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On the last day of the excavation, we finally got a complete look at what we are calling the Chamber of the Pools.  One pool is still hidden (except for its southern face) in the north baulk.  But the fountain pool could now be seen in its full beauty.

In front of the pool is a mosaic floor that attests to the beauty of the chamber and beckons us to excavate further to the north in a future season.

The small pool fed by a fountain and a “question-mark” channel have created quite a discussion on the dig at Hippos.  Fountains are rarely discovered and this one seems to serve a decorative pool.  In our last days, we hope to reveal part of the decorative floor on which the pool sits,

We have previously written about what looked like a fountain in the northern part of our excavation area.  With today’s work, we can now say that the fountain is part of the water features of a small pool (1.67×1.67m).  It is one of now two plastered pools in this part of the dig and may suggest that we have come upon a private bathing facility.  We have not reached the bottom of the pool, yet.  But some of the team have their water toys at the ready.

As the team prepares for the final week of the excavation, we have been cleaning and documenting some of our small finds.  These are the finds that excite us:

Byzantine M Coin

Bronze Pitcher

Spiral bottle

Bone Jewelry

Cross and Palm decorative tile

Fibula

 Maenad

Janus Flask

And what will we discover this week?