Trench 1V
Craig Barker
Trench 1V is a 4 x 4 m square. It was excavated in the 1997 season with the aim of finding further evidence of the edge of the orchestra on the eastern side.

The topsoil of this trench showed disturbance that was the result of modern activities. Deeper into the trench came a better indication of undisturbed stratigraphy. In the north-west corner of the trench were two poorly-built walls, meeting in a corner. A slight change in colour was noticed inside the walls, even though the wall leading south across the trench disappears from sight after about a metre's length. Beneath this wall was placed a large re-used marble architectural entablature block complete with dentils, presumably as a threshold for a medieval building: a fragment of pottery found within the wall as it comes over top of the block in the photograph seems to date to the 13th century.

The block (see below), which is probably of Hadrianic or Antonine date (2nd century AD) shows some peculiarities in its decorative elements and still awaits definitive interpretation.

Excavations below this later structure brought us to the surface of the orchestra in the western side of the trench. The surface here was better preserved than in trench 1U - the pinkish waterproof mortar surface was visible over the entire exposed area. Running on a curve through the centre of the trench was a line of white cement which is all that remains of the barrier wall still visible in trenches 1D and 1P. This line of cement runs on the same curve and appears to continue through to trench 1U where it ends at the parodos. Immediately behind it are large carved stone blocks. They appear to be the remains of a walkway running around the theatre between the barrier wall and the front row of the cavea. Between the bottom row of the cavea and the stone paving can be seen a narrow drain cut into the bedrock. Also cut into the bedrock are four or five postholes forming two sets which may have held temporary fencing between the stage and the audience. One series seems to have been constructed at intervals of five ancient feet.