https://urkesh.org/MZ/A/A20/D/K/0012.htm

Unit Book A20

A20k12

Processed on 2024-10-14

1. OVERVIEW

Roster Date Author Record
Summary 2008-09-12 lR mxcavations in k12, the northwestern square, revealed a large mass of bricky material harder in the north and becoming softer to the south. To the far north, brick faces were found, defining a thick wall running west to east. This wall continued to go down for approximately a meter with no clear floor surface associated with it. f118, a brown compact layer found next to f84 is assumed to be the floor surface that f64 sits on however this remains unclear. To the south of f64, the bricky mass f52 and f82 both have the same floor surfaces f124, f123, and f117 underneath the bricky material making it clear that the bricky masses f52 and f82 are not walls, which I initially assumed. The multiple layers of hard compact floor surfaces with pottery pieces (f117, f123, f124) suggests the area was used for multiple periods of time and contrasts sharply to the multiple pavements in k13, f35, f112 and f122 with the floors in k12 much harder and denser. Inside the bricky mass f82, an installation was found labeled as f114 and f113. We described it as a bin containing three walls with several semi-circles inside the bin. These features were left unexcavated. A large amount of ash was found to the west of the bricky mass and wall f64 that continued to go down abutting the bricky mass for over a meter. At the end we really had no resolution since no good floor surface was found to indicate an outdoor street or a north-south wall to define f52 and f82 bricky mass. My general impressions are that this area was an outdoor area used as a kiln with f114 being the inside of a rectangular kiln and the ash f24 the waste from the kiln use. This would explain why f52 and f82 are so compact and the multiple floor surfaces as the kiln was continued to be reused and raised over time. [Input: S912LR.j]
Best image 2024-09-06 lC [Input: ZI906.j]

2. IDENTIFICATION

Designation

Roster Date Author Record
Description (summary) 2008-08-13 yM N of k2,Wof k13 [Input: S813YM2.j]

3. STRATIGRAPHY

Recovery/Assignment

Roster Date Author Record
Daily notes about recovery of elements 2008-07-13 lR We opened this locus today and started by removing the topsoil level. We removed approximately 20 centimeters from the entire locus and found several brick faces and sherds lying flat. The topsoil q-lot was closed and a new feature f5 assigned the accumulation above the bricks and sherds. [Input: S713LR.j]
2008-07-14 lR Photographed entire locus this morning to show the relationship between f6, f5 and emerging stones; Refer to v3, v3a. A close-up of the sherd lense and brick face was also taken. [Input: S714LR.j]
2008-07-15 lR Excavated f6 today which is located in the eastern half of the locus and came down on f18, the same compact surface seen in k13 f7, k3 f17, and k2 f16. By the end of the day we defined this layer which slopes down in the south and possibly continues under f5. This morning, f11 was assigned to the stones in the north-east corner. A gap exists between the two clusters of stones but no difference noted between the soil inside this gap and the surrounding matrix. [Input: S715LR.j]
2008-07-17 lR concentrated on excavating the western half of this locus to reach either f18, compact layer or similar elevation as the eastern side. Excavated 10cms of f5, finding more sherds laying flat. The sherds were made into a feature, f23 sherd pavement. The features were drawn and relayed with the strategy to remove them tomorrow to see if f18 continues below. [Input: S718LR.j]
2008-07-19 lR assigned the sherd pavement f23 and removed it along with f11, stone installation. The entire western half of the locus was excavated 20cms, reaching patches of f18 compact brick melt mixed with ash. The east section was drawn and photographed, with half the section removed today. [Input: S719LR.j]
2008-07-20 lR finished removing the eastern baulk, following f27 to unify k12 and k13. [Input: S720LR.j]
2008-07-28 lR In k12, a dramatic distinction exists between f24 and f52, not only in color but texture and hardness. To establish the relationship between these two features, we began the day by removing 5 cm from the southeast corner leaving the contact area between the two features in tact to test if f52 continues down or if f24 lies under f52. f52 was found sloping down with f24 clearly coming up to f52. A total of 15 cm was removed from the entire southeast corner then expanded to the north to level out the rest of the feature. While excavating a tannur fragment was found, q94.1, with one surface complete and the other abraded. The tannur piece was floating in the ash without any floor surface visible. The ash alternated from some areas showing black stains while some areas are slightly more compact and brown. f52 continues to go down but stopped excavating this feature after breakfast due to insufficient tents for shade. Tomorrow we will continue to excavate this feature. [Input: S728LR.j]
2008-07-29 lR Set up a small trench in f52, north side to define this bricky mass which we are assuming is a structure. The trench 1x1 abuts the north section extending until the east section. Approximately 10 cm was removed, showing clear bricks below forming a wall. The western outer corner was so undefined that a section was cut; removing melted brick fragments, exposing light gray-pink bricks below (the same color as the brick melt f27). The area was then expanded to include half of f52, working south to see if the bricks continued. The ashy accumulation in the west, f24 was also excavated today, removing approximately 15 cm from the entire feature. It still continues to go down, which is expected as the north section of A18 shows clearly thick ash accumulations. [Input: S729LR.j]
2008-08-04 lR defined the area south of the wall f64 by removing the softer material over a harder bricky surface. To the south, the compactness changes and becomes more like brick fall than what is visible to the north. Possibly brick faces are visible in the east section, perhaps forming a wall running north to south, meeting f64 wall in the north. [Input: S804LR.j]
2008-08-06 lR Excavated the ashy accumulation f24 today, removing 10 cm from the entire western half of the locus. The area began to show alternating layers of pink, gray, and darker ash which was cleaned then covered for photographs tomorrow. We then moved east to define the area south of f52 which shows less compactness then f52, resembling brickfall. 10 cm was removed from this feature today and cleaned. The east section was also removed to define the bricks visible in section. Only a few centimeters was removed from the section. [Input: S806LR.j]
2008-08-07 lR Spent the day removing 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. [Input: S809LR.j]
2008-08-09 lR 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. [Input: S809LR.j]
2008-08-14 lR 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. [Input: S816LR.j]
2008-08-17 lC After the meeting in the field of this morning with gB and fAB we decided to go down to the floor f117 showed in the western edge of the f82 and f52. Because of the difficulty to find a good face for the bricks that are visible on top of the f82 and in its western edge, the best thing seemed to go down to the only sure thing, that is the floor. But looking for the pavement f117 we decide to try to find a good face of the bricks and after removing about 20 cms toward east we found a quite good face. So we decided to follow this face in depth until the pavement, but after about 20 cms we found an almost horizontal layer, very compact. It could be a sort of floor, and it seems that it has been exposed because just above it there are some traces of laminations. It could be in relation with the bricks uncovered today, if they form a wall, or with the bin, still to excavated, in the eastern part of k12. [Input: S817LC.j]
2008-08-17 lR 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, labeled f123 and f124. [Input: S818lR.j]
2008-08-18 lR In k12, continued to remove 5 cm from f82 then scraped the ash f24 to expose f118. [Input: S818lR.j]

Volumetric Localization

Roster Date Author Record
Elements within locus 2008-07-13 lR f3 (topsoil), f5 (accumulation C), f6 (accumulation D) [Input: S727LR5.j]
2008-07-14 lR f11 (stone installation) [Input: S727LR5.j]
2008-07-15 yM f18 (layer) [Input: S727LR5.j]
2008-07-19 yM f23 (pavement, type c), f24 (accumulation C) [Input: S727LR5.j]
2008-07-26 yM f51 (accumulation D), f52 (layer), f53 (layer) [Input: S727LR5.j]
2008-07-29 lR f64 (wall) [Input: S802LR.j]
2008-08-06 yM f82 (brickfall) [Input: S810LR3.j]
2008-08-09 yM f88 (fill) [Input: S810LR3.j]
2008-08-09 lR f95 (wall) [Input: S810LR3.j]
2008-08-10 sE f104 (fill) [Input: S810LR3.j]
2008-08-16 lR f113 (bin), f114 (fill), f117 (floor, type b), f118 (layer) [Input: S824LC.j]
2008-08-18 lC f123 (floor, type b), f124 (floor, type b) [Input: S824LC.j]
2008-07-19 yM i6 (figurine) [Input: S721LR.j]
2008-07-26 yM i12 (unknown) [Input: S802LC2.j]
2008-07-28 sE i15 (jar) [Input: S802LC2.j]
2008-09-01 lC i31 (metal artifact) [Input: S901YM.j]
2008-07-13 eE q1 (items, pottery) [Input: S715SE2.j]
2008-07-13 lR q3 (items, pottery) [Input: S715SE2.j]
2008-07-14 lR q4 (bones, pottery) [Input: S715SE2.j]
2008-07-15 YM q14 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-16 eE q17 (items, pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-16 sE q18 (items, pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-17 yM q24 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-19 yM q28 (pottery), q29 (pottery), q31 (bones, pottery), q32 (pottery), q33 (items, pottery), q34 (items, pottery), q36 (pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-20 yM q38 (bones, pottery) [Input: S722YM.j]
2008-07-26 sE q83 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S727YM2.j]
2008-07-26 yM q86 (bones, pottery), q87 (pottery), q89 (pottery) [Input: S727YM2.j]
2008-07-28 sE q94 (items, pottery) [Input: S729YM.j]
2008-07-29 yM q103 (items, pottery) [Input: S729YM.j]
2008-07-29 lR q108 (items, pottery) [Input: S729YM.j]
2008-07-30 sE q111 (bones, pottery) [Input: S805YM.j]
2008-08-06 sE q156 (bones, items, pottery), q157 (bones, pottery), q163 (bones, pottery) [Input: S806YM.j]
2008-08-07 sE q166 (pottery), q167 (bones, pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-07 yM q170 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-09 yM q179 (pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-10 eE q187 (bones, pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-10 yM q191 (items, pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-10 sE q193 (items, pottery) [Input: S810YM.j]
2008-08-14 yM q194 (bones, pottery), q196 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S817YM.j]
2008-08-17 yM q211 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: S817YM.j]
2008-08-18 yM q218 (bones, pottery) [Input: S818YM2.j]
Extension of locus or q-lot 2008-08-13 yM m4704 [Input: S813YM2.j]
Length of two sides 2008-08-13 yM 400E [Input: S813YM2.j]
2008-08-13 yM 400S [Input: S813YM2.j]

6. REFERENCE

Analogical Record

Roster Date Author Record
View/drawing of locus

v1
2008-07-13 yM [Input: S725LC.j]

v2
2008-07-13 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v3
2008-07-14 eE [Input: S725LC.j]

v3a
2008-07-14 eE [Input: S725LC.j]

v4
2008-07-17 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v5
2008-07-17 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v5a
2008-07-17 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v5b
2008-07-17 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v7
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v8
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v8a
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v9
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v10
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v10a
2008-07-19 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v12
2008-07-20 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v13
2008-07-20 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v14
2008-07-20 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v19
2008-07-21 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v21
2008-07-21 yM [Input: S803LR3.j]

v32
2008-07-28 eE [Input: S802LC.j]

v32a
2008-07-28 eE [Input: S802LC.j]

v44
2008-07-30 lR [Input: S811LC.j]

v46
2008-07-30 lR [Input: S811LC.j]

v54
2008-08-04 sE [Input: S812LC.j]

v57
2008-08-04 sE [Input: S812LC.j]

v65
2008-08-06 yM [Input: S812LC.j]

v65a
2008-08-06 yM [Input: S812LC.j]

v71
2008-08-07 sE [Input: S812LC.j]

v76
2008-08-10 lC [Input: S812LC.j]

v76a
2008-08-10 lC [Input: S812LC.j]

v77
2008-08-10 lC [Input: S812LC.j]

v88
2008-08-16 sE [Input: S824LC2.j]

v88a
2008-08-16 sE [Input: S824LC2.j]

v89
2008-08-17 sE [Input: S824LC2.j]

v89a
2008-08-17 sE [Input: S824LC2.j]

v89b
2008-08-17 sE [Input: S824LC2.j]

v94
2008-08-17 yM [Input: S824LC2.j]

v94a
2008-08-17 yM [Input: S824LC2.j]

v94b
2008-08-17 yM [Input: S824LC2.j]

v95
2008-08-17 yM [Input: S824LC2.j]

v121
2008-08-25 yM [Input: S901LC2.j]

v121a
2008-08-25 yM [Input: S901LC2.j]

v131
2008-08-27 yM [Input: S909LC.j]

v131a
2008-08-27 yM [Input: S909LC.j]

v141
2008-08-28 lC [Input: S909LC2.j]

v143
2008-08-28 lC [Input: S909LC2.j]

v144
2008-08-28 lC [Input: S909LC2.j]

v144a
2008-08-28 lC [Input: S909LC2.j]

v150
2008-09-06 lC [Input: S915LC.j]

v152
2008-09-06 lC [Input: S916LC.j]

v153
2008-09-06 lC [Input: S916LC.j]

v154
2008-09-06 lC [Input: S916LC.j]

w2
2008-09-11 lC [Input: S911LC.J]

w9
2008-09-11 lC [Input: S911LC.J]

w16
2008-09-11 lC [Input: S911LC.J]

w26
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w29
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w31
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w32
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w36
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w37
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

w38
2008-09-13 lC [Input: S913LC.J]

v161
2008-09-15 lC [Input: S917LC4.j]

v161a
2008-09-15 lC [Input: S917LC4.j]
v163
2008-09-15 lC [Input: S917LC4.j]