While working up preliminary study of MAP's hyrdraulic system and reviewing final phasing, interpretations on this drain have changed. Inititally, excavators identified two separate drains. A ditch filled with stone & tiles covering a lower/earlier stone channel. It is not believed that these drains are part of the same french drain construction: a ~1m-wide ditch was dug (20103 = 20109 = 20031), cutting the cocciopesto surface of Room D as well as the back wall (20018) and conduit (20030 = 20038) north of the backwall. Then a stone channel was built at the bottom (20105) covered with large stones. Finall the ditch was backfilled with stones and tiles (20111 = 20102 = 20032) to create a soakaway that directed water into the channel. This drain was built after the winery went out of use but before the fire event since the drain is covered with collapsed wall construction material (20099).
Fill includes soil with frequent tile fragments, of all sizes, and stone. Were these tiles part of a drain lining or covering? This feature is the continuation of cut 20031 & fill 20032 from the Northern trench of Area 20000, cutting through Wall 20018, thus post-dating the Opus Reticulatum walls. This feature was most likely used for drainage as it mirrors simple drains used in farming today. SU 20102/20103 may be on the same alignment as similar drain found in 13000, 11000, and 15000.
SU 20101: detail with remnants of cocciopesto
SU 20102: view toward the south
SU 20102: view toward the north
SU 20102: excavation of drain 20102 in progress; view toward the northeast
SU 20102: detail of the southern half of the drain in progress of excavation; eastern edge of the second earlier drain visible; view toward the southwest
SU 20102: detail of the drain cutting through back wall 17018=20018; view toward the northeast