Depositional data for unit J6
Accretion

Patrizia Camatta – September 2011

WORK IN PROGRESS

Introduction

An open area, if it is not kept clean, it is subject to be covered by sand, earth or human discard (broken pots, bones, bricks…). The accumulation process depends from many factors as wind, rain, people and structures.

Accumulations

J6 is an open area, blocked from two sides by large walls. On the southern side there were for long time any constructions but an open free space (the Plaza). On the eastern side there were probably houses or other buildings (we did not excavated in this side but the brickfall ^bf2 is a prove that there were buildings to the east). The area was differently used during the two millennia and therefore we have different kind of accumulations. When the area is intensively used, the accumulations are mostly rich in cultural material (^ab2), interrupted by floors or by accumulations compacted by people walking by. Similar to J2, there are floors on top of which windblown soil accumulates and covers them. After the brickfall, the area is practically abandoned and only few installations occur (tannurs, small walls, a dump). The accumulations of this period are more compact, hard, there is fewer cultural material and are thick an regular, with any interruptions of floors (^a1 and ^a2). 43% of the excavated features in J6 are accumulations. The description of these layers can be found in emplancement. The process of accretion of such accumulations is explained here.

Early Dynastic

In the plaza, directly south of the staircase, we recorded a series of floors interrupted by thin accumulations. The intense use of the Plaza is attested especially in Unit J2, where the monumental staircase was exposed. These floors were also documented in front of the flank wall of the staircase in J6. The accumulations covering the floors are especially f291 an f292.

Akkadian

In the plaza is a continuous build up interrupted by floors. A soft and 30 thick accumulation with small pebbles f158 covered a floor in the plaza.

Early Mittani

Directly on top of Akkadian levels, we found early mittani floors and accumulations in the Plaza. f148 is the first mittani layer we encontered in the Plaza on top of a floor. f150 is an accumulation between two glacis (glacis5 and glacis2).

J6

The Eastern End of the Plaza and the Betili (Version 1a)

J6 Synthetic View / Typology / Stratigraphy

Depositional data for unit J6Accretion