.bk J05
.fl S723lH.j
.fd daily journal for S723
.fn edited by jW on S714
.ei lH
.ed S724
.rd S723
.ri lH

-wk Fourteen assigned workmen reported.
-dy bWP put new markers to the south of k34 and k44, in order to open two new squares, k33 and k43.  We photographed those two loci before starting to excavate them, v31.  The purpose of digging the new squares is to follow the continuity of the new features in k23 and k44.

k 23
dy We started with removing the rest of the natural accumulation, f30, between the stones of f20 and f19.  The melted brick, f54, in the northeastern corner seemed to be continued under the natural accumulation, f30. We photographed the new feature and its relationship with the other features in this locus ,v28.  We want to remove the southern baulk of k23 in order to open our unit, J5, to the eastern section of J1. We began  to draw it, w3.  Removing the last mentioned baulk could help us tracing the continuity of the northern corner of the revetment wall, f3, in k22.  The location of the stones of f37 in the southwestern quadrant, and f46 in the southeastern quadrant seem to form a semi-circle, which maybe represents kind of cultic symbol that the Hurrians used to build at the corners of their houses, temples and other kinds of structures.  We can see this phenomenon in the southwestern corner of the temple, and in some houses in Urkesh.

k 24
dy We continued digging the western edge, and removing the natural accumulation, f52.  The last mentioned feature seemed to cover another line of stones which is the third step in the staircase, f21, discovered by probinging the accumulation, f52, along the western baulk with the Shish.  So after exposing the third step in the southwestern quadrant of k24, we took a new photo of it, v29.

k 34
dy we stop excavating the northern half of this locus to preserve the floor which was discovered in it, f45, and which was covered by a floor accumulation was full of pottery sherds dated back to the Middle Assyrian period.  After protecting the natural floor, f45 with sheets of plastic, we started digging natural accumulation, f29, in southern half of the locus to expose the natural floor, f45.  Assuming that floor, f45 extends throughout the locus we will remove only the southern half to expose the staircase, f21. remove it in this half to follow the continuity of the staircase.

k 44
dy We started to remove the western part of the natural accumulation, f47, to see the extent of the stone installation, f49. but we noticed that it doesn`t continue toward the west.  When removing the eastern part of the last mentioned natural accumulation, we exposed another layer of stones that co-located under the stones of f49.  To the west also we found another step of stones under the top of f49, but deeper by about 20cm.  The rest of the square at the eastern baulk seemed empty from any new line of stones, after testing it with the shish, we photographed the evidence in this locus, v30.