented’ together as a result of the plaster seeping through the layer at the time of the fill. That, combined with a few patches of sandstone and, of course, the compacted nature of the tumble layer itself, has made it extremely satisfying to now see a significant drop in the layer.

So far, a number of architectural pieces have been uncovered, including a few architrave blocks, a couple of seats from the theatre, and a few half edged columns. These particular columns were perhaps originally a part of the north wall of the nymphaeum structure. These architectural pieces uncovered this season are in addition to the Corinthian capitals found in the same fill in previous years. It is interesting to note the difference in the stone and the size between the capitals – the larger marble capitals from the stage of the theatre compared to the smaller capitals of lesser quality stone, which were likely from the original structure of the nymphaeum. It is also interesting to note the wide variety of architectural pieces emerging in this tumble layer from various structures across the site, used as a location of deposit for storing architectural blocks of stone and rubble following the earthquake.

Today the bipod was again used to remove another dozen or so rocks. On a personal note, this brilliant piece of engineering was developed to remove blocks from the trench I was in last year (TR10C) so it is fantastic to have the opportunity to use it again. As always, a high degree of teamwork is demonstrated in placing the bipod in a suitable location, positioning the pieces to be removed, securing the ropes, aligning and positioning at the right angles, ‘pulling in’ and ‘letting go’ at the required time - all in order to safely move the large pieces of rock out of the trench. ‘All hands on deck’ enables it to be a continued success!

As work continues through the last bit of the rocky tumble, we are beginning to reach the next layer, or context, underneath – another step closer to exposing the mosaic floor.      

Picture
1.     Sunset at Aphrodite’s Rock last Saturday 


Picture
2.     It’s not always the bipod – moving rocks to access the drain for soil samples


Picture
3.     Breaking through the rock and plaster in Trench 11A


Picture
4.     Architectural pieces in the rocky tumble of Trench 11A


1 Comment
fast payday cash loans link
5/10/2013 08:18:16 pm

All my life I've wanted to be somebody. But I see now I should have been more specific.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Bloggers

    Each season our team including the directors, students, architects, volunteers, ceramicists and other finds specialists will blog about the day to day sweat and adventures that come with life on an archaeological dig.

    Each post will be signed off by the team member and together these posts will represent the variety of expertise and experiences that happen when working overseas on a dig. 

    ​Please join in and ask any questions about the archaeological excavations, research, field methods, the island of Cyprus, food on a dig, or anything else you’re interested to know in our comments section.

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    November 2019
    October 2019
    November 2017
    October 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    March 2016
    September 2014
    August 2014
    August 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010

    Categories

    All
    Blogs
    Cypriot Archaeology
    Other Foreign Teams
    Photographs Of Excavation
    Pottery Analysis
    Science In Archaeology
    Videos

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly