Earlier remains

Thomas Staub

To the north of the stripe in the floor, described above, remains of a wall, 0.30 m wide, are preserved up to 0.05 m height, stretching from the west wall towards east for 1.90 m. This wall, probably belonging to an earlier building phase of the house, is placed in line with the orthostats in the west wall, described above, and in the description of the east wall of peristyle b, into which later the washing basin of terracotta was placed on the peristyle side. Since this could have been the northern frame of a later closed door, the remains of the wall at floor level in this room should be seen in relation with this former door.
Two square structures are visible to the north of the former wall, each app. 0.46 x 0.46 m and preserved up to app. 0.24 m height, constructed of mainly bricks, 0.60 m from each other, the western one 0.85 m from the west wall. The space in between is filled with rubble and an earthen mortar. To the east, remains of a probable working bench are found, partly only the substructures. This rectangular feature, 1.44 m wide, 1.50 m deep and max. 0.37 m high (above floor level in the southern part of the room), seems to be divided into two parts, the southern one consisting of a structure built with mixed rubble in an earth containing mortar, whereas the lower (0.13 - 0.24 m), northern part was, and partly still is, covered by roof tiles. One tile is preserved near the east wall, and to the west of it, imprints from a second one are visible. The upper rim of the tile, still in situ, is covered by hydraulic plaster and above this earthen mortar is preserved with a rounded upper side, looking like the filling of a half round terracotta pipe. One hole is visible in the east wall, where this tile reaches the wall, but it is uncertain, whether the hole is only the result of some missing stones or if it was made deliberately, maybe for the insertion of a beam. At the edge between the higher part of this structure and the east wall, it seems as if a hole in the wall had been filled up, maybe in modern times. Both the actual hole and the eventually filled up one have app. the same measures of 0.20 x 0.30 m.