Unit Book J4

J4-strategy

Processed on 2023-11-19

Date	Author	Record
2006-08-20	sC	Tomorrow I am not planning to work in k61. [Input: Q820SC.j]
2006-09-03	sC	Tomorrow we will contine digging in k63 and k73. These two squares turn to be very important for the comprehension of the whole area, given the presence of the wall f84 in k62, running SW-NE, and of the stone f10 in k71, which could belong to the angle of the apron. [Input: Q903SC.j]
2006-09-04	sC	Right in the N section of k73 we found a line of stones, six, medium small in dimension; of these, four are long aprox 40cm each (while two are very small in dimension) running W-E right (f146). These look to be in line with two large stone exposed in k83. It looks like that these stones are in line with the suppose revetment wall as it is exposed in J2 (W to the primary and secondary apron). We thus decided to stop digging in k63 (considering also that in that locus we have not find any particular accumulations, indicating any particular use in that area) and we decided to start digging in k72. Before start digging there, we took some general views of the floating stones located here, before their removal. The stone that we are going to remove are: f12 (and its pedestal, f98), f19.2 and f19.3 (and their pedestal, f100), f101.1 and f101.2 (and their pedestal f102) (v58, v58a). We then took a general view of k82 and k72, toghether with the E section of k82, showing the 200m of natural accumulation on top of/between these floating stones (v59, v59a, v59b). [Input: Q904SC.j]
2006-09-04	sC	It would be possible that f146, the six stones exposed in the N section of k73, are part of the revetment wall as it is exposed in J2 (W to the primary and secondary apron). We thus decided to stop digging in k63 (considering also that there we did not find any accumulation indicating that that area was used), and to start digging in k72 in order to look for these stones. [Input: Q904SC.j]
2006-09-08	sC	Strategy discussion in the field with gB, fAB, mKB and J4, J1, J3 staff on what to do in the final week to meet the season's goal. Before the beginning of the excavation it was expected to expose in J4 the secondary Apron and a staircase, specular to the ones exposed in J2. However, up to date, we do not have clear evidences that support the possibility of finding the secondary Apron and a staircase here. gB underlines how the only clear indication concerning the possible secondary Apron in J4 is given by the strong line of alligned stones in k71 (f10): these give the impression of being specular to the secondary Apron as exposed in J2, in spite of their different elevation. Furthermore, a part of being much higher in elevation respect to the secondary Apron (as it is exposed in J2), these stones do not seem to continue under the S baulk of k71 as well as in k72 and k62, where, given the present elevation, we should have already exposed them, or at least some of them. Therefore, at present, we do not know if f10 is part or not of a possible secondary Apron, and thus, we do not have a conclusive answer concerning this aspect. One hyphotesis, is that f10 could be part of a secondary Apron, disturbed in k82 and k83 (in J2 E to the staircase), and preserved here, or it could belong to a different structure, located in this portion of the terrace or in the NE area of the terrace. We therefore agreed that it could be interesting to investigate whether f10 continues in k70 or not. [Input: Q908SC.j]
2006-09-08	sC	CONTINUED The strategy therefore is to open locus 70 (only 200m N to m3666) in order to investigate whether f10 continues in this half square. The other clear information we have in J4 area, it is given by the alligned stones in k62, f84. However, also in this case we do not know its real nature, i.e. whether f84 is a wall or a drain. In support of the hyphotesis that f84 could be a drain, are the following characteristics: its inclination and the shape of the stones, which do not have a very nice face/shape as it could be expected instead for a wall. Contrary to the possibility of f84 as a drain it is that in its NE portion it is constructed with small stone, the lack of a floor and of a structure it could be belong to. These two characteristics therefore suggest that f84 can be a wall; however, as already underlined, as a wall it does not have a nice face/shape. f84 stop in k62 and it does not have any connection with what we have exposed so far in the unit. It also seems that this is the lattest structure we have in the unit. In order to understand if f84 is a wall or a drain there are two possible strategies: one is to dig S to f84 and look for its section; another is to remove a stone and look for where it is sitting. We decided for the lattest. Finally, the third clear information in J4 is given by another strong line: f93 in k73 (the bin). The bin seems to be on a small courtyard, with a pebble stones on the W. gB underlines that similar bins have been previously exposed at Mozan: in A18 (also located in a courtyard, close to some graves) and in the temple area. West to the bin f93 there are some alligned stones. Some of these seem to belong to the secondary Apron (the second and third line of stones exposed in k83), while other (i.e. the lowest line exposed in k83) could be originally part of the secondary Apron but here located during a re-organization of this portion of the area occurred in a later period, and this is why we do not have so many floating stones in k82 as in other areas of J2. In order to understand if this hypotesis is correct, the strategy is to dig in the S area of k83 and in k84. Here at present no structures have been exposed, and therefore we can dig "safely" in these two squares in order to investigate whether here there will be the steps of the primary Apron. Concerning k84, gB suggested to leave a safety baulk of 100m W to the wall f127 in k84 in order not to undermine this wall. We will also continue digging in k72 in order to look for the possible steps of the secondary Apron in this locus. [Input: Q908SC.j]
2006-09-14	pC	Today together with gB, fAB and J4 staff we discussed the strategy for the next days. We will dig only in k100 with the goal being to reach in this square the elevation of the 3rd step of the primary apron as it is exposed in J2. gB in fact thinks that if the primary apron existed in this portion of J4 unit, we should find some steps in k100. Since we have only three days before the end of the season, gB suggested to reduce again the excavation area in k100. We decided therefore to reduce of 100cm the area we were investigating in k100). The new SW corner of k100 is defined now by r151. [Input: Q914PC.j]