.bk J05
.fl T721jW.j
.fd Daily journal for T721
.ei jW
.ed T721
.rd T721
.ri jW

-wk All thirteen assigned workmen reported.

-sf jN worked in the house after breakfast to process objects from previous seasons.  Her work on that project continued into the afternoon.

-eq All four pickmen complained that the trowels issued to them were ineffective for the work we were asking of them.  Also, the bristles on the brushes are too worn to pick up the dirt.  sE, tool co-ordinator, was notified.

-sy Surveyor Adib installed new markers along the east end of the north face of k100.  fAB, gB, and jW discussed putting markers on the south side of the revetment wall to measure objects close to k100.  fAB authorized the use of dirt-filled chawals into which is inserted a wooden stake.

-sg Excavation director fAB met with jW, sE, eA, and jN on site to discuss strategy for the next several days.  Originally, we planned only one locus for the excavations in J5 this season, and it was designated k104.  However, due to its length, fAB suggested that we split it into two parts - k105 to the north and west and k106 to the south and east.  A baulk (east baulk of k105) would separate the two.  A north baulk would be also maintained in k105.  The shafat for dirt removal will sit on the new east baulk of k105.  The two easternmost north projections (sawteeth) of k100 should be removed to facilitate excavations along the south face of the revetment wall.  These excavations will proceed from east to west, starting near unit J1 where we have already exposed a baqaya escarpment, f184, which is covered by what we called a floor accumulation, f169.  We will use small picks throughout the unit from now on as the subtle differences between accumulations and the escarpments we are looking for can be easily obscured by the use of heavier tools.  We will draw the east face of a N-S oriented baulk on the eastern side of k105.  This will be removed as a part of the search for the escarpment, but provides a good section reference point.

-sg Director gB, fAB, jW, sE, eA, and jN met to review excavation progress and strategy.  A large cut stone, f205, adjacent to wall, f41, and under escarpment, f74, had just been exposed. There were an adequate number of sherds for mKB to identify as coming from the Mittani period.  gB used the opportunity to stress the need to proceed carefully and be evermindful of the research question being addressed.  The strategy developed earlier in the day was seen to be appropriate.

f 74
ds A hard, dense soil which abuts cut stone wall, f41, and may have served as a late phase escarpment for it.  It appears to slope to the southwest.  One lot of sherds from it, q289, was preliminarily evaluated as from the Mittani period by mKB.

f 206
ds A sandy deposit in a north-south water-cut channel in the middle of excarpment, f74.  It was stratigraphically linked to sandy deposit, f202, excavated to the south of stones, f200, which were in the channel.  This was the earliest (deepest) found so far in a series of such channels which ran just outside of the revetment wall system.  sE, consulting with unit J1 noted that a similar channel was found there at about the same orientation (parallel) to the revetment wall and elevation (9020).