.bk J01
.fl P802cvp.j
.fd journal
;.fn COMMENTS IN CAPS BY gB P803;Includes P803CVP.J;P804cvp.j,P805CVP.j,P807CVP.j, P808CVP.j, P809CVP.j
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-sg As we open the new squares with the new orientation, the space remaining on two of the new loci would be not rectangular but trapezoidal. Then a big part of their surface would coincide with part of the space of the old squares excavated in 2003. Also, as we change the orientation and the aim of the excavation in this area, we are also giving new numbers to the loci, not following the series given in 2003. So the trapezoidal "squares" touching k9 and k10 would be k22 and k23. Even if the opening of those two were clear, we were yet unsure about how to proceed with the opening of the rest. With the presence of gB, mKB and fAB we discuss the different alternatives: the strategy discussed yesterday, in which the main aim would be the opening of a window for the Terrace Wall, or today's expressed by fAB, opening a line of squares following the E-W direction until joining the westernmost J3 locus. That would give us a quite complete view of most of the upper face of the Terrace Wall, creating also a long section that would reflect the sterile nature of the plaza sediment. It also would be a spectacular kite view. On the other hand the first alternative, opening the squares south of k23, and trying to reach the floor level, would be better in account of the chronology and preparing the argument for the use of the backhoe. Finally, the decision reached was a mixture of both: opening the squares east and south of k23, even if not in its 5x5 m but cutting it diagonally and doing the resulting deep sections with a certain slope in order to improve its stability. So the third square was opened south of k23, having then the number k13.

-wk Our team is going to be 16 workmen, even if today we have just have 13 and Farhad the water boy. Four of them pickmen.

-dy Today is the first day of excavation and we begin to work on the new loci k23, k22 and k13. The first element we are digging is the typological column, which is going to take basically all the trapezoidal space left of k23, except a half meter baulk left for security reasons along the N section. As it is going to be a special unit, and it is possible that in the future we wold be digging the rest of k23 (the old k9 and k10) we assigned it as locus k106. Also west of the old k9 we begin to dig the new k22, and to the south, k13. In k22 and k23 we removed the topsoil the begin to excavate the natural sediment below. In k13 we are still in the topsoil. The old loci k11 and k10-9 are cleaned and left ready for a photograph tomorrow morning.

k 22
pr As we open the new squares with the new orientation, the space remaining on this locus would not be rectangular. So the four markers laid by bWP would reflect in the plot as a trapezoid. Then a big part of their surface would coincide with part of the space of the old squares excavated in 2003.

f 141
ds some 25 cm. 

f 143
ds Natural compact accumulation below topsoil

k 23
nm As we open the new squares with the new orientation, the space remaining on this locus would be not rectangular. So the four markers laid by bWP would reflect in the plot as a trapezoid. Then a big part of their surface would coincide with part of the space of the old squares excavated in 2003. A subdivision in created in that loci to contain the typological column, that would be called k106.

k 106
ds typological column, nowadays occupying the same surface as k23

f 140
ds q-lot content revised, counted and removed

f 142
ds Natural compact accumulation below topsoil

k 13
f 144

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-wk We have today a new workman, so 15 in total

-dy Diadin took photographs first thing in the morning. First of the old squares still untouched, and later of the new ones, showing them in the first stages of excavation. Then we proceeded to excavate the three locus opened yesterday, k22, k106 and k13, finding the same kind of earth and with no elements or features whatsoever. We just find scarce fragments of pottery, II and III millennium mixed. 

-sg Even if we don't find anything it would be important to keep the photographic record almost daily so that the fact that there is nothing would be carefully recorded for the "arguments for the backhoe". 

k 22
dy Here we have reached one and a half meters of depth, that we think would be enought to provide a good lateral view of that side of the Wall. That is why we stop going down here, and we will begin to excavate the artificial security baulks.

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-dy bWP has laid the markers of the 2 new squares we are going to open next, k24 and k32. We begin with k24 removing the topsoil. In k106 we remove the upper part of the security baulk. 

-sg During the morning we discuss with gB the best way to situate the proposed deep trench with the stepped and sloping sections. We pointed out different possiblilities, but it is still to be decided.

k 22
dy we excavate the E and N security baulks, and a small triangle of earth left in the SE corner of the trench, levelling all the surface of the square. We finish the excavation here for the moment, not having reached the bottom of f143.

k 106
dy We keep digging down, with no change in the nature of the soil, and no features appearing.

k 13
dy We begin to dig today the natural accumulation under topsoil, the new feature f145. All the surface, 4 x 4 m, have the same sediment and nothing more.

f 145
ds below topsoil

k 24
ds New square opened today, located E to E23
pr As it was the case with k22 and k23, as we open the new squares with the new orientation, the space remaining on this locus would be not rectangular but trapezoidal, because the trenches with the new orientation are overlapping the old ones.

k 32
ds New square opened today, N of k22
pr As it was the case with k22 and k23, as we open the new squares with the new orientation, the space remaining on this locus would be not rectangular but trapezoidal, because the trenches with the new orientation are overlapping the old ones.

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-sg As today we are not working in the field, jE and vS designed a strategy and drew an sketch, J01sk17, offering one possible way to follow the excavation of our unit. The plan is discussed with the rest of the team and gB and fAB, and later offered to the rest of the members of the excavation at the weekly general meeting taking place in the evening at the site. The general layout seems to be correct, but we have still a doubt about what is the part of the wall that is going to be most exposed, because if we do the digging as we have planned, the deeper and most exposed part would be precisely the so called "buttress" or collapse, and not the nicest part already shown. That is why gB would prefer to "move" all the apparel a bit to the E. The problem with that movement is that then it would be necessary to open another square. The final decision wiil be reached tomorrow.

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-dy bWP opens a new square, k12, and also laid the marks we need in the baulk between the old loci (MZ 16) k10 and k11, because a part of it is going to be inside one of our new loci, k24, and must be dug.

-sg At the beginning of the day gB decided to carry on with the digging of the "window" as planned, i.e. the stepped sections designed by jE and vS. So, we are going to proceed as follows (see also sketches 18 and 19): As the Column in k106 is going to be the lowest excavated area, 9 m deep from the present surface, the surface that remains of the 4 m square is going to be the center of the "window". In the squares around k106 we are going to dig the stepped sections. The steps in k13 (square S of k106) are going to be looking N, and the ones in k24 (E of k106) are going to be looking W. k14 and k12 are going to be the "corners" and the steps would run diagonally to link with k13 and k24. The steps in k12 are going to be looking E and the ones in k14 are going to be looking N. The final result would have the shape of an angular amphitheater, where the cavea are the stepped sections, the chorus the bottom of k106, and the scenae is going to be the Terrace Wall. As we planned to go a total of 9 m deep, each step is going to be 2 m deep, so we would have at the end 4 steps of 2 m and one of 1 m. The angle of the slope is going to be quite sharp, being 40 cm wide, whereas the surface remaining flat would be 50 cm wide. So each step is going to be 90 cm wide. The length would be that of the locus, 4 m in k13 and k24. In the "corners" the length would decrease while going deeper. The distance between the Column and the farthest step is 3.6 m (90 + 90 + 90 + 90 cm, 4 steps) in each side. Adding to that the 4 m of the Column, the total width of the window will be some 11.2 m. We have take the elevation of the top of the Terrace Wall, that is 9000. We presume that the elevation of the bottom of the wall, and of the floor of the Plaza as well, would be the same as the elevation of the pavement in the courtyard of the Palace, that is 8500. That means that we have to expose more or less 5 m of the wall in depth to find the Plaza floor. In the old squares that would be some 2 m below the actual surface of the deepest excavated part.

-wk Today we have a new worker, so we have a total of 16.

k 24
dy We dug the topsoil and then laid the string that is going to mark the beginning of the first step, parallel to the E wall, 3.20 cm from the E section of k106.

k 14
dy We have just scratched a little of the topsoil, f147, and left it that way.

k 32
dy The team from k24 is moved to k32. As our goal here is to have a view of the upper part of the corner of the Terrace Wall, we are not going to dig all 4 m, we are letting the northern 1 and a half meter (N baulk not included) of the square untouched. We are letting also temporal security baulks W and S. We dug the topsoil f148, and we followed with the accumulation below, f149, that is not different from the soil in the rest of the squares.

k 106
dy We are still digging the same feature f145.

k 13 
dy We measure the area that needs to be excavated, drawing a line parallel to the N baulk, 3.6 m from the S section of k106. As we have already dug some 70 cm from the surface, we have still 1.30 cm to go down in order to reach the bottom of the first step. When we reach the 2 m deep here we will move the team to the other squares to dig the first step there, and so on.

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-sg Yesterday it was discussed with Iko the convenience of making the steps 1 m wide instead of 90 cm. So, today we moved the string that signaled the beginning of the steps in k13 and k24 30 cm farther. The last step of the section on k13 then is going to intrude into the area of the N baulk, that is why, instead of drawing the N section of k13, we are going to draw the S section of k106, which will provide us with the whole stratigraphic sequence of the Column.

-dy First hour in the morning we took photos of the loci, showing just another phase in the digging of the accumulation of the plaza. Later we also took photos of some of the sections which were being drawn.

k 32
dy We continue digging the S and W security baulks but the W one we excavated leaving artificial steps in place, just for the sake of walking down more easily, and to be removed at the end. We drew the beginning of the E section. Meanwhile, we put the team to excavate the k13 N baulk

k 13
dy idem

k 106
dy We drew the upper part of the E and S sections. While we drew them the team is put to work in k24.

k 24
dy We began to dig the first step and to excavate the space left of the old baulk between k10 and k11 (MZ16), space that at present is part of the area to be excavated in k24. As the remnant of the N baulk kept in place is insignificant (some 80 cm) we decide to also excavate it, not letting any part of the N baulk in place.

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-dy At the beginning of the day we took a photo of the E section of k32. We proceeded to dig the rest of the squares (k32, k106 and k13) without significant changes in the features until the end of the morning when we found a new layer in k106, the beginning of the same one in k13, and probably we are arriving at the same in k32.

k 32
dy We excavated the end of the south artificial baulk. Then we proceeded to dig the E baulk, drawn yesterday. At the end of the morning we were quite near the next layer shown in the section underneath. Even without a sharp change, the earth seems to be changing especially in the consistency, more soft and sandy now. We will check tomorrow but we seem to be in a new feature. It is still to be confirmed if it is related with the one in k106.

k 13
dy We are still digging the first step. At the beginning of the morning we were at 130 cm from the surface. At the end of the morning they are at a similar level than in k106, and in the NW corner we seem to find the beginning of the new feature found in k106. There is still some earth to dig there.

k 106
dy After digging the artificial security baulk we proceeded to dig inside the locus again. There the soil changed and we found a horizontal layer, with some stones and some sherds laying flat. In the section the layer beneath seems to be composed by a series of thin layers, with small lens of fine pebbles. The soil is softer, more greyish, maybe lenses created by the rain. Tomorrow we will check if this layer is the same that the one showing in the N section of the old k9-10.

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-dy We took photos of the new features found in k13, k32 and k106, and then dug again. 

k 106
dy New feature, f153. We make the photo (J1v65) and continue to dig. It seems to be the same floor as in k32 but, as we have no real connection, we give it a new feature number. Also the consistency is not so soft. We give feature number f151 to the accumulation and f153 to the floor surface. As we dig that feature we begin to find a lot of fragments of bases of Mitanni goblets and the consistency of the earth gets harder, more difficult to work with the pick.
ns From now on we are going to sift the earth coming from the Typological Column. The first to be sifted is q345. The holes in the sift are roughly 1.7 cms wide.

f 142
dy We finished that accumulation today.
tc co f153

f 153
tc co f151 
ds The new accumulation numbers are lower than the floor numbers. This is due to tha fact that the first q lots were filled with the material from the accumulation below, even before we decided to put a different number to the interface, i.e. just the surface of the floor. The floor has no material because it is just the upper surface of the accumulations, compacted by weather or walking on it.

k 32
dy We make a photo (J1v66) of the surface just over the new feature, that we are expecting as it appear in the section, then remove the last cms of earth. Then we clean the area for the photo of the new feature (J1v69, J1v69a). The new feature (f155 and f38), is a more or less flat surface with a different consistency. Before it was more greyish and soft, now it is harder, clayish and grity. In fact it varies, because it is formed with small flat layers, some harder, some softer, but so thin that it is imposible to keep record of it, specially as we are digging with the big pick. That is why we just give one feature number to all the layers. The same was done in MZ16 and, as we are following just the same section we can safely use the same stratigraphy, that is why we take the same feature number, f38 that was used then for the accumulation, and we give feature number f153 to the floor in the interface. Some of the layers seems lenses left by the rain, with marks of water and grid. As we dig that feature we begin to find a lot of fragments of bases of Mitanni goblets. In the middle of the morning the first stones of the Terrace Wall begin to appear.

f 149
dy We find the end of that accumulation.
tc co f155

k 13
dy After cleaning some cms of earth we arrive at the floor level of the new feature, that we were waiting because we have already found it in the next square k106. We make photo (J1v67)  and dig again. We were at 150 cms from the surface. jE and vS draw the E section of the square (photo J1v68 + J1v68a). Same consistency as in k106. It seems to be the same floor as in k32 but, as we have no real connection, we give it a new feature number. As we dig that feature we begin to find a lot of fragments of bases of Mitanni goblets.

f 145
dy We find the end of that accumulation.
tc co f154