Floor
Description
Henrik Boman & Monika Nilsson
The floor level of 79 seems to be completely destroyed with the exception of the two large lava stone close by the well in the NE corner. An earlier floor as found during the renew investigations of room f. A door stopper related to the closed door confirms this interpretation. This is the floor level of the room when the door to Vicolo delle Nozze d’Argento was open. The door stopper was oriented towards the western part of the door.
The floor found is preserved in the northern half of the room, under the conduit and under the hearth. 2. M from the hearth was cleared, and the edge of the broken floor was then visible. The floor is lavapesta, with large but few incursions of terracotta, light brown in colour. Height over lavapesta floor: 0.23 — 0.3 m.
The floor level of 79 seems to be completely destroyed with the exception of the two large lava stone close by the well in the NE corner. An earlier floor as found during the renew investigations of room f. A door stopper related to the closed door confirms this interpretation. This is the floor level of the room when the door to Vicolo delle Nozze d’Argento was open. The door stopper was oriented towards the western part of the door.
The floor found is preserved in the northern half of the room, under the conduit and under the hearth. 2. M from the hearth was cleared, and the edge of the broken floor was then visible.
The floor is lavapesta, with large but few incursions of terracotta, light brown in colour.
Conduit by W wall: The conduit is constructed in a reddish plaster, with a coating of clay mortar, stone, brick/tile and terracotta spoils, above this area covering tiles which in turn are covered with clay mortar and stone.
A core of reddish mortar was found under the hard core where the work had stopped. A layer of plaster found 2-3 cm from the lavapesta floor, 7 cm thick. This plaster layer was Also found at places in the room, and should therefore not be included in the conduit structure? The first extension and appearance of the conduit is therefore misleading. Though, it could be a mould around the red plaster, which could be the lining of the conduit. The floor under the clay mortar coating is reddish, though this is no new level.
Height over lavapesta floor: 0.23 — 0.3 m. Imprints of stones/tiles are visible, the structure has been higher, we cannot say how high.
No other traces of a second floor o floor level, more than the present.
The structure continues in front of the door, and trough the opening a threshold! It is however difficult to explain the clay mortar around the red plaster, could it be a result of the water flow and lime transpiring out of the mortar.
The lavapesta floor seems to be laid against the conduit, ie the conduit are older than the floor. It is difficult so say, it could also be a constructional sequence. Burnt charcoal found under the floor, though no other level found.
