.bk A15
.fl L823jlw.j
.fd daily journal for L818, L819, L820 and L821
.ei jlw
.ed L823
.rd L818
.ri jlw

-wk two picks and 2 in support reported for work.

k 13
sg we found evidence for at least two kilns, a30 and a31, in the locus during the regular MZ14 excavation season. However, due to the press of time and the need to deploy resources to higher priority loci, we were not able to excavate them. We had planned to do so in a following season. yt and jlw visited the locus on L815 as part of a general inspection of the site and discovered some unusual types of kiln waste in kiln a30 that included sheep/goat dung preserved in clay slag as well as animal bones, both of which would have served as fuel during the operation of the kilns. We decided to take advantage of yt's expertise to excavate both kilns outside the regular season using a small team of 4 skilled workmen, because she believed that the kilns were of a type not well documented.
dy following the outline of burned soil and pottery slag that appeared vertically in the north face of the south baulk and belonging to kiln, a31, we excavated a semi-circular ring of accumulation, f345, to the north of the south excavation limit. The containment became better defined as a rounded conical shape with the apex pointed downward. Towards the bottom, we found three intact small Khabur painted bowls (i213, i214, i215) and a part of another (i217) that had probably been left in the kiln after its last firing session. Next, we encountered a layer of ash, f347, that was above a plastered surface, f359. Also, we began to define containment of the north kiln by excavating accumulation, f327, the 2-meter cylinder of accumulation that was likely to enclose the kiln vessel.

.rd L819

-wk two picks and 2 in support reported for work

k 13
dy finished excavating layer, f347. In the accumulation, f349, surrounding plaster surface, f359, we found five more bowls of similar design (i219, i221, i222, i223, i225). Shifting our attention to the northern kiln, a30, whose identity as a kiln was first established by a layer of bricks (f356), we removed accumulation, f348. To better understand the relationship between the two kilns we began to excavate the accumulation separating them, f346.
nr at the time the MZ14 excavation season closed, we believed that we would not excavate any more this year, so the entire volume of material was improperly designated a kiln, f327. We will redesignate the bricks as f356 and the accumulation within the containment as f327. Furthermore, it is now apparent that the containment was a large hole dug into the ground to whose sides the burned soil and melted pottery slag adhered, gradually building to a thickness of 10cm or more. We have designated these containments as cuts, f357, for kiln, a30, and f358, for kiln, a31.

.rd L820
-wk 2 picks and 4 in support reported for work.

k 13
dy began to excavate the 75cm high portion of the north baulk of k14 which covers about half of kiln, f31. Then, began to excavate what by symmetry should have been the accumulation, f350, in the top of the south half of the kiln. Finished excavating accumulations f348 in kiln a30 and f349 in kiln a31. Excavated accumulation, f350, the body of a mini-bulk cut to understand the construction and use of the kiln.
nr the accumulation that would have been equivalent to f350 in the north part of the kiln had been excavated without recognition of the fact that it was the contents of the body of a kiln. This was only seen in section after the digging took place.

.rd L821

-wk 2 picks and 2 in support reported for work.

k 13
dy finished excavating accumulations, f351 and f353. Excavated a gray ash accumulation, f354, and a black ash accumulation, f355, at the bottom of kiln, a30. From the black ash came a very hard, well fired statuette of a woman, i226, whose torso was broken. Later, found the torso, q715.5, while sieving. Accumulation, f353, yielded the head of a woman, i225, fashioned in clay, that resembled that of the statuette in size and design.  Accumulation, f355, also contained a ceramic crucible that would have held molten metal, q715.4. This is a general indication that the kilns may have been a part of an artisan complex where a variety of decorative and utilitarian objects were designed and made. Finished excavations and cleaned for final photographs, drawings and measurements.

.rd L822

k 13
dy took final photographs and finished drawings and sketches. yt will analyze ceramics and other materials from the kiln and prepare drawings of signficant objects.

f 344
df pb
ds surface of large , flat-surfaced stones and large sherds in the NE quadrant of k5. Although not fully exposed, it resembles the large stone platform in A9 that jlw believes belongs to Phase 3 and was an elevated work surface in an open courtyard. Mudbrick wall, f342 is built on top of this feature.

f 345
df a
ds accumulation in the containment vessel of a31, a pit kiln in the middle of the south edge of k13. It contained chunks of heated brick, kiln waste and sherds, not necessarily associated with this kiln. In addition, at the base of this accumulation, we found three small, intact Khabur pots, i213, i214, i215 and another sherd, i217, of a similar design and shape at about the same elevation in the deposit.
tc si f358
tc co f347

f 346
df a
ds accumulation in the far SW corner of the expanded locus k13 (includes N baulk of k3). It was partially excavated to explore the relationship between kilns, a30 and a31, and to examine the method of construction of a30, whose containment vessel forms the north boundary of the feature.
tc in f331

f 347
df ly
ds layer of ash under accumulation, f345, in the bottom part of kiln, a31, in the middle of the south edge of k13. It is above a plastered surface, f359, which we presume is the bottom of the kiln.
tc co f359
tc si f358

f 348
df a
ds accumulation in the cut of a small chamber, f367, on the south side of kiln, a30, in the expanded locus (west baulk of k3)of k13. The south half of this feature was accidentally excavated with the rest of k3 because the accumulations inside and outside are the same color and texture and have the same inclusions. Furthermore, the wall of this pit-like feaure is simply the excavation line of the cut, in some places delimited by a very thin layer of ash.
tc si f367

f 349
df a
ds accumulation on and around plaster floor, f359, in kiln, f31, in the middle of the south baulk of k13. Contained 4 small Khabur bowls, i221, i222, i223 and i225.
tc si f358

f 350
df a
ds accumulation within projected body of south kiln, a31, in what was part of the north baulk of k14, which was excavated as part of an extended k13. We made this a separate locus because the north portion had been accidentally excavated as part of accumulation, f56, without realizing that a pit kiln, a31, was a part of that feature.
tc si f358
tc co f345

f 351
df ac
ds accumulation in a N-S mini-baulk through kiln, a30, along the west side of k13. The minibulk was cut as a section to understand the construction of the kiln.
tc cu f353

f 352
df bk
ds brickfall within the body of kiln, a30, along the west side of k13. It seals the features below and assures that objects found at the lower levels of this conical structure were associated with the active use of the kiln.
tc co f353

f 353
df a
ds accumulation within the body of kiln, a30, along the west side of k13, sealed by brickfall, f351. Special finds include a small, hand-made clay head, i226, that is similar in size and design to one on a baked clay statuette of a nude woman, i228, found in the black ash layer, f355, below.
tc co f354

f 354
df ly
ds layer of gray ash in the lower level of kiln, a30, along the west side of k13, sealed above by brickfall.
tc co f355
tc si f358

f 355
df ly
ds layer of black ash in the bottom of kiln, a30, along the west side of k13, sealed above by brickfall. Special finds include a baked clay statuette of a woman, found in two parts, i228 and q715.5, and a clay crucible, q715.4.
tc si f358

f 356
df bk
ds single layer of mudbricks laid vertically that probably formed the top of kiln above the cylinder containing kiln, a30, located aolng the west side of k13.  Originally given the feature number f327, which was inadvertently used for not only the bricks, but the accumulation in the cylindrical projection upward of the kiln body, a30.  To avoid changing a number of q-lot tags, the bricks are being assigned this feature number.
tc co f327

f 357
df cut
ds containment vessel for pit kiln, a30, along the west side of k13. It is formed by burned soil and vitrified clay that adhered to the cut of the pit as the kiln was in use.
tc cu f331

f 358
df cut
ds containment vessel for pit kiln, a31, along the south side of k13. It is formed by burned soil and vitrified clay that ahered to the cut of the pit as the kiln was in use.
tc cu f56

f 359
df fa
ds floor of kiln, a31, along the south side of k13. It was formed by the application of successive layers of plaster, perhaps to provide a level surface for the firing of small pots, a number of which were found in the vicinity.
tc si f358

f 360
df bk
ds single stack of bricks at the NW corner of kiln a30, at the point were the cut of the main chamber, f357, intersects the cut for the fire chamber, f367.  The apparent purpose of the bricks was to deflect the heated air to the opposite side of the main chamber to assure that the entire kiln was as evenly heated as possible.
tc ab f357
tc ab f357

f 361
df bk
ds single stack of bricks at the SW corner of kiln a31, at the point were the cut of the main chamber, f358, intersects the cut for the fire chamber, f368.  The apparent purpose of the bricks was to deflect the heated air to the opposite side of the main chamber to assure that the entire kiln was as evenly heated as possible.
tc ab f358
tc ab f368