.bk J02
.fl P820mH.j
.fd daily journal
.ed P820
.ei mH

.rd P818
.ri mH

f 150
H99 jO, gB, and I discussed the depositional history of J2 this morning. f150 in k4, f171 in k13, f174 in k101 and hopefully additional features in k4 indicate a period of periodic, but rather intense use in front of the apron f131 and oval wall f128. The accumulation containing sandy lenses and located in front of the oval wall f128 and the apron f131, and above the before-mentioned features suggest that while this area was not abandoned during this period, its use was sporadic and consisted mainly of people walking by. Above this layer was another layer of occasional use. This time, however, the use was different and perhaps even slightly more intense as the tannurs (f9 in k14, f72 in k85, and f85 in k2) found suggest.

k 14
dy We started by going down in the western part (q524). In the northeastern corner of the unit I noticed an ash lense right next to the east baulk. The aerial extent of this ash lense was quite small and the sandy pockets continued everywhere else in the excavated area. Thus I did not make the ash lense into a separate feature. This ash layer is 13 cm higher than the ash deposit visible between the apron f131 and stone feature f151 in the western section of k4. We then continued down in the whole area we are currently excavating (q526). The soil was still very sandy, but in the east the sandy parts were more localized whereas in the west sandy areas were larger. The northeast corner, underneath the ash deposit, did not contain any sand, but it had pinkish parts. We thus made it into a separate feature (f198), and made the rest of the unit into feature f197. The ash and the pink material did not show in the northern baulk. I was concerned that we had missed the connection between f150 in k4 and f171 in k13, but after examining the sections and the top of feature f198, jO ensure me that we had not and that our strategy seemed correct. We then removed one pickrun of f197 (q528). This pick run reavealed that sand and pebbles seemed to continue under f197. This finding encouraged us to excavate f197 (q529). After removing that corner, we continued with one more pick run in the whole excavated area (q530).
sg Our strategy here is to look for a similar feature to f150 in k4 and f171 in k13. Currently we are a bit higher than the current level of either one of these units. Thus we need to go down at least one more pickrun. We also need to draw the east section of k14 so that we can connect k14 and k4.

k 4
dy We continued with two features f189 in the west and f188 in the east. In feature f189 we excavated q521 and q531. In feature f188 we excavated q527. 
ar fAB visited our unit in the morning and explained the terminology applicable to various stages of brick collapse. This they had come up with in A16 a few years back. According to this terminology brick melt is a deposit where one cannot recognize individual bricks, but it is clear that the soil matrix does consist of bricky material. This is the last stage of brick decomposition. Brick crumble is material in which melting is not yet complete and brick crumples are visible. The first stage in the sequence is brick fall where individual pieces of bricks can be disserned. According to this terminology, our feature f188 located in the easter part of k4 is brick melt, whereas f189 in the west is brick crumble. Right on top of the stone feature f144 we have one line of brick extending from east to west, sloping down and east after the stones end and continuing east. This, I suspect, is then brick fall. The direction of the brick deposits seems to indicate a collapse from east to west. Perhaps this brick fall is related to the bricks seen next to f129 (door jamb) in the eastern section of k100.

k 15
dy We worked mostly on the northern baulk of the unit (f195 q523), but we also continued going down in the whole unit.

k 23
dy We continued going down in the 2.6 m x 4 m area (q522).

.rd P819
.ri mH

k 14 
dy sC and I drew the northern half of the east section of k14. While we were drawing it, we decided to label the ash deposit so clearly visible in the NE corner, as f199.

.rd P820
.ri mH

-wk Faraj did not come today. He sent his brother instead who arrived at 7.30 in the morning. He put him to work as a showel guy in k23. Lazgin did not show up today.

-sf I felt unwell after breakfast and thus stayed at the house, although I visited the field to check upon our progress every once in a while. sC stayed at the house to work on feature descriptions and, electricity allowing, on templates. vVE and aL stayed in the field.

-sg We had a whole J-wide (J1, J2, and J3) strategy meeting at 7 in the morning. For J2 the most important discussion focused on what to do with k100. We have obviously reached a floor level coming up to the steps, but this floor level does not date to the third millennium. It is also clear that approximately 5-10 cm below that floor level we have additional stones in front of the ones currently exposed. These may belong to a earlier (step?) structure. The question was whether to wait until k4 was at this level when the apron f131 stones may help us to determine how to proceed, or to make a sounding in front of the steps and look for the structure below. It was decided that we will make a 2m x 1m sounding in front of the steps (2m south and 1 m west next to the eastern wall of k100) since we might not have time to wait for k4 to reach this level.

k 23
dy We had reached the 92 m elevation in the area we were excavating. Thus we moved our string 1 w to the east and continued there (f199 q533).
sg The goal is to reach the 90 m elevation, make a ledge between 92 m and 90 m, move 1 m to the east and go down to the 88 m level.

k 4
dy We continued first in f189 (the western part, q534) and then went down in the eastern part (f188 q537). 

k 14
dy At the start of the morning I checked the surface and noted that the ash lenses are now spead wider west. We thus changed the feature number to f200, which now corresponds to f150 (k4), f171 (k13), and f174 (k101). After one pickrun of this feature, we reached the current level of k13 and k101. We then decided to take down the northern half of the eastern baulk of k14 (m4031 120 cm east and 200 cm south).

k 15
dy We leveled the unit after reaching the 90 m elevation. We then moved the team to help with k102 for the time we need to draw the eastern section of the unit. We then started to take down that baulk in order to connect k5 and k15.

;added by pC on S126

f 188
ar feature f188 located in the easter part of k4 is brick melt, whereas f189 in the west is brick crumble. Right on top of the stone feature f144 we have one line of brick extending from east to west, sloping down and east after the stones end and continuing east. This, I suspect, is then brick fall. The direction of the brick deposits seems to indicate a collapse from east to west. Perhaps this brick fall is related to the bricks seen next to f129 (door jamb) in the eastern section of k100.