J1 topic

Harmonization strata problem

September 28, 2011 – Lorenzo Crescioli

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General premises
The strata problem
The harmonization

General premises

     The strata system adopted in the UGR is based on assignment of each feature to a single number/strata, i.e. a moment of the life of the area, part of a wider structure, the phase. The phases show more general/wide periods while the strata are linked to the specific context of each excavation unit. The strata are identified mainly by the stratigraphy and they form an attempt to reconstruct as many as possible moment inside the phases which could even last several centuries.

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The strata problem

     The stratigraphy of J1 is very specific of the area and raises some issue by a theoretical point of view. The main pavement ^pav2 was considered (except for a short initial period) Mittani pavement because many Mittani and Nuzi sherds (see assemblages) were uncovered on it. After its removal and the full pottery analysis turned out that it could be much earlier. The incredible element is that in less than 30 cms the time period goes from Ninevite 5 to Mittani (see the discussion of the issue). On the bases of stratigraphy, typological analysis of pottery and sherds and comparisons with evidences coming from other nearby excavation area, today we assume this pavement was built during EDIII and used until Mittani time. We don't know exactly what happened in the 10 hundreds years in between because we don't have any direct evidence in the plaza, even if the city of Urkesh was populated as shown by the Tupkish palace (Akkadian period) and the Khabur occupation identified on the western part of the Mozan high mound. The pavement was excavated as a single feature because at that time we didn't expect the unique situation of a gap of a thousand years. The pottery coming from the pavement was eventually mixed EDIII, Ninevite 5 and Mittani, because of the layers below, its construction and its last attested use. Therefore the material was mixed but belonging to two different moments: the construction and the use of the pavement in the EDIII and the use in Mittani period.
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The harmonization

     From a theoretical point of view the feature was including two distinct moments belonging to different strata and phases. To show this differentiation in the UGR record, we decided to create two different special feature number (f900 and f901) referring to ^pav2 (i.e. f238, f240 and f325). These features include an explanation of the problem and a link to the original features with all the elements recorded in the field during the excavation. This procedure allows us to assign the pavement and the use to different strata, but at the same time a further division and re-assignment of the pottery and the objects found in it is not possible.
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