.bk J01
.fl P817cvp.j
.fd daily journal P817
;.fn edited by mS Q510, included P818cvp.j,P820cvp.j,P822cvp.j,P823cvp.j,P824cvp.j,P825cvp.j
.ei cvp
.ed P817

.rd P817
.ri cvp

-wk Habib fell from the step in k24 to the step in k23 and, even if the difference in highness was short, maybe half a meter, he fell in a bad position and hurt its arm. After bringing him to the doctor it seems that it is a fracture. 

k 107
dy First thing in the morning we took photographs of the actual state of k107, after lifting the animal bones (J01v81, J01v81a, J01v81b, J01v81c, J01v81d). Removing the rest of the brown soil f156, at the level of the bottom of MZ16 excavation, we found some big flat stones (f164) running under f156 and f158 (see photo J01v82). We dig half of the sloping accumulation f158 from E to W, just to know how it works in relation with the wall, and left that area to dig elsewhere. Just before the flat boulder under it, there is a line of sherds laying flat (See sketch J01sk31). We also found a small piece of sealing. Until now that is the oldest strata found in our unit. We also remove two of the stones of the "buttress-collapse" as they were also in danger of falling down. To do that we give the collapse feature number f165, and consider the two stones components of it. The one in the E is c1 and the one in the W c2. We make photos (J01v83, J01v83a, J01v83b, J01v83c, J01v84, J01v84a). See J01sk31. The earth under the stones in the collapse is given f166. Another of the flat boulders that run along the wall appears also here. fAB and gB point that this maybe could indicate some relation of the "buttress" with that line of flat stones. Even if there is almost a meter of earth between both.

k 24
dy They keep digging looking for the beginning of the first step.

k 23
dy Keep digging looking for the bottom of the MZ16 squares.

.rd P818
.ri cvp

-dy We a photo of the final situation of k107 and of the S section of k106. The team working until now in k107 is put to work in k22, to excavate the first step. We took the photo of the end of excavation in k23, with the floating stones. The team from k23 is put to excavate the k13 N baulk, after been drawn. In k24 we dug the last cms of the first step. Then we cleaned the surface for photo the next working day. Today we finish the excavation a little bit early to make a "general cleaning" in and out of the squares.

k 107
dy Photo of the situation at the end of the excavation (J01v85, J01v85a, J01v85b, J01v85c). See sketch J01sk33.

k 13
dy After drawing and photograph the section (S section of k106, see J01v87), we remove the rest of the N baulk.

k 22
dy We begin to dig the first step, trying to avoid the removal of the Elevator as much as possible.

k 23
dy Finishing here for the time being, as we have arrived at the level left in MZ16 (9022). We took photos (J01v86, J01v86a), relay and made a sketch (J01sk33) of the floating stones.

k 24
dy At the end of the morning we have finally reach the 9000 elevation where the first step will begin. We clean for the photo tomorrow.

k 10
nv We take the general elevations of the main features in this MZ16 square. They are: topsoil 9244; beginning of pise f8 9138; upper face of stones in top of the wall 9067; brown earth compacting the upper surface of the wall 9011; upper surface of first line of stones 8938; bottom of the wall and of the square 8726. See sketch J01sk33.

.rd P820
.ri cvp

-dy We took photos of the end of the first step in k24. We worked in k24 and k13 beginning to dig the second step. In k22 they were digging the first step but, due to the difficulty to throw the dirt of the other squares in the Elevator at the same time that we are excavating here, we moved the team temporarily to k12, where they began to dig the topsoil. 

-sf Before breakfast we have had the weekly meeting, visiting the 3 units and gB explaining the progress of the work and how to continue. Tomorrow we are not going to have workers in the field because the chieff staff is going to do a trip to Deir Ez Zor. We will do work at the house.

-sg As a result of this morning meetings, we have decided to beging to lift the stones from the "collapse-buttress" that are more clearly floating. We will do that recording everything, photographing and doing templates. It seems quite possible that here it would have been an opening, maybe a gate, that could have been the one leading to the III millennium temple. That would be a likely solution in case that, as it seems in J02, the staircase and apron were an addition in the Mitanni period, leading not the the III millennium temple, but to the one built in later times, now completely eroded.

-wk Jumah has hurt one of his fingers, nothing of importance.

k 24
dy We took a photo of the end of the first step and beginning of the second one (J01v88 and J0188a). Then we put the string at 250 cms from the E border of the square and from there they begin to dig the second step, another two meters, until 8800. We are still in f157. We are not letting the k106 E section as all that remains has already been drawn.

k 13
dy We put the string at 250 cms from the N border of the square and from there they begin to dig the second step, another two meters, until 8800. We are still in f152 and, as it happens already in k106, we are having in this feature and at this level a great amount of pottery. We are not letting the N section as all that remains has already been drawn. 

k 22
dy We have been digging the first step but, due to the difficulty to throw the dirt of the other squares in the Elevator at the same time as excavating here, we moved the team temporarily to k12.

k 12
dy We open today that locus, where the steps are going to run diagonally. We dig the topsoil (f174) and the accumulation below (f175)

.rd P821
.ri cVP

-dy Today we are not working on the site, just on the office. 

.rd P822
.ri cvp

-sf As I am going to stay at the office working with the computer with gB, today mS is going to supervise the work in the field. 

-dy We dig in k12, k13 and k24, going down the respective steps. Also we remove the floating stones of the "collapse-buttress". Now that we have all the outer line of the Terrace Wall in k32, k9 and k10, we want bWP to relay it complete, so vS prepare a sketch to situate the points where the relays are going to be. See sketch 36.

k 12
dy We are digging the first step, feature f175, but we stop eventually to put the team to remove the "buttress".

k 13
dy Here we are still digging the second step, feature f152, that still produce a great amount of pottery.

k 24
dy Digging the second step, feature f163. As it happens with f152 in k13, that is the same accumulation, we have a great amount of pottery.

f 165
dy Using a sketch (number 33) and doing photos (J01v89, J01v89a, J01v89b), we dig feature f165, the collapse of stones also called "possible buttress". It is formed by the earth (f166) and the big stones (components c1 to c13). We just remove some of the components (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14) as others were part of the wall (5, 11, 12). Now we are sure that it was not a buttress, just falling stones, and also that we are not in an entrance or gate of any kind, as we have found the rest of the wall in good condition. We "flagged" the qlot and mKB found some Mitanni painted pottery. Under the collapse we have found more of the flat elongated stones already found in k106 flanking the Terrace Wall.

f 167
dy C8 of f165 we have left in place because it could be in line with the big flat stone f167. Between f167 and the excavated area of the Column there is still another stone, and, maybe just by chance, the three of them seem to be in line oriented NS. They are in a higher elevation than the rest of the stones, and, if it is some kind of boundary, it could separate functional areas, to the E, towards the Staircase, or to the W.

.rd P823
.ri cvp

-dy We took photos of the area in the wall that was covered by f165, the wall fall. As we have now all the wall in our squares uncovered, we ask bWP to relay our Terrace Wall. We make a sketch for her to follow (see sketch 36). We have also move slightly the Elevatore, a little deeper so the workmen could throw the dirt more easily.

-wk Jumah has a small hurt in one finger and a small cut in one leg. With them they are 3. I gave him permission to go home as it was already fifteen to one, even if it was really nothing. We have a new workman, Suleiman, a shovel to work full time in the Elevatore.

k 12
dy We are digging the first step, feature f175, the topsoil. They stop a while to dig the area to relocate the Elevatore. Also we begin to dig the accumulation under the topsoil, f178 called here.

k 13
dy We have dug here f152 of the second step until we reached the level of the Column. A lot of pottery, as always. Then we have stopped and the team has been put to work in the Column itself.

k 24
dy We have dug here f163 of the second step until we reached the level of the Column. A lot of pottery, as always. Then we have stopped and the team has been put to work in k14.

k 14
dy Begin with the topsoil f147, and following with the accumulation under topsoil f179. As in k12, the step here is cut diagonally.

f 165
dy We make photo of the area in the wall that was covered by f165. J01v90, J01v90a, J01v90b.

k 106
dy As the squares around the Column had reach the same level, we retake again the excavation here, following with the feature f152.

.rd P824
.ri cvp

-dy Photo of the "recording of the nothingness" in k12. At 7.00 am more or less, meeting of J1 (cVP, pC and mS) to discuss the stratigraphy with gB and fAB. The loci dug today were k12, k106 and k14. 

-lb In this moment the loci using the Elevatore are two, k12 and k106. In the pile of dirt that is constantly thrown there, sometimes we find interesting sherds and objects, but then it is not possible to recognize from which of the two loci they come. In the present moment, even if they are two different loci, the feature dug is the same, the deep multilayered one, but a different feature number for each locus. So, by gB's suggestion, we are keeping a q lot opened for this material. We give a theoretical feature number f0 for recording purposes. So, right now it is q lot q463, with dirt coming from features f178 (k12) and f151 (k106). Today we have found a bronze pin here.

-wk First time in the morning Jumah has gone to Kamiran for his scratch to be cured again. Then he has resumed his place as one of the two workmen taking care of the Elevatore. The other one, Suleiman, put there by fAB yesterday, has not come, so we had a new one for the same job, Salah. Later, Iko has decided that two workmen taking care of the Elevatore was too much (right) and has take Salah away. No accidents today, even if Samih was showing me a cut in the thumb, but just to inform me that he was working too much, not to go to Kamiran's infermary. At midmorning Muhammed Omo takes one of our workmen, Riad, to put him to work with the geophisician.

-sf vS in not working today, is sick in bed.

k 12
dy Photo to record the nothingness (J01v91) in the first step, f178. We were digging the accumulation under the topsoil (f175), and then f178 with its interface f177. Due to a cumulus of unfortunate circumstances (vS is sick at home, we were having the meeting with gB about the strata, then cVP was momentarily in her computer room), we missed the beginning of the second step in k12. As a result, the second step in this square will be some 15 cms lower than the beginning of the 2nd step in the other loci. We will consult fAB in the future to see what to do to minimize the damage. Another fact that we discovered when putting the strings for the steps in the "corners", is that the width of the steps here are not 1 m but some 80 cms. Checking the sketch we have seen that this difference must be due to the fact that the steps in the regular squares just contemplate the 4x4 m, not the baulks, while the oblique steps include the baulk. The result is having steps longer at the beginning but thinner. 
nl From today we are going to abandon the designation of this locus as k12, and we are going to begin to use the new label k108. This is because in this square we have reached the level left in the neighbor k13 and, seeing that the surface left in k12 to dig is going to get too small to work inside, by fAB's counsel we decide to create a new locus. This new locus will include the surface yet to excavate in k12 and k13. We can dig both together because the features are the same layer, with the same elevation, and they are in contact. Also we were not separating the old loci with a baulk, as there was no room for it in k12. Then we are going to use f152, the name of the feature in k13, the biggest area, to designate that layer in the new locus. f178 in k12 will not be used anymore, as is equated with f152. f178 =l f152

k 14
dy Excavating f179, the accumulation under topsoil. Found a sherd of Mitanni Painted Ware.

k 106
dy Still digging the multilayered feature f151.

k 108
dy Today we create this new locus with the previous loci k12 and k13. And begin to dig the feature f152. See nl in k12 for the explanation. We are going to let for the moment 50 cm in the N to be used as N baulk. We need to keep this baulk to have all the S section of k106, the column.

.rd P825
.ri cvp

-sf Today is my last day of excavation. Tomorrow Friday there is no work in the field. The day after tomorrow, Saturday 27th, I will just go to the field to give mS the last explanations. mS is going to take after me as a Unit Supervisor the rest of the field season.

-wk Somewhere after breakfast I am aware that Magid is nowhere to be seen for a while. Asking Samih his whereabouts he answered me that he has gone home because he was feeling sick. It seems he didn't consider the possibility to let me know about it. Asking Samih if at least he has asked permission to fAB or gB, he said yes. Ferhad added with mimics something about drinking cold water and throat aching.

-dy We dig in k14, k106 and k108. bWP take the relays of the outer line of all the Terrace Wall that is visible in our unit. vS and pC draw the rest of the section of the k13 E baulk. The Elevatore gets broken but is quickly repaired.

k 14
dy Digging down the first step, f179. No news, it is the slower of the teams.

k 106
dy Here in the Column we finished the multilayered feature f151 at the end of the morning, beginning with the soft brown soil, that here we label f181.

k 108
dy Digging the multilayered feature f152.

k 107
dy After some consideration about the nature of the stones flanking the Terrace Wall, we decide to separate the western stones, called initially f164, as they are at a lower elevation than the ones mostly in k9 and k10, that are at a higher elevation. We label that higher row as f180, and consider all the assemblage as an aggregate, a6.

a 5
;df co
ds Wall Fall, designated before as f165. It contains f165,f166 and components c1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14. Also it is possible that the stones left in place co of f165, and f167, the very big flat boulder, were part of this fall. But we are not sure, so we left them for future reassessment.

a 6
;df be
ds Row of big elongated flat boulders flanking the Terrace Wall f72 along its bottom (as known till today), in k106, k9 and k10. It is formed by two features, f164, the stones more to the W, that are at a lower level, and the ones more to the E, f180, at a higher level. We still don't know its function, even if we call it ledge, footing or bench, not so much for its possible functionality as for its shape and situation adjoining a wall.