Perhaps it is not the most romantic topic, but our excavation today in Cardo 3 North discovered a covered drainage channel cut into the bedrock and plastered. It is about 20 cm wide and 15 cm deep and drops about 20 cm across the 3 m probe. Toward the north end, the drain widens to 40 cm. We are guessing that the additional flow may come from the House of Tyche. We will try and figure out that matter tomorrow.

Michael used his drone yesterday to take some photos from above. The NIP is on this right in this shot.

Today I spent the morning before breakfast at the site. I was working through a number of small questions/observations. One of the less clear areas at the site in the Gamma complex.

The complex has at least three visible phases. First are the low walls. Second and sitting on top of one of them is the Delta complex to the right (North). Thirdly, in the back, one can see some later walls from a time when most of the earlier walls were buried. All the constructions are on the poor side.

For the rest of the day . . . manual registration of the scans of the House of Tyche.

In 2016, after removing a blockage from Cardo 3 North, we discovered what looked like the top of a monumental doorway in the west wall of the House of Tyche. As the floor on the opposite side of the wall was low enough, we resolved to open a probe in the street to find the threshold and thus understand more of the history of the house.

After just two days of work, the supposed doorway may not be a doorway at all.

The limestone blocks in the lower right of the picture, blocks on which the wall sits, interrupt the line of the right door jamb. They are at the same elevation as foundation blocks for the wall on the opposite side of the street.

If this interpretation is correct, the lintel stone and related pieces are in secondary use as wall stones and are not a doorway.

Such a surprise!