Kourion Complex Palace (Mosaics) Fales, c. 1955 (2 of 2)De C. Fales (probably)

45

it is almost impossible that the coins fell in through this drain after this plaster was as found. It is,of course,possible the coins fell in before the mouth mouth of the drain from room 41 was covered up in some manner manner unconnected with baptism. The coins may have fallen in through the drain in the foot-bath,either before or after the drain mouth of the drain in room 41 was closed off. But why so many coins in this short drain whereas in the longer drain from the apsidal bath,room(43),there were only found four coins? Of course that 42 of these 144 coins were found in the first layer of the soil in the drain is an indication that they may have come in with the soil of this layer after the bath,room 41,was no longer used as a bath and before the plaster was closed off the drain. If they came from the soil above,why so few coins in the soil above, [handwritten: ? as found by us] [handwritten: of the coins] Nor does this later deposit, with the soil account for two groups of coins,one of 15 and the other of 7 found in depressions or holes in the floor of the drain east of the vertical exposed pipe-these coins can only have been deposited by flowing water. As nearly all the coins were in bad state of preservation,in marked contrast to the coins found either side of the drain under the mosaic,the exact number here mentioned may one or two higher than the real number-pieces of the same coin may have each individually been counted as coins. On the other hand,[handwritten: ?] undoubtedly a … continues