.bk A16 .fl L722LR.J .fd L722LR.J .rd L718 .ri lR -DY Yesterday we finished removing the north baulk of k6 which exposed f10 (wall) in its entirety. The round doorsocket that was found along the northern baulk in k6 is now completely exposed revealing two similar stones in a line next to each other. These three stones run north to south, are touching each other and all have rounded depressions at the center. The stone furthest to the south is the most round with the other two of a more elongated shape. To the immediate west of the stones are two rows of bricks. The first row which abuts the stones has a clay basin embedded between the wall f10, the stones, and a brick to the north and a brick to the west. This clay basin is compacted, reddish brown in color has elevated sides and a smooth inside curving out. There are only sides on the north and south ends. The row which includes this clay basin is completed with two bricks, stopping at the same width as the stones. The next row west of this row has three mudbricks and also has the same width. We made two features: one for the set of bricks that are next to the three stones, this feature is f143, and f138 for the three door sockets. f143 abuts f10 the wall and is located north of the wall. .rd L719 -DY Today we are removing the bricks of k5 with a strategy to remove them layer by layer to see the layout and construction of the walls that compose a1. This strategy will enable us to see if the walls are bonded with each other and understand the use of these walls since. aBK and gZ have drawn a sketch that shows this layout in four different steps. In k105 the workmen are contininuing to go down on the north side of a3 in the triangular section between the north baulk of k105 and f18 (the wall of a3). The wall continues to go down. In a9, Nicola has drawn the burial inside with the bones to scale since we are removing the bones later today at 4pm. Today we also took a large amount of relays from the new walls that have come out in recent days, a total of 20 were done today and we should be finished with most of the relays for A16 phase 5b and c structures. In k3, between a6 and the east baulk of k3, we continued to excavate in this rectangular area. A group of bricks were noted on the south west area which appear to belong with a6. In k1 and k2, the remainder of the accumulation from the east baulk of k5 has been removed bringing this area at the same elevation as k6. A floor was found in a6, f140 and is 150 cm below the top of the walls. A plumbbob was dropped at the top to see the width of the vault at the base and it was measured that the base is 60 cm vaulted in from the top bricks. In k5 it appears that f5 is now tow walls since one wall appears to be bonded with the larger wall f4 and not bonded with the adjacent paralles wall. In k105, a sherd pavement was found at the end of a3 eastern end which appears to link up with the other sherd pavement running north to south west of f75. In k107 the wall (f?) appears to end since we see gray layers underneath the reddish bricks. Underneath these gray layers we have another set of bricks that jet out from the wall above. These bricks are have a brick in width and are 6 running the same angle as the previous wall, the elevation for the new wall is 8817 -98. .rd L721 -DY In k105 we continued to remove the accumulation north of a3. Several medium sized stones have been uncovered, a small group of 4-5 stones located directly next to f18 next to the end of the wall and the beginning of the compact mud continuation. Directly east of the stones is a small concentration of dark ash, soft which abuts the stones and the wall f18. In a9 the tomb, the east wall currently has five courses of bricks in view with the bricks positioned so that the lower bricks jet out suggesting that the tomb is vaulted. The line of bricks continue on the east side then form a little outer area where a doorway is located in the east next to a 6. The north wall of this doorway is plastered. .rd L722 -DY We began excavating the pit seen in the north section of A12. We excavated a 150 cm by 100 cm trench in the center of k6. The interface between the floor from a2 and the beginning of the pit fill was very thin and we immediately began excavating dark gray soft ashy fill. The pit fill contains charcoal inclusions along with pieces of red clay. Organic materials are also present in the soil which include straw-like impressions and white thin roots. The fill is uniform in texture. In k5 we removed the bricks of f4 until the red bricks seen in the east side of f4. We were under the assumption that below these bricks was fill since no clear mortor lines were shown but after the top red bricks were removed it became evident from the top that there were bricks below, gray bricks. These bricks seem to be of a different construction phase than the top bricks belonging to phase b. In k2, we removed 10-15 centimeters in the whole locus which consisted of alternating layers of gray and pink. It it possible that a wall may connect f132 and the stones f118 together in k2. .rd L723 -DY We extended the trench from yesterday by 50 cm to the west and is located at the center of a2. The floor accumulation at the top is clearly visible which is only 3-5cm in thickness and shows that the pit is directly underneath the floor of a2. 90 cm below the top of the trench we came accross a change in color, more reddish compact material and made it into a new feature (f156). Within this layer several large pieces of pottery were found lying flat with a long bone at the side. We thought that this might be a burial but after inspecting the bone closer, it appears to be too large to be human and no other bones were found associated with it. We removed the bone and the pottery pieces were kept together incase they are from the same jar. After scraping the red layer, a thin line of plaster was seen and we decided to quickly excavate this area to see what this line may be. The pottery from this pit contains many diagnostic sherds, some painted and incised. In k107 and k1, we continued to remove the top sherd pavement that covered the entire area and discovered another sherd and pebble floor approx 8 cm below the top sherd pavement that abuts the bricks that protrude in k107, f158. In k2, Ahkmed excavated the fill of the cut and cleaned the east baulk to see the face of the wall associated with the vaulted structure a6. -LB we had several problems with the q-lots recently and it was noted that we had several bags with the same q number and where probably a result of misread numbers. q104, q3, q75, q60, q281, q163, and q229 had several inconsistencies and we have decided that the features are correct and will thus not effect the pottery analysis but it should be noted that these q lot may be wrong. -MK we had a small meeting about where to put new markers for use with the pit since bWP will be leaving in a few days. It was decided that several markers will be put in the north baulk of A12 and we will leave enough dirt to keep the markers in place. Vertical control points will also be put high and low so we can use them when we get further down. -MT In order to speed up the excavation of the pit fill f153, we are eliminating the removal of dirt by throwing down the dirt into A12 and then removing in during the afternoon. This technique proves to be effective but we must pay closer attention to the fill for it is easier to lose objects since the dirt is immediately thrown off the edge. ;OV We are planning to take several overall shots of the entire area once all the baulks have been removed. -PH Today we met with GB to discuss the strata assignment. In A15, the entire area is of phase 5b construction and they have a C burial that cut b floors, GB suggested that a long period of abandonment must have occured between b and c phases since the walls and floors of b must have been covered and not visible in phase c. This theory is especially visible in k6 where most of the k has been cut away (seen in the north section and the standing ne corner) the eastern walls are higher where the remainder of the structure only contains one brick in height. The entire area was cut by c who then built a1. In k107 the higher wall f117 appears to be of c construction and the wall below could be b or a. -SG During the meeting with gB fAB pointed out the large fissure found in the north baulk of k2 close to the western end and disscussed the possibility that this was a indication of a large structure underneath such as a wall. The fissure located in A10 and runs into A11 shows clearly that the stone foundations of the palace walls were the cause of the fissure and can indicate that the palace wall is in fact located under this fissure in k2. We plan to photograph this fissure. Yesterday we began excavating the pit seen in A12 north section (the large pit). -SN the north section of k105, east section of k3, and east section of k2 have been drawn by Castro. .rd L719 f 140 B11 floor inside a6 box structure. this floor is plastered in areas and is pinkish in color. The floor is located 150 cm below from the top of the walls. .rd L721 f 147 B11 accumulation east of f24, north of a2. This is ashy and soft, medium to dark brown centralized inbetween the triangular area north of a2 and east of a1. This accumulation is fill from a pit seen in section that spreads out. .rd L723 f 159 ;B11 mixed pit fill with f153 gray soft fill with bright red patches. The red is in thin layers spread out in the trench.