.bk A12
.fl N811jl.j
.fd journal entries
.ed N811
.ei jl

.rd N809
.ri jl

-dy Having uncovered what appeared to be a continuous black layer (f426/427) last week, we began to excavate it today.  Underneath the black seed layer, which appears to only be about 2cm deep, we found mostly brown soil, but in one location in the north-east quadrant of k30, we found a small area of white laminations (f429), gb and fab came down and we discussed the possibility of limiting our excavations to a trench in the south half of the locus.  We decided to bring the entire dig staff down to A12 for a discussion of the subject in the afternoon, at which time it was decided that we would make a trench, for three reasons: first, it would give us a physical section, rather than the "virtual" section which we have been trying to keep up until this point; second, we would be able to excavate much deeper in the remaining two weeks, hopefully gaining better insight into the structure's use or construction; third, the excavations within the trench would guide us in excavating the layers in the circle, improving our understanding of them.

.rd N810
.ri jl

-dy We finished excavating the f426/427 black seed layer today.  We also laid out the new trench in the southern half of the locus (see v247, v247a).  Along its south edge, the trench follows the line of the previous A12 south baulk, namely the baulk after it had been cut back two years ago to reveal a fresh face and as it was continued during last season's excavations.  The trench has a width of 75cm, and a length of 343cm along its longer side, the north side.  It is divided up into three loci: k31 is the easternmost, k32 the central locus, and k33 in the west.  k31 stretches 1 meter from the eastern stone wall along its south side, and k33 stretches 1 meter from the western stone wall along its south side, in order to preserve the distinction between material next to the walls which is in danger of being contaminated and material in the center, which we presume is uncontaminated.
-sg Since we have cleared an apparently uniform layer across the circle, we will begin excavating within the trench tomorrow.

.rd N811
.ri jl

-dy We excavated within the trench today, k31, k32, and k33.  There were a few isolated patches of apparent laminations and black seeds, but we did not find a solid layer until the end of the day, in the western half (k32 and k33), where we have what appears to be the next layer of black seeds.  We found an unusually large number of q-objects today, given the small area which we excavated; could the nature of the accumulation be changing?  It is also interesting that we have not found a clear lamination layer, given our hypothesis that the structure was originally uncovered.  Could it be that the structure was only uncovered during the reconstruction phase, when the circle was raised and the square was added, and that prior to this period, it had a roof of some sort, perhaps even a trap-door type cover?