J6

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

J6 Synthetic View / Stratigraphy

Phase 7cJ6B within unit J6

Patrizia Camatta – September 2011, June 2025

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Overview

Phase 7c is a very long phase documented in Unit J6. The Plaza level increased conspicuously in the southern part of J6. In the Plaza, we recorded several floors that were interrupted by accumulations. Two new glacis were identified east of the staircase flank wall, on top of glacis3 from phase 5. With the raising of the Plaza level, the betili and flank staircase wall begins to be covered, so that new stones are placed south of the wall.

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Glacis

The fist Mittani glacis of the eastern flank wall is glacis5, a dark brown sticky and wet soil, which is placed on top of the Akkadian glacis3. Its function is to protect the wall on the side. Like the previous ones, it has a marked slope toward the South. Later in this phase, a new glacis2 was laid on top of the previous one. The eastern face of the staircase flank wall is covered.


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Memory stones

At the beginning of this phase, the flank staircase wall and the betili (together with the lowest steps of the staircase in Unit J2) start to be covered, as the level of the plaza is rising quickly. New stones f101 are placed on top of the betili to mark the entrance to the Temple Terrace.


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Floors

We recorded several floors in the plaza. Remind that these floors have to be related also the the staircase in J2:
- A sherd floor f171 was found in front of the betili and stone f178
- A sherd and pebble floor2 was found at a higher level in front of memory stones f101. We could follow the floor in patches in all the southern portion of J6.


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Pit

A large oval and 80cm deep pit cuts floor2 and glacis5. It is filled with a grey ashy soil, pottery sherds and bones.

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Typology

The pottery sherds from this phase are Early Mittani, whith a number of sherds from lower Third Millennium strata, located directly under them. See especially pottery analysis from f151 Link to pottery analysis of this phase.
To mention is a collection of more than 14 frit beads found in glacis f151. Here are mentioned the most significant objects of Phase 7c.

Q-item Definition Feature
i17 cut stone seal f101 under stone
i15 frit beads f151 glacis
q258.2 frit bead f151 glacis
q260.1 frit bead f151 glacis
q260.2 bead f151 glacis
q260.5 bead f151 glacis
i19 metal pin f170 accumulation
i21 metal projectile point f170 accumulation
q237.1 animal figurine f140 floor
i14 copper-alloy needle f148 accumulation
q254.3 bead f148 accumulation
i11 small jar f142 pit fill
i11 small jar f142 pit fill
q231.2 seal impression f142 pit fill
q264.2 bead f142 pit fill
q210.1 human figurine f126 accumulation

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