This occupation surface most likely represents a later floor that was in use contemporaneously with the opus mixtum walls (5575 and 5744) and oven/hearth (5577), and thus belongs to the second phase of the middle terrace. Despite the generally good condition of the previous floors, a new floor surface may have been desirable for the sake of uniformity, and to fill the post hole (5591) in the crushed tufo floor surface.