2025.02.16 — Night
It was the third day of test excavation at TB-3.
So far, there had been almost no notable finds.
The work continued much as before.
Whenever they found something, the staff stopped to examine it.
But nothing had turned up that changed the course of the investigation.
Even so, TB-3 was beginning to show some unusual features.
Mercer read through that day’s TB-3 field report.
TB-3 | Preliminary Survey Findings
[Recovered Artifacts]
Three pottery sherds recovered.
All three resemble the first sherd recovered.
All three have thin walls.
The rims were formed using a technique different from that seen in the main TB-2 assemblage.
The same fine greenish-gray particles seen in the first sherd are present within the ceramic fabric of all three sherds.
Notes
The number of pottery sherds recovered so far remains small.
It is therefore not yet possible to determine whether these three sherds represent a production tradition different from that represented by the main TB-2 assemblage.
Three sherds were still too few.
But several sherds with characteristics similar to the first had now been found.
That suggested Mercer might have been right about the first sherd.
--
At that moment, an email notification appeared on the screen.
The email was from a partner research institution.
Mercer’s team had taken a small sample from the first sherd.
They had sent it to the partner institution.
NUSANTARA ARCHAEOMETRY & MATERIALS LABORATORY (NAML)
Target: TB3-P01-GG | PRELIMINARY MINERALOGICAL SCREENING
Mercer left the field report open on the screen.
She opened the preliminary screening results attached to the email.
SEM-EDS | Spot G-03 / Green-gray phase
O 48.8
Mg 15.0
Si 14.4
Fe 11.7
Al 9.3 wt.%
Mg / (Mg + Fe), atomic ratio: approx. 0.75
Below the SEM-EDS results were elemental maps for Si, Al, Mg, and Fe.
There was also an enlarged BSE image of the greenish-gray area.
μ-XRD | Green-gray fraction / Preliminary
14.2 Å 7.10 Å 4.75 Å 3.55 Å
Preliminary phase identification: CHLORITE-GROUP PHYLLOSILICATE
Preliminary Findings | The greenish-gray inclusions are present within the ceramic fabric of the sherd.
It is therefore unlikely that the inclusions were deposited on its surface after manufacture.
The analytical results suggest that the inclusions may be rock fragments containing Mg-Fe chlorite-group minerals.
Their mineralogical and textural characteristics are consistent with chlorite-bearing fragments of hydrothermally altered volcanic rock.
Further analysis is required to confirm the mineralogical identification.
Further analysis is also required to determine the source of the inclusions.
Mercer read through the preliminary results.
She looked back at the words “hydrothermally altered volcanic rock fragments.”
“Chlorite...”
She pulled several geological reports and maps of the surrounding area from the file box beside her desk.
--
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
“Dr. Mercer, the protective sheet at TB-3 came loose.
“The excavation area looks like it was disturbed a little too... I think it was an animal.”
It was Thomas, one of the field assistants.
“I put it back in place.
“Just thought I’d let you know.”
“Thank you. I’ll check it tomorrow.”
It was not unusual for animals to get into an excavation area overnight.
Mercer opened a geological map of northeastern Flores.
She began looking for any indication of hydrothermal alteration.