Title, extract-TOC, resolve specific definitions, broken links
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Synopsis
[It would be nice to omit the link to the views here, and include the actual views below in a table format.]
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Sacral Borders
| ^sb1 |
The combination of the EDIII revetment wall, ^wall2; its two escarpments, ^esc1 and ^esc2; and its glacis, f185. Its purpose was to clearly delimit the border between the sacral area (the BA temple and its mound) from the assembly areas and structures to the south and to the west. |
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| ^sb2 |
The combination of the Mittani revetment wall, ^wall3; and its apron, ^aprn1. Its purpose was to clearly delimit the border between the sacral area (the BA temple and its mound) from the assembly areas to the west during the westward retrenchment. |
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Sacral Areas
| ^sa1 |
The Mittani staircase, ^strc1; ^bin1; the floors to the west, f70 and f102; and its western border stones, ^brdr1. Its purpose was to provide a transitional area for sacral use - an interface between the lay participants and those who conducted the rituals. |
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Non-sacral Area
| f288 |
A stone pavement to the south and west of the first escarpment, ^esc1. It is the earliest working surface excavated in this unit to date. There has not yet been enough of the feature excavated to determine its function. |
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| ^wka1 |
This area consists of accumulations around a Late Mittani bin in which were found twelve basalt pestals. |
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| ^wka2 |
This area, just outside an early revetment wall, contained evidence of two work-related activities. The first were basalt pestals with imbedded bronze fragments. The second was a manufacturing center for clay slingballs. |
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Discussion
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A. Sacred Spaces
There were two ways used in J5 to define and delimit sacred spaces. First, throughout the time extending from before the Early Dynastic period to the end of the Mittani period the BA temple as the highest structure in the city was the focus of religious activity. It was functionally separated from secular activities by its elevated position and by monumental walls which served as well-defined borders. A monumental staircase, that penetrated the wall provided access to the temple from a plaza below. The Early Dynastic staircase excavated in unit J2 provided sole access to the temple from a large plaza to the south. After it became covered in the Mittani period, the west staircase provided access to the temple from the new plaza to the west.
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1. Sacral Borders
[Above, you speak of “Sacral borders,” which seems better]
a. The earliest wall border was built prior the the Early Dynastic period and consisted of a massive revetment wall, a baqaya glacis at the wall top, and and two protective escarpments at the wall base. Taken together, these elements physically and visually separate the temple from the rest of the city.
b. Late in the Mittani period, the monumental revetment wall and its associated southern plaza and east entrance (in J2) became covered with soil as the surrounding buildings deteriorated. The sacred space, which still included the BA temple and its mound was separated from ordinary activity space by a simpler revetment wall, apron and bin located on the western side of the original revetment wall. For example the rough-stone wall was free-standing and built atop the ruins of the pre-ED monumental structure.
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B. Secular Spaces
Two secular use areas have been excavated to date.
The first were two accumulations containing twelve basalt pestles, and a pit containing several other larger stones. [This is the place to develop the idea os a secular space, to which you refer often above, but was not clear to me. The link is broken, and more should be said in any case.]
The second was an open area in and around the top step of a stone staircase. It contained manufactured objects associated with light industry.
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