.bk J05
.fl T801jW.j
.fd Daily journal for T801; Feature descriptions
.fn f227-f233
.ei jW
.ed T801
.rd T801
.ri jW

-wk All thirteen assigned workmen reported.  After informing Muhammad Omo, Juma was excused at 1100 to attend to business at home.

-sf jW worked at home on the UGR before breakfast.  sE worked on the UGR at home after breakfast.

-sg The staff met with fAB to discuss strategy for the next several days.  The proximity of the high north baulk of k100 makes it impractical to excavate in k106 the limited area south of the southernmost row of the stones of stone installation, f225.  The possibility of contamination by late material dictates that the second escarpment be fully exposed and the surrounding Mittani gully wash soil be removed before excavating to the west the floor accumulation, f226, covering f225.  Since the shafat is even farther to the west, contamination of f226 should be minimized.  As to excavating in k105 and k33 to its north, we will follow the top stone of stairs, f205 to the north until it intersects with the bottom steps of staircase, f21.  We will also excavate a parallel strip immediately to the west to this level.

-sg The staff met with gB and fAB to discuss the longer-term strategy for the last two weeks of excavation.  We need to determine the relationship between the monumental stairway, f21, and wall, f41, which we believe to be older.  gB suggested excavating in k33 farther north to the middle of the third stone from the south.  Then we would excavate below the first stone from the south, to see exactly how it interfaces with f41, on which the east end of the first row of the steps of f21 appear to rest.  We will prop up the stone of f21 below which we excavate with cement blocks to prevent collapse.  fAB suggested that we excavate a test trench on the east side of wall, f41, to determine when it was built.  This would require the removal of some of the stones of f99, many of which seem to be displaced from their original position.  Finally, gB and fAB suggested the possibility of removing a major portion of the southeastern part of k100, under which is what we believe to be major components (f184, f188,  f225) of the first and second escarpments to revetment wall, f189.  A pickman and a few extra removal crew as well as an additional shafat would be added to the crew and equipment.  Three pickmen would be devoted to the k100 project while two would continue to work in k105, k33, and k106.

-su jW does not believe that in two weeks we can remove the amount of k100 required to significantly excavate south and west of the parts of f188 and f225 we have already exposed.  Granted the accumulations are not expected to yield culturally significant material, but the high baulk that would remain to the south in the west part of k106 would still impede progress to understanding the stratigraphy in the region immediately south of the south face of revetment wall, f189.  jW believes that if we are to remove parts of k100 this season, we should begin to excavate more of k100 in preparation for significant excavations in that part of k106 next season.  That way, if time runs out before we finish in MZ22, we can easily complete the work in the first week of MZ23.  This approach has the added advantage of providing better sight lines from the observation platform over the winter to the revetment wall, the glacis, and into J1.

f 227
ds The fill of a large pit cut into accumulation, f158, in the southwestern corner of k106.  Only the northern half of the pit was excavated as the southern part is in the north baulk of k100.

f 228
ds The cut of a large pit cut into accumulation, f158, in the southwestern corner of k106.  Only the northern half of the pit was excavated as the southern part is in the north baulk of k100.

f 229
ds The floor accumulation above the surface of what may be an early escarpment to the northern part of wall, f41, in k33.  It is covered by accumulation, f137, which is equal to f74 in k105.

f 137
tc co f229
tc ab f74

f 230
ds A packed mud floor surface just to the west of wall, f41 in k33.  It begins at two large stones, f233, near the west face of f41 and continues south, sloping downward in that direction.

f 231
ds A cluster of fist-sized stones on the north side of the top step of stair, f205.
tc ov f205
tc ab f230

f 232
ds A large stone near the north side of the top step of stair, f205.
tc si f230

f 233
ds Two large stones adjacent to, but not abutting, the west face of wall, f41 in k33.  They are laid vertically and appear to be imbedded in floor, f230.  They are also just south of the southernmost bottom step of monumental staircase, f21.