Tanya,
Wheat storage is generally above ground , in the ground it would start to
mold because of the higher humidity. When it molds it heats up and spoils so
I would scratch that possibility.
As to the second potential pit, cisterns are often used for drinking water
in the periods before drilled wells. This is especially the case where the
water table is to far down to reach by hand digging or the soil is not
stable enough to withstand excavation before it collapses. I would imagine
in your location rainfall is scanty at certain times of the year and more
plentiful at other times, having two cisterns, especially for drinking water
is a likely possibility. Recently I was part of an excavation team in Iowa
of two cisterns  less than 20 feet apart with no hand dug well found.
Unfortunately they also had a very deep privy pit between the two soft mud
brick lined cisterns. Liekly it would have contaminated what water they had.
We never got ot the bottom of either cistern, they were to deep (as was the
privy pit) even after taking down the sides and pulling the excavation back.
Steve Hanken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tanya *Zee*" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 12:48 PM
Subject: Mysterious Pit Pt2


> Wow!
>
> This really was the place to go!
>
> I took in the emails and we chatted a bit about the project in class
today.
> We're going to go ahead on the assumption that the pit is either a cistern
> or a storage cellar of some sort. We have two lists each with what we are
> looking for in each instance. You guys were a tremendous help in helping
us
> put together those lists. We won't see the site again until September 11
and
> then we need to convince the crew chief to let us continue with the
> excavation (if indeed anymore needs to be done) of the pit. So, we might
not
> even be able to auger for a few more weeks.
>
> A fellow student, the other one who is REALLY into this, wanted me to pass
> on these 2 bits of information to see if it changes anything. (BTW- she is
> voting for root cellar, while I am voting for cistern.) One - in a
> photograph taken late 19th century the house appears to have 2 dark areas,
> one on each side of the porch (thinking it was more porch test holes were
> dug - this is how the pit was found). We cannot test the other side
because
> there is a working crop there. But, would the occurance of 2 pits means
> anything special? Two - the old farmstead grew wheat. But, we are not
> familiar with wheat bundling and storage proceedures for this century or
any
> other. Could these be storage for wheat?
>
> Sorry to ask so many questions, but it is difficult for me to get to a
> library and spend any reasonable amount of time there since I work, go to
> school and raise a toddler! Last book I read was Goodnight Moon!!
>
> Thanks so much guys (and gals). This has really helped!
>
> Tanya
>
> "All our science, our technology, our mathematics - nothing is unique
about
> them. These things will be repeated by any sufficiently advanced
> civilization...But, there is only one golden death mask of Tutankhamen,
only
> one Room of Lilies. It is through our art that we really live and breathe.
> If I could pick only one thing that could survive on this earth and speak
> for our species, it would be our art." -- an archaeologist
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Get ready for school! Find articles, homework help and more in the Back to
> School Guide! http://special.msn.com/network/04backtoschool.armx