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| Area: South |
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| Dug in Year: 1997 |
| Feature Type: fire installation |
| Feature Subtype: oven |
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| Related Photo (Click to view larger version in new window) |
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| Location: SW corner of space 117 |
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| Grid X: 918.1 Grid Y: 973.9 |
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defined 1997: clay oven. Not yet excavated
excavated 1998:
Clay fire installation in SW corner of space 117 which abuts walls 93 to west and 279 to south. Lopsided dome shape (higher in west) there has been more than one phase of this oven. This is evidenced by
i, two floors 3383 and 3607
ii, scorched scar of early shape of oven roof on wall 79
iii, shape of oven lining 3171 in half section of oven which suggests that in an earlier phase the oven had a steeper profile but later the roof flattened out. There is only one unit No for this lining as so far it has been impossible to distinguish between the two phases whilst excavating although the south beyond the half section hasn't been excavated yet (25/08/98)
iv, the oven has been truncated to the East by bin 257 and from above by bin 256. This in itself doesn't signify another phase of oven and it could easily be in disuse by this time, the stratigraphy proves neither one or the other. However the oven has been replastered on the outside many times (rendering 3170) this has been truncated at the top by bin 256 but there are at least two other layers of rendering 3175 and 3162 which cover both the oven and N facing outside wall of F256 & 257. To me this suggests that both were in use at the same time as otherwise, why not just plaster completely over the front of the oven and its backfill. This may be a huge assumption though as there may be some reason why the oven still needs to be remembered as an oven when out of use rather than a stand to put a bin on. The deliberate backfilling hints at this. It would be much easier just to demolish the oven and start again except of course if extra height was needed for the bin.
The oven appears to have collapsed slightly on the West, fill 3389, then been deliberately backfilled 3143, 3137. Then it seems the oven roof has collapsed in the centre [3373] depositing fragments of oven roof 3132, 3136 on top of backfill. This collapse could be caused by the truncation from above by bin 256 and perhaps the setting and compressing of the backfill leaving a void at top of oven which would be prone to collapse if too much weight was put onto it. There is a possibility that there was a deliberate hole made in top of oven but it didn't' look likely as edge slightly irregular and tapered at edge. The last fill of oven 3124 was probably introduced from this hole 3373 in top of oven as the fills are quite compact and I don't see how it could have been made to fill all the extent of oven if deposited from the front. This fill could be deliberate backfilling or equally could be seepage down form fills of bin above into oven.
The oven appears to built by cutting a depression (through plaster feature to East) [3643], laying down the floor 3607 and then building superstructure on top 3365 and then lining 3171.
Floor 3383 doesn't reach edge of oven walls in most places, although it does at the front and underlies physically 3171. Possibly the floor was added after first phase of use but when some at least of oven wall was standing, then the whole oven was relined afterwards. It has been impossibly to tell any differences so far between build of oven 3365 however there is evidence of use from 2 phases of the oven with two small ashy layers. The first 3606 overlies floor 3607. The second 3147 overlies floor 3383. This thin layer is thought to be same as 3157 and very similar material that overlaid rim of oven floor. This suggests that it was raked out. I think also that last year an ashy layer was excavated, 2820, leaving a small section in front of oven. 3147 and 3157 are probably part of the same deposit. |
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| In situ Conservation: No |
| Lifted: No |
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| Feature Relationships: |
| abuts: (Click to view the record) 93, 279 |
| cut by: (Click to view the record) 256, 257 |
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| Number of Related Diary Entries: 7 |
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| Conservation Recorded: No |
| Related Photos: 11 (Opens as a group in a new window) | Buildings: (Click to view the record)
| Spaces: (Click to view the record)
| | No. Of Units in this Feature: 26 (Click here to view unit list) |
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