Unit Book J5 (Version 1a)

J5 Synthetic View / Stratigraphy

Emplacement
Introduction

James L. Walker – June 2025

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Principles

For an introdution to the basic principles of emplacement see the Grammar.

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Horizontal surfaces

There were 19 surfaces excavated comprising 7 percent of the features excavated. There are 5 pavements defined by their composition and 14 floors generally defined by the degree of compaction. The most significant pavement was f288 which was at the lowest level of the EDIII wall system. The biggest surprise was that a Mittani pavement, f247, directly covered an EDIII pavement, f249.

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Layering

There were 174 layers of one kind or another (accumulations, volumetric material, layers, topsoil, and laminations) comprising 59 percent of the total features excavated.
-Accumulations were the most common either having been deposited as a result of human activity or by weathering.
-Volumetric material has no stratigrphic significance and is often material removed en mass from baulks.
-Layers are abbreviated versions of accumulations.
-Topsoil is a special surface accumulation.
-Laminations are caused by the action of water on deposits of soil.

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Amorphous amassment

There were 33 examples of features identified as amorphous amassments, (which groups deposits whose orientation is random) comprising 11 percent of the features excavated. Pit fills, a long gulley, and isolated stones constituted the corpus.

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Ordered aggregation

The second largest numger of features excavated (49 or 23%) were walls, their protective systems, and a ceremonial complex.
-The earliest wall system was dated to the EDIII period. It consisted of high walls that highlighted the temple as well as protective escarpments and glasis.
-There were subsequent structures built to protect the wall including a dam.
-In the Mittani period the wall was extended to the west.
-By the mid-Mittani period the entire EDIII temple, wall, and plaza were covered with accumulation necessittion the consruction of a new monumental staisr case and revetment wall of reduced size.

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Typea of contact

Features that are in contact form the basis for identifying strata. There are five major groups that encompass all posssibilities.

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