.bk A16 .fl L728LR.J .fd -M726-A.J***L728LR.J .rd L729 .ri lR -MT we have no usable markers this low to triangulate items and have been using plumb bobs and meter tapes to relay. This method may provide inaccurate measurements. .rd L725 a 1 C01 all of a1 has been removed except for the portion within the north baulk .rd L726 f 153 B11 The house accumulation f153 is a reddish brown color that extends about 20 cm below the bricks with a thin band of bright orange-red clay under this (approximately 3 cm thick). This band extends through the north baulk into k2 area which leads us to believe that this is the same pit. Under this thin band is a unified gray which we have referred to as pit fill f157. f 170 B11 Pit below f161 in k2 (below a2 structure). This pit was localized in the southwest corner of the locus and has been termed the "sherd pit" due to the high volume of sherds inside. These sherds hold no pattern and appear to have been dumped inside at one time. The fill around the pit is f171. C99 the sherd pit was completely excavated on L726 f 178 B11 Sherd lense in the southwest portion of k5 seen in A13 north section A16w34 drawing. This lense contained a high volume of sherds that held no form and appear to have been dumped at one time. It is similar to the sherd pit f170. k 2 C01 In k2, yesterday at the end of the day we defined the area with the large amount of pottery as a separate pit, a kind of "sherd pit" since a large amount of compacted pottery was isolated in that area. Currently this pit is located within the southwest corner but yesterday it extended throughout the locus thus the pottery from this feature is mixed with the feature above it. The sherd pit is f170 and was completely excavated today. We made a new feature for the accumulation around this pit and it is most likely the same matrix as the fill on top. This pit, although smaller, contained more sherds than the sherd pit in k6. .rd L729 C01 In k2 we cleaned all the sections to see the pit fill which shows a series of layers of gray f171, a sterile silty fine powder lense, and granular sandy pink lense with pottery and pebbles which reminds me of material which has been exposed to water for long periods of time where the heavier material, pebbles pottery and granular material sinks to the bottom and the silty fine powder lense forms at the top. .rd L728 k 6 C01 In k6, we noticed at the end of the day on Thursday that more red was appearing in the western section. We had noticed earlier that the fill material was mixed with small pieces of reddish clay and made it a new feature f157. Now the material is completely red clay and after scraping the section, we noticed distinct clear brick lines, red bricks with brown mortar and assigned it f181 wall. A plaster line is also visible in section. The bricks do not hold together but resemble moist clay, making it difficult to find the face. It was not until we cut back the section that we could see these brick lines. These bricks are running north south, east of the west baulk. In the western area a tannur was found f180 in the gray fill of the pit and appears it was cut by the pit a13. The eastern area contains ash and is probably still pit fill while the western area is reddish. In k6 north section the accumulation from a2 is seen very nicely which forms a bowl. The gray underneath forms bands of lighter gray sloping west to east with the western portion higher. Alternating layers of gray are seen, light gray, dark, light, dark forming a bowl shape towards the east. If this is a pit, then it is quite large for it must extend the same length to the east making the pit almost 10 meters in diameter. .rd L729 C01 In k6, they are still continuing to remove the gray material to the east, and are coming down on red. This is probably the end of the pit as we start a new layer seen in A12 section, a red layer f190. We met with gB today to discuss the phases, and he suggested that the fill we are excavating in k6,k5,and k2 is not a pit but large hollows created by depressions in the palace that conditioned the topography which then was used as dumps. So they were not cut, but natural in a sense that they occurred naturally after the palace collapsed. These hollows provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find strata 4 material underneath. This level may be the strata to which the tannur f180 and the accumulation around it belong to. fAB mentioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12 which was on top of the palace wall. .bk A16 .fl L728LR.J .fd L728LR.J .rd L726 .ri lR -DY Today we are continuing to remove the two pits seen in A12 North section. In k6, the section has been cleaned and scraped and we can see the interface between house accumulation from a2 and the begginning of the pit which forms a nice clear line. The house accumulation is a reddish brown color which extends about 20cm below the bricks with a thin band of bright orange-red clay under this approx 3cm thick. This band extends through the north baulk into k2 area which leads us to belive that this is the same pit. Under this thin band is a unified gray which we have refered to it as pit fill. In k2, yesterday at the end of the day we defined the area with the large amount of pottery as a seperate pit, a kind of sherd pit since all the pottery was isolated in an area. Currently this pit is located within the south west corner but yesterday it extended throughout the k but was excavated so the pottery from this feature is mixed with the feature above it. The sherd pit is f170 and was completely excavated today. We made a new feature for the accumulation around this pit and it is most likely the same matrix as the fill ontop. It is strange that such a large number of sherds come from this area (which is the smallest) in comparison to k6 if they are the same pit. -DY In k5 we see a pottery lense which is quite thick in section and this might have been the same case in k2. In k5 we are still excavating the pit and are coming down on the sherd lense which we are using black garbage bags since there is too much pottery. A large stone was left pedestooled in the western area of the locus a few centemiters above the pottery lense. This stone is large and will probably take a while to remove. In the east section of k5 reddish brown bricks are visible but they are too scattered to form a wall, but something seperates the two pits (k6, k5) and is is located within the baulk. In k5, we are removing another 15cm in a reddish brown soil throughout the area. In the eastern side 50cm from the East baulk a change of color is evident. This side is gray and becomes black in the South-East corner. Evidence of some kind of burning was taking place in this area. A large amount of purple and green slag chunks were found yesterday in the North-West area next to the wall f??. The soil was a whittish gray in color with burnt pottery and slag, very soft. It extended 5-10 cm down and underneath was a chunky red layer with blocky peices of clay. .rd L728 -DY Excavating k1, k2, k5, k6 with dirt continuing to be removed during the afternoon and on Friday. We have alot of dirt accumulating in A12 pavement since both A15 and A16 are throwing are dirt into this area. We are excavating more dirt than we can remove and are trying to devise a faster way to remove this dirt. In k6, we noticed at the end of the day on Thursday that more red was appearing in the western section. We had noticed ealier that the fill material was mixed with small peices of reddish clay. Now the material is completely red clay and after scraping the section, we notices distinct clear brick lines, red bricks with a brown morter. A plaster line is also visible in section. The bricks do not hold together but resembles moist clay, making it difficult to find the faces. It is not until we cut back the section that we could see these brick lines. These bricks are running North-South, East of the West baulk. In the western area a tannur was found. The eastern area contains ash and is probably still pit fill while the weastern area is reddish. In k6 north section the accumulation from a2 is seen very nicely which forms a bowl. The gray underdeath forms bands of lighter gray sloping west to east with the western portion higher. Alternating layers of gray are seen, lightgray, dark, light, dark forming a bowl shape towards the east. If this is a pit, then it is quite large for it must extend the same lenght to the east making the pit almost 10 meters in diameter. .rd L729 -DY We are drawing the baulks in all the four loci currently being excavated since we plan on removing the baulks tomorrow. In k6, they are still continuing to remove the gray material to the East, and are coming down on red. This is probably the end of the pit as we start a new layer seen in A12 section, a red layer. We met with gB today to discuss phases, and he suggested that the fill we are excavating in k6, k5, and k2 is not a pit but large hallows created by depretions in the palace that conditioned the topography which then was used as dumps: so they weren't cut, but natural in a sense that they occured naturally after the palace collapsed. These hallows provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with Phase 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find Phase 4 material underneath. This level may be the strata to which the tannur and the accumulation around it belong to. fAB metioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12 which was ontop of the palace wall. In k2 we cleaned all the sections to see the pit fill which shows a series of layers of gray, a sterile silty fine powder lense, and granular sandy pink lense with pottery and pebbles which reminds me of material which has been exposed to water for long periods of time where the heavier material, pebbles pottery and granular material sinks to the bottom and the sitly fine powder lense forms at the top. -DY photograph and draw all baulks, remove k6 north baulk, k5 east and north baulk. Remove stones in k1. .bk A16 .fl L728LR.J .fd N203LR2.J***L728LR.J .rd L728 -DY Excavating k1,k2,k5,k6 and we have increased dirt removal to include afternoons and Fridays so we can continue excavating in these areas. We have a lot of dirt accumulating on the stone pavement since both A15 and A16 are piling the dirt from the large pits into this area. We are excavating more than we can remove and are trying to devise a faster way to extract this dirt. .rd L729 ;-NM we have no markers this low to triangulate items and have been using plumb bobs and meter tapes to relay. This method may provide inaccurate measurements. .rd L728 a 13 C01 We are finally approaching the end of this great Khabur pit with red material f157 and f181 wall appearing in the West with gray pit fill still to the East. In k6 North section the accumulation from a2 is seen very nicely which forms a bowl. The gray from a13 pit underneath forms bands of lighter gray sloping West to East with the Western portion higher. Alternating layers of gray are seen, light gray, dark, light, dark forming a bowl shape towards the East. If this is a pit, then it is quite large for it must extend the same length to the East making the pit almost 10 meters in diameter. .rd L729 C01 We met with gb today to discuss the phases, and he suggested that the fill we are excavating in k6,k5,and k2 is not a pit but large hollows created by depressions in the palace that conditioned the topography, which then was used as dumps. So they were not cut, but natural in a sense that they occurred naturally after the palace collapsed. These hollows provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find strata 4 material underneath. This level may be the stratum to which the tannur f180 and the accumulation around it belong. fab mentioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12, which was on top of the palace wall. .rd L728 f 157 B11 Red clay material from the red wall f181 mixed with the gray pit fill of a13 .rd L726 C01 The house accumulation f153 is a reddish brown color that extends about 20 cm below the bricks with a thin band of bright orange-red clay under this (approximately 3cm thick). This band extends through the North baulk into k2 area, which leads us to believe that this is the same pit. Under this thin band is a unified gray, which we have referred to as pit fill f157. .rd L728 C01 While excavating k6 pit fill, we noticed that the gray fill of a13 continued to become redder in color and eventually showed pieces of red clay. We decided to make this material a new feature and called it f157. The material eventually turned solid red clay and after scraping the area, small mortar lines were identified. It appears that the bricks are red with brown mortar and made these bricks f181 labeling it a wall. .rd L725 f 161 dy Currently we are digging in f161 interface level with plans to change the feature tomorrow due to the pottery change. These layers are probably related to the sherd layers seen in the North section. .rd L726 f 170 C01 Currently this pit is located within the Southwest corner but yesterday it extended throughout the locus thus the pottery from this feature is mixed with the feature above it. We made a new feature for the accumulation around this pit, f171 and it is most likely the same matrix as the fill on top. This pit, although smaller, contained more sherds than the sherd pit in k6. f 171 B11 Fill around the sherd pit f170 .rd L729 B11 a series of pit fill layers part of a13. These layers include a sterile silty fine powder lense and a granular sandy pink lense with pottery and pebble inclusions which reminds me of material that has been exposed to water for extended periods of time. Here the heavier material such as pebbles, pottery, and granular material sinks to the bottom and the silty fine powder lense forms at the top. .rd L726 C01 The sherd pit is f170 and was completely excavated today. We made a new feature for the accumulation around this pit f171 and it is most likely the same matrix as the fill on top. This pit, although smaller, contained more sherds than the sherd pit in k6. f 173 B11 chunky red layer with blocky pieces of clay C01 We encountered this layer underneath the white ashy firing pit f***, this feature appears to be related to the firing pit and contains large blocky chunks of clay. f 178 C04 We are using large garbage bags to collect the pottery from this feature. This sherd pit contains a high volume of compacted sherds with no context (dumped at one time). .rd L728 f 180 B11 Base of a tannur found in the Southeast corner C01 While removing the pit fill of a13 in k6, the remains of a tannur were found in the Southeast corner. This tannur is lying in place and appears that it was cut by the large pit a13. We are leaving this tannur in place and continuing to excavate the material around it. In A15 they also found a tannur at a similar elevation. .rd L729 I99 These hollows a13 provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find strata 4 material underneath. This level may be the stratum to which the tannur f180 and the accumulation around it belong. fab mentioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12, which was on top of the palace wall. .rd L728 f 181 B11 Red bricks with brown mortar lines found in f157, which is mixed red clay wall chunks with pit, fill of a13. This wall is not very clear and the plaster line and brick lines visible only when moist. C01 In k6 we noticed at the end of the day on Thursday that more red was appearing in the Western section. We had noticed earlier that the fill material of a13 was mixed with small pieces of reddish clay and made it a new feature f157. Now the material is completely red clay and after scraping the section, we noticed distinct clear brick lines, red bricks with brown mortar and assigned it f181 wall. A plaster line is also visible in section. The bricks do not hold together but resemble moist clay, making it difficult to find the face. It was not until we cut back the section that we could see these brick lines. These bricks are running North to South, East of the West baulk. .rd L729 f 190 C01 in k6 they are still continuing to remove the gray material of a13 fill to the East and are coming down on red. This is probably the end of the pit as we start a new layer seen in A12 section, a red layer f190. .rd L725 k 1 C01 In k1 we predict that this will be the most time consuming and slowest area to excavate since in the East section of A10 we see layers of sherd and pebble floors going down. We are leaving the wall in the Northwest corner f114 to see if it continues down. .rd L726 C01 In k1 we are removing another 15cm of a reddish brown soil throughout the area. In the Eastern side 50cm from the East baulk the soil has changed from a gray color to black likely the result of localized burning. A large amount of purple and green "kiln waste" chunks were found yesterday in the Northwest area next to the wall f114. In "kiln waste" I am referring to overfired material, which can be vitrified dung or clay. The soil is soft, ashy white in color with lots of burnt pottery and kiln waste. This localized firing pit continued 5-10cm down which exposed a chunky red layer below with blocky pieces of clay f173. .rd L725 k 2 C01 In k2 we are excavating the whole locus West of f132. This area contains large amounts of pottery in comparison to k6,k5,and k1, which is within a brown-gray matrix and is most likely the same pit as k6. The sherds contained no pattern and were not positioned in a way to suggest that it was a pavement or floor. Currently we are digging in f161 interface level with plans to change the feature tomorrow due to the pottery change. These layers are probably related to the sherd layers seen in the North section. k 5 C01 In k5, we have another pit under a1. We have removed all of a1 except for the portion within the North baulk. The material under this aggregate is the interface between accumulation of the structure and the beginning of the pit, which is also seen in A12 North section. .rd L726 C01 In k5 we see a pottery lense, which is quite thick in section, and this might have been the same case in k2 if it was seen in section. In k5 we are still excavating the pit and are coming down on the sherd lense f178, which we are, using black garbage bags since there is too much pottery to collect it in the normal sherd bags. Since we know that all the pottery was dumped at one time, there is no need to separate the q-lots and thus garbage bags will hold the pottery until they are analyzed. A large stone was left pedestaled in the Western area of the locus a few centimeters above the pottery lense. This stone is quite large and will probably take several hours to remove. In the East section of k5 reddish brown bricks are visible but they are too scattered to form a wall. Something separates the two pits in k6,k5 and it is located within the baulk. Is it possible that a retaining mud brick structure lies in the baulk? .rd L725 k 6 C01 We are currently the deepest in k6 since we began excavating this locus a few days ago. We are calling the material below a2 a pit, the same pit that we see in A12 North section that extends to the East in A15. This material f153 contains approx 20cm of interface that changed to gray ashy fill. .rd L726 C01 In k6, the section has been cleaned and scraped and we can see the interface between house accumulation from a2 and the beginning of the pit, which forms a nice clear line. The house accumulation f153 is a reddish brown color that extends about 20cm below the bricks with a thin band of bright orange-red clay under this (approx 3cm thick). This band extends through the North baulk into k2 area, which leads us to believe that this is the same pit. Under this thin band is a unified gray that we have referred to as pit fill f157. .rd L728 ;C01 In k6 we noticed at the end of the day on Thursday that more red was appearing in the Western section. We had noticed earlier that the fill material was mixed with small pieces of reddish clay and made it a new feature f157. Now the material is completely red clay and after scraping the section, we noticed distinct clear brick lines, red bricks with brown mortar and assigned it f181 wall. A plaster line is also visible in section. The bricks do not hold together but resemble moist clay, making it difficult to find the face. It was not until we cut back the section that we could see these brick lines. These bricks are running North to South, East of the West baulk. In the Eastern area a tannur was found f180 in the gray pit fill and appears it was cut by the pit a13. The Eastern area contains ash and is probably still pit fill while the Western area is reddish. In k6 North section the accumulation from a2 is seen very nicely which forms a bowl. The gray underneath forms bands of lighter gray sloping West to East with the Western portion higher. Alternating layers of gray are seen, light gray, dark, light, dark forming a bowl shape towards the East. If this is a pit, then it is quite large for it must extend the same length to the East making the pit almost 10 meters in diameter. .rd L729 ;C01 In k6 they are still continuing to remove the gray material of a13 fill to the East and are coming down on red. This is probably the end of the pit as we start a new layer seen in A12 section, a red layer f190. We met with gb today to discuss the phases, and he suggested that the fill we are excavating in k6,k5,and k2 is not a pit but large hollows created by depressions in the palace that conditioned the topography, which then was used as dumps. So they were not cut, but natural in a sense that they occurred naturally after the palace collapsed. These hollows provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find strata 4 material underneath. This level may be the stratum to which the tannur f180 and the accumulation around it belong. fab mentioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12, which was on top of the palace wall.