| Date | Author | Record | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-07-20 | lR | Removed the following baulks today; north k3, east k2, east k12, east k13. The purpose for removing the section after only a meter down was to connect f27 which is present in all 5 loci. The sections will be restrung after photographs are taken. By the end of the day, all the sections were removed with f27 continuing throughout. k2 north section was not removed. This decision was based on trying to understand the relationship between the ashy accumulation f10 and f27. Leaving the north section will profile these features. [Input: S720LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-21 | lR | Photographed f27, brick melt layer this morning after the sections baulks between the loci were removed. The photograph shows nicely the extent of this layer, linking five loci together. After the photographs were taken, A20 met to discuss how to proceed. It was decided to string two trenches, one in k13 running on west to east next to the north section, and another in k3 running north to south next to the east section. These trenches serve to see what is beneath the brick melt while also giving a sectional view in north k13 and east k3. [Input: S721LR2.j] | |
| 2008-07-22 | lR | continued to remove f27 brick melt today [Input: S722LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-23 | lR | Excavated k2, k3, k14, and k15 today. In k2 and k3, excavations were centered on removing the ashy accumulations spread throughout both these loci. [Input: S723LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-27 | lR | Day off from the field, concentrating on updating the UGR [Input: S729LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-29 | lR | Proceeded with excavations in k12, k13, and k14. A small trench was cut south of the north section in k12 to understand the bricky material f52. The ashy accumulation f24 was also excavated in k12. In k13, the eastern half of the locus was excavated to see if the wall f41 continued to run towards the east. In k14, the western half of the locus was excavated west of the stone installation/wall and sherd pavement. A cobblestone pavement was found f61. [Input: S729LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-30 | lR | spent the entire day removing sections today. The south section of k2 and k3 was removed, technically the north section of A18, to provide a horizonatal view of A20 in association to A18. The north section of k2 will eventually be removed tomorrow. In k15, the south section was removed, part of A19 north, but subsumed by A20 and given new feature numbers.. [Input: S731LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-02 | lR | Removed the majority of the north section of k2 and the east section k13. f58 in k14 was excavated down to the level of f62 and k4 was opened today. [Input: S802LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-03 | lC | After breakfast we continued to remove the eastern baulk of k14 in order to have a wider view of A20 for the picture tomorrow morning. About one hour before the end of the morning we stopped to excavate and we started to clean the area for the picture. [Input: S803LC.j] | |
| 2008-08-04 | lR | k2, k12, k14, k15, k4, k3 open today. The entire area was photographed this morning in order to remove the latest strata and proceed to excavate to the level of A18 storehouse. Finished removing the east section of k14, excavated the ash in k2 f22, defined the bricks in k12 f52, defined the bricks f40 and f56 in k14 and k15, and continued to excavate in k4 finding a pebble and sherd pavement at the same level as f35 in k3. The sherds and cobblestones pavement, f43 were also removed today. [Input: S804LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-12 | lR | Met with gB and fAB in the field today to discuss the excavation goals and strategy and layout the squares. Four squares will be laid out with bP adding more over time. Our goals for this season are to link area JP with area A to see the boundary between the Mittani occupation and the plaza to the east. Another goal is for a horizontal exposure of A20, linking it to area A19 and A18. This season we will focus on only excavating to the earliest Mittani level, seen in A18, concentrating on documentation for the UGR. The staff consists of 5 members, lR as primary unit director, lC who will arrive in one week as secondary unit director, and eE, sE, and yM as assistants. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-13 | lR | Photographed the area this morning before beginning excavations in A20 and started the day by removing the modern berm in k2 and k3. This feature was created to divert water from A18, creating a raised hump in the southern end of the loci. The berm was relayed, then removed. The topsoil level was then removed in k12 and k13. By the end of the day, a hard compact bricky surface was reached in k13. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-14 | lR | Continued to excavate in k12, opened k2 and k3, removing topsoil. In k12, stones began to surface forming a small installation f11 belonging to the latest occupation on the Tell. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-15 | lR | Spent the day trying to reach the same compact bricky layer surface in all four loci. K2, k3, and k12 were opened today leaving k13 closed since the compact layer is already present. By the end of the day we exposed this surface. Tomorrow this ly should be completely exposed and photographs expected on S717. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-16 | lR | Spent the day working in k2, western half of the locus where stones were found. These were defined today and 15 cm from the western area removed. k14 was opened today, reaching the compact bricky layer by the end of the day. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-17 | lR | Excavating in k2, k12, and opened k15 today. In k2 and k12, we proceeded to excavate in the western half of the locus to reach the same elevation as the east, perhaps finding a continuation of the compact layer that is present in the east but the soil here is turning softer and ashy. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-18 | lR | Day off from the field [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-19 | lR | k12, k2, k15, k13 are open today. Today we began to remove the east baulks of k12 and k13, providing a continuation of the compact brick melt surface between the adjacent loci. f27 was assigned to refer to this compact brick layer, tell surface at abandonment, that subsumes the four discrete features in each locus. In k12, the latest occupation phase was removed; these include f23 sherd pavement and f11 stone installation. The western area was then excavated down 20 cm, finding patches of f18 compact layer however mixed with ash and different from the east side of the locus. In k2 the western half of the locus was excavated down 10 cm finding patches of compact brick melt but mostly ash. The topsoil was completely removed from k15, with abandonment accumulation containing brick components within a softer matrix was found below. A small cluster of stones surfaced along a piece of an andiron, i3. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-25 | lR | Day off from the field [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-24 | lR | k13, k14, k15, and k3 open today. We are now removing the compact bricky layer f27, starting with k13. In k14, pavement f33 was removed with another pavement found below, f48. In k15, the day was spent defining the outer surface of the brick structure. In k3, the fill inside the tannur f42 was excavated, along with excavating f31 today, an interface between brick fall and ash, resulting in exposing several vertical bricks. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-28 | lR | k12, k13, k14, and k15 open today. The western half of k12 was excavated, removing the ash to see if the compact brick material in the west, f52, continues to go down or if the ash and bricky layer abut. f52 continued to go down, perhaps forming a wall. The northeast corner of k13 has several brick faces emerging. Today we spent the morning defining these bricks to see if they continued to run to the east, forming a wall. At the end of the day bricks were found, but still unclear and not as well defined in the east. In k14, we focused on defining a series of vertical bricks found in the southwest corner, f56, to see if they form a wall. Vertical and horizontal bricks were found throughout the entire locus, on the eastern side, perhaps a burial structure. In k15, the last accumulation inside the structure a1 was excavated. Several stone tools were found inside. Stones began to surface west of a1. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-07-31 | lR | continued to remove the south sections of k2, k3 and the north section of k2. The east section in k101 was partially removed, this is area A19 and in very poor condition making excavation dangerous. An attempt to remove it in levels will be made, currently we removed the topsoil. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-01 | lR | Day off from the field [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-03 | lR | finished removing the north baulk of k2, cleaned the west section of k2 and k12, finished removing the east section of k13, started to remove the east section of k14. In k2, the area was leveled again after the sections were removed since the shovels tend to bowl the area after dirt removal. In k4, a patch of brick melt was removed, with a soft gray fill running east to west found in the center of the loci along with more compact surfaces to the north and south. The fill was removed f70, finding a rough pebble and sherd pavement f72, associated with f35 in k3. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-05 | lR | k2, k3, k4, k15, k14 was open today. A new shade cloth was finally brought in, giving us more shade to excavate. This morning we started removing the accumulated dirt in A19, which was left deep in the square after removing part of the east baulk in A19. The shafat was used for two hours, removing most of the dirt but will continue tomorrow. It is best to remove the dirt in small intervals for lots of dust is produced within a small confined space. The south baulk of k15 and the corner of k14 were excavated, finding a possible corner between a1 and bricks to the south however very unclear at the moment. f50, the cobblestone pavement in k13 was removed today exposing another surface underneath; different from the pavement found under the same cobblestone pavement in k3. In k4, pavement f73 was exposed further indicating a well used space with fragmented animal bones, pottery sherds, and pebbles. The bricks in the south side of k4 were articulating, finding a possible bin f79 with no bricks inside and browner soil than f71 wall. k4 was closed after breakfast and will be photographed tomorrow. [Input: S805LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-06 | lR | Began the day by photographing the area the started to remove the east section of k12 to articulate the bricks visible in section. The box structure, f40 was cut into two section in order to understand it's construction. Sections on the north and east were cut, showing that both half and whole bricks were used in construction with the east section also showing the bricks stepped up between levels. Photographs will be taken tomorrow before more of the bricks are removed. The western end of the structure was also defined by removing 5 cm from f62 and coming towards the structure. The rest of the cobblestone pavement was removed today, these include f61 in k14 and f50 in k13. Under k13 we expected a pavement to surface similar to the one under f43 however what is emerging is a dain installation. Nothing was found under f61. We decided to close k2 for the moment and move into k12 removing the same ashy accumulation f24. Here the soil alternates between ashy, pink, darker gray, and black. The area was cleaned then covered for photographs tomorrow. We then moved into f82, a softer accumulation south of f52 and f64 wall, removing 10 cm from the area. [Input: S806LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-07 | lR | k12, k3, k14, and k13 open today. Spent the day excavating f24 ash to the west of f52, to reach the same elevation as the pebble and sherd floor in A18; this is not the end of the ash, with the wall f64 continuing to go down but for now we are stopping at this elevation. The ash continued to slope down, alternating between pink and gray. In k13 and k14, we removed f60 and f62, two similar accumulations gray in color and full of animal bones and pottery. In k14, after f62 was removed, brick lines surfaced in the south and west of the loci, adjacent to f63 wall indicating another one room structure. In k3, the ash f36 was removed around the tannur and the vertical bricks of f68. This ash appears to go under f35 pavement. [Input: S809LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-08 | lR | Day off from the field [Input: S809LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-09 | lR | k2, k3, k12, k13, and k14 open today. On S807 we reached the elevation of A18's pebble and sherd pavement in k12 and decided to stop excavating the ash. We then moved into k2, excavated f22 down 15 cm to reach the same elevation as k12 and A18. By the end of the day, this was achieved. Some small patches remain in the southeast corner that will be removed tomorrow. In k12, the brick wall f64 was defined finding an ashy fill f88 between the bricks. We plan to cut a small trench through f52 to see what this bricky mass could be. In k13, f60 was excavated and fully removed this morning. Underneath f60 the soil shifted from ashy and full of animal bones to light gray, compact, with several brick lines, very similar to what was found at the same elevation in k14, f87. Another 10 cm was removed from this feature, f89, with several bricks found in the north next to f60. In k14, f87 was excavated. This feature defines the space between three brick lines found yesterday in the north, east, and south. 20 cm was excavated from f87 then a patch of stones surfaced suggesting a possible pavement. Excavation was stopped, the area cleaned and photographs taken. Tomorrow we will excavate to see if the stones form a pavement. The eastern wall was defined this morning, finding a series of thin vertical oblique bricks forming the wall f92. These types of bricks are rather unusual, perhaps associated with a2 f40 box structure. In k3, the ash f36 was excavated today finding that our initial assumption about the ash abutting the pavement f35 was wrong. The ash appears to go under the pavement and we thus decided to remove the pavement f35. By the end of the day, bricks emerged in the southeast, likely associated with the bricks in k4, f71 wall. [Input: S809LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-10 | lR | k2, k12, k13, k14, k3, k101 open today. Yesterday we stopped excavating f22, leaving the area at the roughly the same elevation as A18 to the immediate south. Today we spent the morning cleaning k2 to define f98. More ash was noticed on the surface of f98, assuming it was f22 that partially covered f98, we began to remove 10 cm. The area then shifted from ashy to concentrated areas of burning with larger inclusions of charcoal, white ash, black stains, pottery, and tannur fragments bounded by f98 presumably bricks or bricky mass in the north. This new feature, f103 was photographed today and 5 cm removed. We then shifted into k12, removing 10 cm of f82 and a strip running N-S of f52. This material was incredibly hard, coming out in large brick chunks but much harder and compact than regular sun baked clay. This material seems to be secondarily fired, perhaps exposed to low heat from whatever created all the ash f22, f24. A large hole (fill f104) along the western edge of f52 was photographed today, perhaps a complete door or an animal hole. The fill was partially excavated to see if any good brick faces were visible which were found along the southern end suggesting a doorway yet the northern surface was oval in shape suggestive of an animal hole. In k13, excavation in the southeast corner continued removing f89 and finding more bricks to the north, defined as f105 wall that continues east forming f106 wall in k14. In k14, the accumulation above the pavement f93 was excavated revealing the cobblestones continuing in the area, stopping approximately 10 cm before the edge of the wall f97. In the western area, two bricks were found and an area of burning was noticed under these bricks. The area was closed to take photographs on the next work day. In k3, we started to remove the topsoil in the eastern section reaching the compact layer f17 by the end of the day. In k101, attempted to find a good surface for f94 by first removing the softer fill around the broken top bricks but this only showed a jumble of collapsed and broken bricks. We then cut the top layer, removing 10 cm to see if better bricks surfaced. Another 10 cm was removed, concluding that f94 is not a wall. [Input: S810LR2.j] | |
| 2008-08-13 | lR | Decided we needed another day to work on the UGR, our workmen have been temporarily assigned to J5 for the day. [Input: S812LR7.j] | |
| 2008-08-12 | lR | Day off from the field, UGR day [Input: S812LR7.j] | |
| 2008-08-11 | lR | Day off from the field, UGR day [Input: S812LR7.j] | |
| 2008-08-16 | lR | Met with gB and fAB this morning for a strategy review; deciding on scaling back excavations in A20 starting on S818. Today k26 and k25 were opened but only partially excavated, removing some of the topsoil. This was before we decided to scale excavations. The area was cleaned out and leveled; we then will close these two squares until next season. This morning we scraped in f82, trying to make sense of the orange clay veins present in the southeast corner. Gray bricks began to emerge, forming a bin like installation with the clay veins localized within the fill. This was immediately photographed, labeling the bin as f113, and the fill as f114. We will retain f82 as the soil to the west of the bin. In k101, the area south of a2 was excavated, continuing to remove f94. This feature has been redefined as brick fall and not a wall. The east baulk was continued from S814, removing another 10 cm today exposing several vertical brick faces. The southern area, bricks are also present, likely the cross wall enclosing f116, f115, of a larger one room structure. In k4, we removed several centimeters to come towards the bricks of f99, exposing the faces from the west. Immediately, pavement f112 was found, west of f99. This pavement is under f90, forming a much nicer and more compacted surface than f35 pavement that was found in the same area but 10 cm higher in elevation. Lots of animal bones are sitting on this pavement, including a horn, mandibles, several long bones, and a skull of a smaller animal, perhaps a dog. [Input: S816LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-15 | lR | Day off from the field [Input: S816LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-14 | lR | Excavated in k101, removing the eastern baulk to connect the wall f115 to f85 and the walls to the east, f116 (from A19). Wall f115 was noted as being fully constructed with vertical bricks slightly at an oblique angle alongside horizontal bricks f109, at a lower elevation. The vertical bricks f115 are in line with f46 wall from a1. In k12, we continued to remove the ash f24 in the hope that a pavement surfaces to find the depth of f52 and f64 wall. By the end of the day, a brown slightly compact layer was found under the ash f24, labeled f118. This layer still contains lots of charcoal and ash embedded but maybe the interface between a floor surface and the ash f24. A pavement, f117, was also found under f52 and f82 forming a thick highly compacted floor surface with pottery sherds underneath serving as leveling material for the floor. f117 does not extend north under f64, appearing localized under f52 and f82. This would suggest that f64 is earlier in construction. In k4, bricks f99 were articulated today, these continue to run south forming a nice wall that intersects with f107 wall, running west to east. [Input: S816LR.j] | |
| 2008-08-17 | lR | k12, k3, k101 open today. Started the day by retaking photographs of the bin f113 and the pavement f112. In k12, 5 cm was removed from f82, noticing several brick lines but not enough to define a wall. We then began to excavate the vertical section of f82, to see if good brick faces surfaced and to investigate if f117 curls up towards the bricks suggesting an outside floor surface or if the bricky mass sits on the floor. After following several good brick faces we resolved that f117 goes under the presumed bricks, finding a series of pavements at different elevations. This suggests that f52 and f82 were reused over multiple periods of time, laying down new pavements. It also suggests that the bricky mass is not technically a wall due to these multiple pavements underneath but that bricky material was periodically placed over the pavement during use. All 3 pavements are similar in type, color, and hardness. We labeled the pavements f124 and f123. In k3, we photographed the pavement f112 this morning after consolidating the animal bones with diluted wood glue. We then removed the bones from the pavement to protect them from getting crushed. fAB made a good point yesterday about the animal skull sitting on the pavement. He noticed that the skull was not crushed, a strange thing if the skull was left sitting on a pavement for a long period of time. Another point is the presence of a horn tip, a valuable piece that is often reused thus rare to find complete. We then removed the rest of the eastern baulk between k3 and k4 to connect pavement f73 with f112, which are two different levels showing that f73 covers f112. In k101, we continued to remove the east section which we are very close to the level of the walls f115 and f85. Vertical bricks were found in the southern end of the baulk, oriented east to west and look very similar to the bricks that f115 is constructed but at a higher elevation (one course higher). These are only 4 bricks with no more vertical bricks found in section. The section on the eastern face was scraped well today, showing faint lines of vertical faces as well in section. It is unclear if f115 forms the cross wall closing the structure to the east, f116, or if f109 wall closes the structure. f116 is constructed of horizontal bricks which would suggest that the cross wall would also be horizontal bricks. f109 are horizontal, so if this is the case then why is a wall made of vertical bricks immediately east of the outer wall. Perhaps f115 forms a bench. [Input: S818lR.j] | |
| 2008-08-18 | lR | k12, k13, k3, and k101 open today. In k12, continued to remove 5 cm from f82 then scraped the ash f24 to expose f118. In k13, we excavated f89, removing 5 cm, and coming down on a large stone. In k101, another 15 cm was removed from the north section, finding a wall f126 running west to east. Wall f125 was further defined, this wall is located in the western edge of k101 running north to south, possibly the cross wall for f126. Wall f127 appears to abut f40 on the southern end; these are a series of horizontal bricks that go down several courses then ends approximately 15 cm then f126 wall emerges underneath. At first we assumed that wall f84 continued to run west, so that f127 and f84 was the same wall. This however is not the case. While removing f120, stones emerged, west of f85 wall. These stones continue to go down; at the moment are 3 stones deep but stop to the west. A thick vertical line is also visible where the stones end which would then make f84 a discrete wall with stone foundations at its western edge and another wall, f127 built in the west that abuts f84. In k3, we finished articulating pavement f112. [Input: S818lR.j] | |
| 2008-08-19 | lR | This is the last day with all the workmen. Tomorrow we will send most of them to J5, keeping a few pickmen and shovelmen to help define a2 and k101. Today, k101 was open and A18 cleaned for photographs. This morning the north section of k101 was drawn. This section is not the true north section of k101, it is actually our cut into k14 but shows nicely the wall f127 which we plan to remove today. After the section was drawn we then photographed the section, including overhead, oblique, and direct north views. The wall was removed in section, beginning in the eastern area working west, leaving a small section to see the horizontal bricks from two sides. We then proceeded to continue removing the bricks to west, then cleaned out the section and photographed it again. What was in view was bricky material sitting on a nice row of horizontal bricks then several centimeters below, a layer of reddish fine clay appearing similar in shape and size to bricks but much softer than brick. Another layer was removed, moving north and this time removing f40 vertical bricks to expose another layer of the horizontal bricks behind. In the west, more stones surfaced to the north, in line with the stones from wall f125. It is unclear if these stones continue north, if so then a2 was built over f125 wall. One course of bricks was removed by accident from f126 wall but they continue below and rearticulated. Wall f126 contains many phytolith inclusions in the bricks mixed with elongated splinters of charcoal. We also cleaned the west and south sections of k101 or A19k98 for two reasons; first the sections are rather unsteady and dangerous from years of weathering and were cut back to make them safer and secondly, to cut a new surface and expose fresh bricks and colors. The entire day was spent cutting these two sections back then we proceeded to clean up the area east of the baulk near f116. I assumed that the backfill would be shallow but after working inside, the soil is deeper coming down on plastic around 20 cm deep. Tomorrow we will continue to remove the backfill and expose the floor surface from inside the structure, a5. [Input: S818lR.j] | |
| 2008-08-23 | lC | Today we continued to work in k13 removing f89 in search for the possible continuation of the stone pavement of k14. In k14 we (lC, lR) removed another row of vertical bricks of a2 structure, leaving the workmen for other tasks. In k101 we continued to remove the accumulation f119 to better understanding the relationship between the wall with vertical bricks f115 with the structure east to it. In k101 sE and yM took many points for relaying the structure with hB using the total station. Around 8 am we stopped work for about fifteen minutes due to a large sand storm. [Input: S823LC.j] | |
| 2008-08-24 | lC | Today we started to clean the dust and dirt accumulated over the night due to sand storms. We started also to excavate in k13 and k101 but around 6 am a new big sand storm arrived, forcing us to stop working. Due to the sand storm's duration, gB decided to stop work in the field and allocated one of the UGR days to today. We will have another day of excavation at the end of the season. [Input: S824LC3.j] | |
| 2008-08-25 | lC | Today we continued to work in k13, k14 and k101. In the morning we drew the west section of k12, because it is shows nice multi-layer accumulations of ash from f24, and then we took photographs. In k13 we removed the small portion of vertical bricks labeled as f143, in order to see if the stones of the pavement f93 of k14 were continuing toward west and if linked with the stone installation f141 in k14. We found more stones but we don't have a clear continuation, rather an irregular presence of stones, among which a door socket, perhaps in situ or reused secondarily for the pavement. We finished also removing part of the old f30, to find a compact surface, visible in section, and to find more bricks of the wall f41. In k14 we finished to remove the vertical bricks of a2 toward north, uncovering more than 2/3 of the stone pavement f132. Tomorrow after we take photographs of the arbitrary north-south section showing the structure of a2 then will finish removing completely a2. In k101 we uncovered the floor f144 below f120 and tomorrow we will take photos. Today we also removed the f137, some vertical bricks in the southern part of k101 and we excavated f119. [Input: S825LC.j] | |
| 2008-08-26 | lC | Today k13, k14, k101 were open. In k13 we continued to remove a small part of f60 uncovering a compact layer, maybe a floor. In k14 we finished to remove the vertical bricks of a2 exposing the stone pavement f132. Today we have concentrated our efforts in k101 where we removed the floor f144, the accumulation underneath f145 and the accumulation f146 on top of the pavement f108. In the southern part we finished to uncover the floor f142, and after some picture were taken of this floor we started to remove it in its northern part, to see the continuation toward west of the stones pavement of a5. The north sections of k12 and k13 were drawn today and tomorrow we will take the photos of it. [Input: S826LC.j] | |
| 2008-08-27 | lC | Today is the last day of excavation. We finished to check few uncertain situations and then we spent all the rest of the morning to clean all A20 area for the final photos that we will take today in the afternoon or, if the light is not good, tomorrow early in the morning. Today we also drew the north section of k14 and k15 but we have still to take photos of it. Before breakfast we stopped 10 minutes early to take the general photos of MZ21 staff in the staircase. [Input: S827LC.j] | |
| 2010-09-05 | lC | Today we had the first day in the field to clean the area before the beginning of the excavation tomorrow. We moved stones and soil left there from previous years, toward north-west, exactly where we are going to have our discarding area. fAB supervised the operations teaching to the students how to use the big pick, the chavel and the wheelbarrow. Then the surveyor hB set up the first two (k23 and k24) squares of the inially planned 7 squares. He will finish next days. In the afternoon dM took picture of the initial situation before the beginning of the excavation. [Input: U905LC.j] | |
| 2010-09-06 | yM | Today we started excavating in A20. We are begining by digging 2 squares, k23 and k24 located north of k13 and k14. We are removing the topsoil layer in both squares. For the first 5cm of the top soil feature in both squares we did not keep the pottery because it is probably contaminated. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-07 | yM | Today we continued removing the top soil in k23 and k24. Going down in k23 we found a patch of stones. We will have a better prospective of things when we continue digging and cleaning tomorrow. As for k24 we found what could be a stone installation in the north western corner of the square and a patch of stones in the western part of the loci. Tomorrow we will continue going down in both of squares to get a better understanding. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-08 | yM | Today we continued removing the last few cm of the top soil layer f155 in k23 to reach the layer underneath it in which some of the stones are enbedded. As we are scraping we found a pavement type C f162 which consist of small pebbles and sherds. As for k24 we continued the top soil removal f156, underneath it, in the south western corner we came across a sherd and pebbles pavement, to which we did not assigne a feature number yet, we want to understand the situation better. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-12 | yM | Today we started by cleaning the squares to take pictures. Then we assigned new feature numbers and relayed the stones and the pavement in k23. Then we removed f161 which is a isolated stone, after that we started to remove f157 which is the layer to the north of the stone installation f159 and the wall f168. In the mean while in k24 we started the work by leveling the square to take pictures, we assigned a new feature number (f163) to the layer in the eastern part of the loci and we started to remove it. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-13 | yM | Today we started by removing the part we did not finish from f157 in k23 but we dont know where the feature finishes exactly. Then we started removing the pavement f162. Removing the pavement we found two stones under the western part of the pavement, and also a very hard layer (f169) that resembles a brick melt. We are not sure yet, and we still have some patches of f157 to remove in the north eastern corner that we are excavating. As for k24 we continued removing f163, we finished but we still need to clean it well to take pictures and then remove it. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-13 | yM | Yesterday we started excavating f157 in the north eastern corner of this square but we did not finish it, so today we started by removing what we have left from the feature in that corner then we moved to removing the pavement f162. While doing that we found two stones under the western part of the pavement. When we finished removing the pavement, we found under it a very hard gray layer that resembles a brick melt but we will hold that thought about the definition until we finish removing the last few patches of f157. So we will have a better exposure of this layer allowing a better understanding of it. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-14 | yM | Yesterday we decided to hire workmen so today we opened the new square k25 east of k24 in which we started working by removing the top soil layer f167 then the natural accumulations layer under it, f170. In k24 we cleaned for a while then we moved to work in k23 where we scraped the rest of f157 to expose the hard floor surface f169 underneath it, that we thought before that it resembles a brick melt. Scraping next to the eastern section, close to wall f168, we came across a pavement of pebble and sherd,probably the same as the pavement in k24, f165. In order to understand the situation better and expose the features we decided to remove the eastern baulk of k23. After drawing the section we removed it. Underneath the baulk we found to the north more stones that are the continuation of f164, while we didn't find stones linking wall f168 with wall f171. To the south we found the continuation of pavement f162 going to the east and linking up with pavement f166. [Input: U907YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-15 | yM | Today we started the work in k25 by removing the rest of the natural accumulation layer f170. Underneath that layer there is what could probably be the second wall that runs north east and bonds with ^wall1. Tomorrow we will continue removing the last patch of f170 to uncover the presumable wall and the materials that are going against it. While in k24 we removed the pavement f166 which was only a small patch. As we were scraping f163 in the north west part of the square, east of the stone installation f164, we found a pebble pavement to which we did not assaigne a feature number yet. As for k23 we started by cleaning to take pictures, then we removed the part of the pavement f162 that was under the baulk, after taking the relays. Under the pavement f162 we found another one which turned out to be the continuation of f165, only that this pavement is much nicer then f162 because of the coherent size of the pebble and sherds and how the sherds are layed flat. For the moment this pavement f165 seems to be on top of another one but that its still not clear. On the other hand we started digging f173 in the western part of k23 to the west of the floor surface f169, after we removed the stones installations f160 and f158. While digging feature f173 in the northern part of the square we uncovered the top part of an oval shaped clay installation. For the moment we dont know what could it be. [Input: U915YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-16 | yM | Today we started the work by taking relays for f168, f171,f164, f169. Then we proceeded by removing f169 which is the floor surface. Under this floor surface we found another hard surface. We are assuming that it continues under the pavement f165. As for the new square k34 we removed the top soil layer but we did not finish it yet. In k25 we started the work by cleaning well and then removing the rest of f170 in the south western corner of the square, then we removed f177 which is an accumulation layer. By removing this feature we uncovered some possible mud bricks. Those mud bricks seem to be a wall but we should excavate more to confirm this information. [Input: U916YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-18 | lC | Today we started taking pictures of the installation of k23 and k24, then we removed the pavement f165 uncovering the floor f179. Today we also finished to draw the structures f164, f171 and f168, so tomorrow we will be able to remove them. we continue to excavate in k25 where the ash ash and sandy accumulation f177 was removed uncovering some mudbrick structures not yet well understood. In k34 we continued to remove the topsoil f176. Here we are going slowlier but from tomorrow we ra eplanning to concentrate our efforts in k34 and in 23-k24 to reach the level of the deeper expected building. [Input: U918LC.j] | |
| 2010-09-19 | yM | Today we started working in k34 by removing the rest of the top soil layer f176, under which we uncovered a natural accumulation layer f181 that we removed, but not completely. We will continue the removal tomorrow. As for k25 we removed f175 in order to expose the bricks, then we continued scraping in that area to understand the situation better. We seem to have a line of bricks running north south against which we have vertical bricks, While on the western part of the square there is soft material that looks like a pit fill. we have not assigned any feature numbers to those structures, we will wait to understand the situation better. while in k23 we only removed the wall f168. As for k24 we removed the wall f171 and the accumulation layer f182 that was under it and on top of the pavement f165 that continued under this wall f171. After that we proceeded by removing the stone installation f164 under which we found the same accumulation f182. But, as for the pavement f165, it continued partially under the stone installation and then it stopped. Our next move was to remove the pavement f165 under the wall f171 and f164. By doing this we exposed the rest of the floor surface f179 but since the continuation of this floor is in k24 and not k23, we assigned a new feature number for it, f183 and then removed this feature in k24 after redefining the baulk between the two squares. Under this floor we uncovered the rest of f163 that we started to remove but we will not have the time to finish the removal today, so we will proceed tomorrow. [Input: U919YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-20 | yM | Today we started working by removing the rest of the natural accumulation layer f181 in k34, then we removed the pavement f185 that was located in the south eastern corner of the locus. While in k24 we continued removing the natural accumulation layer f163 in the west part of the locus where it was higher, then we continued to remove this feature in the other parts of the locus. Under this feature we uncovered a hard layer f186 that we will remove tomorrow. As for k25 we started removing the fill of the pit f180 located in the south western part of the locus west of the vertical bricks f191. This pit f189 seems to cut the wall f188. Digging further down we will have a better understanding of the general situation of k25. In the same time we removed f184 which is a brick fall north of f191, and underneath it we uncovered the stone pavement f190. Tomorrow we will finish removing the brick fall f184 to expose the rest of the pavement f190. [Input: U920YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-21 | yM | Today we started working by continuing the removal of the natural accumulation layer f181 in k34 exposing a hard surface under it f197. As for k24 we scraped the rest of f186 to expose the floor surface f192 that was cut by a pit f194. There for the next step was to remove the pit fill f193. while doing that we came across a very hard compacted bricky layer inside the pit, along with a faire amount of stones and a lot of bricky chunks, we dug it all the way to what we assume is the bottom of the pit that was plastered with a layer of bakaya. While in k25 started by cleaning to take pictures, then we continued removing the brick fall layer f184 to uncover the stone pavement f190. in the mean time in the south western part of the locus we continued removing the pit fill f188 until we reached hard bottom surface of it. [Input: U921YM.j] | |
| 2010-09-22 | lC | Today, after the drawings of the sections were completed, we started to remove the northern baulk of k24 with the f200 to link layer f192 to f197. We also removed the baulk between k14 and k24 looking for the upper part and the northern edge of ^wall1 but we were not able to reach that level. We also draw the west section of k25 because it shows the pit cutting the earlier structures. [Input: U922LC1.j] | |
| 2010-09-23 | lC | Today we started to remove the baulk between k24 and k25 and between k15 and k25. This will allow us to have a better understanding of the whole easterna area of A20. We expect to find the southern edge of the vertical mudbrick installation and western edge of the pit f189, probably cutting the possible wall running north to south. Before to look for the western face of this wall, the sides of the pit could help us to identify some mudbrick, showing the presence of the wall. [Input: U922LC1.j] | |
| 2010-09-24 | lC | Today, even being Friday we worked in the morning in the field. We finished to remove the north baulk of k15 founding more stones belonging to the pavement f57 going under the vertical brick installation f191. We also finished to remove the pit filling f180 and then we started to clean k24 to prepare it for the picture of tomorrow. [Input: U922LC1.j] | |
| 2010-09-25 | yM | Today we removed f196 in k25 to expose the bricks under it.as for k24, we removed the floor surface f192 that over lays f172 in order to completely expose f172, so we can remove it and uncover the ^wall1. While in k34 we removed f197 uncovering the pebble pavement underneath it. [Input: U927YM2.j] | |
| 2010-09-26 | yM | Today we continued removing f197 in the western part of k34, exposing the pebble pavement f204 underneath it. On the other hand, in the southern part of the square, the pavement seems to be removed, where we found another small pebbles and sherds pavement f206 that goes under pavement f204. lC thinks that this pavement is a preparation layer for the pavement f204. While in the northern part of the square, the pavement f204 seems to be cut or finishid. As for k24, we removed f172 in the northern part of the locus, exposing the layer under it f205, which we also removed in order to uncover the ^wall1. Things are not as clear as we hoped they will be in western part, so lC attempted to see the bricks of ^wall1 from the eastern part, and he was able to find the bricks that forms the other wall that bond with ^wall1, so now we have the eastern corner of the wall exposed. While in k25, we planned to remove the southern part of f191 where we thought there are no vertical bricks, in order to uncover the continuation of pavement f190 that lays under it, but as we proceeded we found vertical bricks, so we stoped. [Input: U927YM2.j] |
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