The first week at Hippos in 2012 was a typical opening week . . . getting set up, organizing squares, removing the top layers of destruction fill, and yes, beginning to learn more about our site.

In the east room of the House of Tyche, a window wall separates two portions of the room. The wall is so called, because of the columns of stone that make windows possible between sections of a house, rather than solid walls.

In the Beta Building by the end of the week we began to reach the floor, exposing some basalt pavers next to a column base.

In the northeast corner of the Beta Building, we began to exposed a floor of packed earth. But of greater interest is the north wall, the lower courses of which are constructed much more finely than the upper courses, indicating that the final building was built upon some walls of an earlier building.

During the first week, the team was at its largest size, so we concluded the week with a picture of the team.