| Roster |
Date |
Author |
Record |
| Daily notes about recovery of elements |
2006-09-11 |
pC |
Today with gB, mkB, fAB and all J4 staff we decided the strategy for the unit. Since we are digging only part of k83 and part of k84, we decided to give one square number to both N part of k84 and S part of k83. We also decided to live 1m distance from the retaining wall in k93 and k94 for safety reasons. The new square is k100, that is defined by the following relays: r85, r86, r87, r88. dM took the general wiew of the new square (v65, v65a, v65b, v65c, v65d). We started digging f121, which is the first feature in k100, the same as f119 and f118 at the elevation of m4502 +68 -117. f121 is crumby and compact in consistence and fine in texture, very wet and is reddish-brown in colour, due to the presence of melted bricks. It is characterized by the presence of melted bricks, bricks, pottery sherds, bones, and in the north corner patches of ash. After two pick runs we found in the NW corner of k100 more patches of ash and lot of carbon: we made a sample of charcole (q263.1) for future analysis; We took also a fragment of brick as a sample (q263.2). At the elevation of m4502 +82 -146 we noticed a small change in the soil: it is compact and has a platy structure by removing it with the trowel, and it is characterized by the presence of patches of ash, carbon, melted bricks, 2 fragments of tannur, bones, one backed brick, lot of big pottery sherds and one clay bead. [Input: Q911PC.J] |
| 2006-09-12 |
pC |
We continued removing f121 (q264, q266 and q269), which is compact on the surface and crumble in consistence, very fine in texture and it is wet and very reddish brown in colour. It is characterized by the presence of lot of pottery sherds and ash, especially 100cm SW from r89, in an area of almost 150cm. After two pick runs the soil became ashy without patches of the reddish layer. We decided to give a new feature number to the soil in the NW corner: f124. We took a particular view for this feature f124 (v70, 70a, 70b), and afterwards we started removing it. f124 is located from r89 100cm S and 120cm E it is compact and crumby in consistence, characterized by the presence of lots of big pottery sherds, small pieces of carbons and some ash. We collect also one seed sample (q267.1). The floating stone f125, since it was not linked with any feature, was removed and also the pedestal f126 (q268). [Input: Q912PC.j] |
| 2006-09-13 |
pC |
As decided yesterday we will dig only in k100 in order to look, in this square, for the possible apron. Today we continued digging f121 (q276), that as yesterday is red bricky, but with patches of ash spread in all the feature; this feature is poor in pottery sherds. After one pick run, we noticed a change in the soil matrix in the S portion of the square. We scraped this area and noticed a pit (f136, r158, r159) which cuts f121. f136 is very well defined since its filling (f137) is composed mainly by ashes and it has a large diameter, approx. 150cm. Being the pit located for most of its extension below the un-excavated S portion k100 (i.e. 100cm N from r134) we called fAB asking him to help us how to proceed. We have two possible options: to dig the small portion of the pit and then the accumlation abutting it and keeping in removing them in two different moments until we will reach the bottom of the pit, or start digging the un-excavated portion of k100 (100cm N from r134), in order to expose the whole pit, and remove it before continuing digging f121 in k100. fAB observed that the pit has a very large diameter, and therefore it is not worth to spend time in digging the un-excavated portion of k100. Since the pit falls in the S baulk of k100 we would not be able to dig all the pit and its fill. [Input: Q913PC.J] |
| 2006-09-13 |
pC |
CONTINUED Therefore we decided to proceed in the following way, as fAB suggested: to dig first the fill of the pit (for approx 20-30cm), to cover both the sides and the bottom of the pit with a large plastic (order to avoid the contamination of the pottery) and then to remove f121 in the square and continue until we reach the bottom of the pit. We thus starting to remove the fill of the pit for approx 20-30cm (q237), and then we continue digging f121 (q276); while removing f121 we noticed in the SE corner, for an area of approx. 1m from r87 60cm N, 60cm W, there was a change in the soil matrix, dark brownish, ashy and softer in consistence. We continue digging f121 and after 10cm, in the NW corner we noticed a change in the soil matrix: it is grey-brownish in colour, compact and platy in structure, sloping to the S: at the elevation of m4502 + 1 -163, it misures from r89 50cm S and 170cm E. Therefore, after removing all f121, we understood that the layer we were uncovering was sharply sloping to the S: in the NW corner the top elevation is at m4502 +11 -166 and in the SE corner the bottom elevation is at m4502 +1 -166. Once we reached in all the square the same elevation of the pit as previoulsy excavated, we remove the plastic and we start digging f137 again. f137 continues to be ashy with carbons (we did a charcole sample q273.1) and with few pottery sherds. mkB came and checked the pottery, coming from the pit (q237): she observed that it has only phase 3 and 2 sherds. She saw also the pottery coming from f121 (q276), that it is also phase 3-2. [Input: Q913PC.J] |
| 2006-09-14 |
pC |
Today we keep on removing f121 and the pit f137, that cuts on the S f121. f121 presents the same characteristics as yesterday. As we remouved all f121 and exposed f150, we we took some views (v75, 75a, 75b). f150 is sloping to the S portion of the square and has an elevation on the highest point of m4502 -35 -172, on the middle of m4502 -5 -172, in the deepest point of m4502 -51 -172. f150 has a compact surface and it is crumbly and soft in consistence, brownish in colour. It is characterized by the presence of carbons, patches of ash, lot of pottery sherds and bones. After a pick run is more compact, and is characterized by the presence of carbons, melted bricks, small chalcite pebbles (apporx. 1cm). We also finished to remove f81, the remaining W part of the N baulk of k84. f80 is compact on the surface, crumbly in consistence and characterized by the presence of pebbles and lot of pottery sherds (some khabur painted sherds were recognised) and bones. [Input: Q914PC.j] |
| 2006-09-15 |
sC |
Today we dig only in k100. We continued to remove f150 in the whole locus, i.e. 280m N and 270m W to r134 (q282). f150 present a compact top surface, that, once removed, it very soft in consistence, and it presents a blocky structure; it is fine in texture, wet, dark brown in color, with small fragments of charchoal which are spread in all the locus; it is not particulary rich in pottery sherds, while several bones have been collected. f150 slopes toward the S portion of the square; this difference in elevation is approximately between 10 to 15cm; this difference charcterized also the SW to the SE. A small fragment of a spatula, in bronze, has been recovered while digging this feature (i3). After the first pick run two large ash lenses have been noticed, close to the N section of the locus (i.e. located at 50cm N and 1m from r89). I took a particular view (v75) and we continued to remove the feature. After the second pick run, we exposed a different surface, characterized by a red coloration: this is a bricky melted layer. We assigned a new feature number to this accumulation, f158, and start digging it in the whole locus (q283). As for f150, also f158 slopes toward the S portion of the square; its top elevation, close to the N section of the locus, is m4502 -55 -166, while close to the S section of the locus is m4502 -68 -166. In a small area close to the N section of k100 f158 is characterized by the presence of brick fragments (i.e. 70cmW and 50cm S from r89). We took a particular view of this small area, and then we start digging f158 (v82, v82a). gB come to our unit, and, suggest to reduce the area we are investigating of 1m, since tomorrow will be the last day of the excavation, And we still need to dig between 35 to 45cm in order to reach the same elevation fo the 4th and 3rd step of the primary Apron in J2. We thus left 100m N from r134, and start digging f158. f158 is a bricky melted layer, very soft and easy to remove. A nice fragment of bronze spatula has been recovered while digging f158 (i4). Given that f158 is very wet, I was really surprised for the nice condition of preservation: the bronze it is very well preserved and does not present any corrosion. I took a particular view of i4, and then we continued digging f158. At the end of the day (and after digging f158 only the first pick run), we expose another compact surface, which is characterized by a red colour, white inclusions (calcium?) and charcoal. Tomorrow we will assigne a new fature number, we will take a photo and and we will start to remove it. [Input: Q915SC.j] |
| 2006-09-16 |
sC |
Today was the last day of excavation for this season. We continued digging f158. After one pick run, at the elevation of m4502 +76 -171, we found a very compact and hard surface, sloping S. We decided to expose it all and to give a new feature number (f160). f160 is very compact and has a platy structure. After a pick run f160 is characterized by the presence of melted bricks, small fragments of chalcite, broken stones (10cm) and phytolits, and seems that has been 'exposed' for a long period to water. A patch of ash (aprox. 50cm in diameter) was very marked (located aprox. at 20cm W from the E baulk of k100). After a brief meeting in the field with gB and J04 staff, we decided to dig a small sounding, reducing the area of excavation in k100 to 100cmx100cm (which has been relayed from r89), in order to reach the goal for this season, i.e., find the steps of the primary Apron here (or, eventually, discover that they are not located here as we where thinking) given that we are, within k100 (in the portion of the locus where f158 has been exposed) almost at the same elevation as the 3rd step of the so called 'moumental staircase' J2f130. We did dug for aprox. 50cm (f160), without exposing any stone. Thus, we decided to do some soundings with a metal stick (long aprox. 50cm) in order to chech if there is any stone within f160, but no stones have been intercepted: this thus indicates that the Apron does not continue in J04 area, and that wall f128 and f129 are the boudary to the east of the Apron. v98 shows that the Apron, as it has been found in J02 unit, does not continue in k71 (we reach in the NW corner of locus k100 the same elevation as the 3rd step of staircase J2f130). We stop digging in this locus, with the aim of re-thinking about the organization of the area east to the 'moumental staircase' J2f130 and wall J2f129, since, the idea that Apron could have had a specular structure, as we suppose at the beginning of this excavation season, turned out to be incorrect. [Input: Q918SC.j] |
| Strategy (projected or implemented) |
2006-09-12 |
pC |
Since we have only 3 days before the end of the excavation, and there is a need of workmen in J1, we will be working in J4 with only one team of workmen. We will be working mainly in k100 in order to look for the possible steps of the primary Apron in this locus. In order to reach our goal gB suggested to reduce the excavation area in k100. We strung at 100cm from r87 (SW) and r87 (SE), and took a relay of the new SE corner in this locus (r134). [Input: Q912PC.j] |
| 2006-09-15 |
sC |
Tomorrow will be the last day of excavation. In order to be sure that there is not Apron here, we have to reach in this square the elevation of the 3rd step of the Apron, as it is exposed in J2. At the end of today, we have almost reach the elevation of the 4th step. [Input: Q915SC.j] |
| Notes on recovery |
2010-02-04 |
sC |
v90 shows that the Apron as it has been found in J02 area does not continue in k71 (we reach in the NW corner of locus k100 the same elevation as the 3rd step of staircase f130 in J02). We did some soundings with a metal stick long aprox. 50cm in order to chech if there was any stone within f160, but no stones have been intercepted; therefore, the Apron does not continue east to wall J2f129 and thus in J04 unit, and we may thus now think that walls J2f128 and J2f129 are the boundary, on the east, of the Apron. [Input: U204SC.j] |
| Roster |
Date |
Author |
Record |
| Elements within locus |
2006-09-11 |
pc |
f121 (brickfall) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-12 |
pc |
f124 (lens type a) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-12 |
sc |
f125 (stone installation)
f126 (brickfall) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-13 |
sc |
f137 (fill) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-14 |
pc |
f150 (layer) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-14 |
sc |
f156 (stone installation) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-15 |
sc |
f158 (accululation B) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-09-16 |
cc |
f160 (accululation B) [Input: Q922PC.j] |
| 2006-08-13 |
vn |
i2 (clay lump) [Input: Q923CC.j] |
| 2006-08-15 |
sc |
i3 (metal artifact) [Input: Q923CC.j] |
| 2006-09-11 |
vn |
q260 (bones, pottery)
q263 (pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-12 |
pc |
q264 (bones, pottery)
q266 (bones, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-12 |
re |
q267 (pottery)
q268 (pottery)
q269 (bones, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-13 |
pc |
q273 (bones, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-13 |
sc |
q276 (pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-14 |
cc |
q277 (pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-14 |
pc |
q280 (bones, pottery)
q281 (bones, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-15 |
cc |
q282 (bones, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-15 |
sc |
q283 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-16 |
cc |
q284 (pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| 2006-09-16 |
sc |
q285 (pottery) [Input: Q910CC.j] |
| Relays (applicable to elements) |
2006-09-11 |
pC |
r85 (39226 51869 - 4453 / Relay location: N/E corner k100) [Input: Q915VN-R.j] |
| 2006-09-11 |
pC |
r86 (39330 51562 - 4453 / Relay location: N/W corner) [Input: Q915VN-R.j] |
| 2006-09-11 |
pC |
r87 (38902 51753 - 4453 / Relay location: S/E corner) [Input: Q915VN-R.j] |
| 2006-09-11 |
pC |
r89 (39319 51618 - 4453 / Relay location: N/W corner baulk k100) [Input: Q915VN-R.j] |
| 2006-09-11 |
pC |
r90 (38975 51517 - 4453 / Relay location: S/W corner) [Input: Q915VN-R.j] |
| 2006-09-16 |
pc |
r151 (39156 51576 - 4381 / Relay location: k100) [Input: Q928PC-R.j] |
| 2006-09-22 |
vn |
r88 (39006 51420 - 4453 / Relay location: point) [Input: Q928PC2R.j] |