.bk A20
.fl S809lr.j
.fd journal
.ed S809
.ei lR
.rd S807
.ri lR

-dy 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.

f 24
dy Continued to excavate this feature today, removing 15 cm of ash that alternated between pink and gray layers. The wall f64 continues to do down with bricks jutting out in section.

f 64
dy This wall continues to go down. We are currently approximately 2 meters down in the the ash with the bricks from f64 jutting out in section. Small rodent holes are present along with a large hole without bricks that may be a doorway.

k 12
dy 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.

f 36
dy This ash appears to abut f35 pavement in the north section of A18. We started to excavate the ash in the area north of the tannur f42 and proceeded south.

k 14
dy 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.

f 60
dy Excavated 5 cm of this accumulation today to come towards the bricks f60 from the south.

f 62
dy Excavated 15 cm of this accumulation today in order to define the bricks f63 from the south. By the end of the day, brick faces surfaced forming a possible room with the feature inside the room assigned f87.

k 13
dy In k13 and k14, we removed f60 and f62, two similar accumulations gray in color and full of animal bones and pottery.

k 3
dy In k3, the ash f36 was removed around the tannur and the vertical bricks of f68. This ash appears to go under f35 pavement.

.rd S808
.ri lR
-dy Day off from the field

.rd S809
-dy 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.

k 3
dy 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.

k 14
dy 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.

k 13
dy 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.

k 12
dy 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.

f 64
dy sE made an interesting observation that the bricks of f64 have a set of horizontal and vertical bricks, whereas it was assumed the wall was constructed only of horizontal bricks that are visible in the north section. The area was further articulated finding an area where a brick was missing, thus forming a probe into the area under the bricks. A new feature was created, f88 defined as fill between the bricks, showing a soft ashy soil with a few vertical bricks sitting on this ashy soil f88.

f 88
dy sE made an interesting observation that the bricks of f64 have a set of horizontal and vertical bricks, whereas it was assumed the wall was constructed only of horizontal bricks that are visible in the north section. The area was further articulated finding an area where a brick was missing, thus forming a probe into the area under the bricks. A new feature was created, f88 defined as fill between the bricks, showing a soft ashy soil with a few vertical bricks sitting on this ashy soil f88.

f 22
dy 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.

k 2
dy 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.

f 60
dy This feature was fully removed today finding a sharp contrast between the gray dirty accumulation full of pottery and animal bones to a light gray soil that is more compact with brick lines surfacing, f89.

f 89
dy Assigned this feature to the accumulation underneath f60 which was completely removed this morning. This feature is harder, more compact, and lighter in color than f60 with fewer inclusions of bone and pottery. Several brick faces are surfacing in the north, next to f41 wall.

f 87
co reddish yellow
c# 7.5YR6/6
tx sandy clay loam
ds Fill inside a structure, bounded by three walls with a compact crust on the surface measuring 5 cm. This feature is comprised of a brown soil with large pieces of orange and brown bricks.

f 89
co very pale gray
c# 10YR7/3
ds In comparison to f89, an adjacent accumulation, this soil appears much grayer. This feature is very compact, showing brick lines, large brick components and large sand grains visible.
tx sandy clay

f 92
dy A series of thin vertical bricks set at an oblique angle were found while excavating f87. The bricks are held together with thin mortar forming a wall west of a2, f40, and possibly forming a room bounded by f97 and f63.

f 98
dy Removed the ash f22 which abuts f98 in the west, exposing the western border of f98, approximately one meter in height. This vertical surface was brushed today with several flat bricks noted. The ash from f22 makes it difficult to distinguish components for the ash obscures the color. One strategy is to shave off 10 cm from the outer surface to create a better vertical section, perhaps exposing brick faces. At the moment we are defining this feature as bricky mass for no brick lines are present with only a sharp distinction between the ash and this hard compact mass. This feature extends north into k12, labeled as f82 and f52.

f 90
dy Removed the pavement f35 and assigned f90 to the soil underneath the pavement. The matrix appears identical to f35, a gray granular bricky soil but mixed with ash, presumably from f36 that is visible underneath in section. The area was leveled, making it flat to make it easier to see bricks or structures if present. At the end of the day, gray bricks similar to f71 wall in k4, emerged but only 2 bricks.

f 99
dy Removed the pavement f35 and assigned f90 to the soil underneath the pavement. The matrix appears identical to f35, a gray granular bricky soil but mixed with ash, presumably from f36 that is visible underneath in section. The area was leveled, making it flat to make it easier to see bricks or structures if present. At the end of the day, gray bricks similar to f71 wall in k4, emerged but only 2 bricks.

f 42
dy Excavated f36 ash around the tannur today, exposing the outer surface showing the tannur floating in ash.
sg Tomorrow we plan to take a photograph of the outer surface of the tannur then remove it. The tannur is floating or cut into the ash which continues to go down deeper. We are thus removing the tannur to excavate the ash f36.

f 41
dy More bricks are beginning to surface south of the defined area for f41. This bricks are the same orientation, found lower in elevation. At this moment we are leaving these bricks are part of f41 and defining it as a thick wall. In the next locus, k14, the same situation is visible with more bricks to the south of f63 wall, also at a lower elevation. One possibility is that these walls are later additions to narrow an associated room or alternatively, these could be two walls that abut each other.

f 63
dy More bricks are beginning to surface south of the defined area for f41. This bricks are the same orientation, found lower in elevation. At this moment we are leaving these bricks are part of f41 and defining it as a thick wall. In the next locus, k14, the same situation is visible with more bricks to the south of f63 wall, also at a lower elevation. One possibility is that these walls are later additions to narrow an associated room or alternatively, these could be two walls that abut each other.

f 40
dy A series of thin vertical bricks set at an oblique angle were found while excavating f87. The bricks are held together with thin mortar forming a wall west of a2, f40, and possibly forming a room bounded by f97 and f63 or a wall for f40.

a 1
ar The stone pavement f57 is assumed to be an earlier construction based on the following evidence; the walls f38 and f46 are resting on the pavement, and secondly the pavement extends beyond the wall line. This suggests that the pavement was constructed first then the walls set on the pavement. To counter argue this point, wall f84 is deeper founded than the pavement, continuing for three courses deeper than the pavement. This wall f84 is associated with a1, the southern wall. The pavement f57 ends with the edge of the wall. This would argue for the wall, f84, as earlier than the pavement constructed, followed by the walls f46 and f38. If the wall f84 was constructed for a1 then the pavement is contemporary to all the walls however if f84 was a reused wall, then the pavement is later.