; File processed on 2025-09-11 ; J7-daily -inc 2008-07-28_S728PC.j pc Today was the first day of excavation in J7. We decided to change feature every 50 cm and to change q lot when the big zambil is full. Also for the first 50 cm we will not keep the pottery but only look at it and keep just the shape sherds and the decorated sherds. We do not collect the animal bones for the top soil. Today we had only the first 30 cm of top soil in all squares. The squares are from North to South k1, k2, k3, k4, k5 -inc 2008-07-30_S728PC.j pc Today we found 3 large floating stones in k5 -inc 2008-08-02_S802CJC.j cJC Today work continued in k1, k2, k3 and new workmen were assigned to open k4 and k5 to the north. Because the workmen have come down on some sherd layers and some bricks we have changed strategy. bP came and put some new points so we can remove k5 which is the protruding piece to the east of the cement staircase. -inc 2008-08-03_S802CJC.j cJC Today we added another workman. Work continues in the western meter of k2 to make the west section in line with the west section in k1. Two pickmen and their teams worked in k4 and the additional workmen continued work in k5. Ibrahim (iIM) is here today to assign q-lots and features. -inc 2008-08-06_S807CJC.j cJC We cleaned the area in the morning. Then the workmen excavated in k4 and k5. After about 10cm Mohammed uncovered brickfall/brickmelt in k4. This is expected, based on the findings in J6 and the west section of J6k200. Because of the brickfall we have again changed strategy and will remove the baulks instead of continuing down. -inc 2008-08-10_S811CJC.j cJC This morning dM came to photograph the east sections of k1, k2, k3, and k4. The section photographs were taken in pieces because they are too large for one photograph. These sections were not drawn but templates will be made from the photographs. Work continued in k5 to remove the North baulk and also the workmen began to remove the small east section bordering the cement staircase. In k3 the workmen began to remove the eastern baulk, f32, from the inside. This method is being used for safety reasons as there are workmen down in J6k200 and so the baulks can not be pushed over. -inc 2008-08-13_S816CJC.j cJC Today we continued to remove the eastern baulks. Large stones (f35, f36) in the baulk were relayed and removed. In the morning a shaffat was installed in k2 to facilitate the removal of the baulks. Several workmen went to work in J6. -inc 2008-08-17_S817CJC.j cJC Yesterday we installed a shaffat in k2 and that helped facilitate the removal of the baulks. Today we began operating another shaffat in addition to the one in k2. The shaffat itself is in J6 but we have a chute that takes the dirt down to the shaffat. The dirt from both shaffats goes directly to a tractor so we do not need any wheelbarrows, this frees up the workmen to work shoveling the dirt into the shaffats which is an almost continuous process. After breakfast hB came to reestablish the lines for the north baulks. We relayed and removed the large stones (f29 and f27) in the east baulk of k2. The installation of the shaffats has increased the rate of recovery of pottery and q-items as each pile of dirt is examined twice, first by the pickmen as they are excavating and again by the shaffat operator who can remove sherds and q-items from the base of the shaffat. In this way the shaffat almost functions as a screen. -inc 2008-08-18_S818CJC.j cJC Today in the early morning we cleaned J7 and the cement stairs leading down to J1 in anticipation of visitors. I was not in the field from 7 until after breakfast because I was with the visitors. The staff of J6 was monitoring the work. After breakfast we continued removing the East baulk of k2. Another large stone was uncovered in the baulk near f25, it was labelled f38. There were no tractors for the dirt removal today so the dirt from the shaffats had to be removed with wheelbarrows. We had only enough workmen today to operate one shaffat with the wheelbarrows. -inc 2008-08-19_S819CJC.j cJC In the morning work continued removing the east baulk of k1. This baulk is very large due to the irregular nature of squares in J7. Several large stones were encountered, they were assigned feature numbers and removed. They were not photographed. hB relayed some of the stones. In the morning there were only enough workmen to operate one shaffat and so we used the small shaffat going directly out to the west. Some of the dirt was used to build a berm around the area to prevent water from entering J7 in the winter. The rest of the dirt was taken away with wheelbarrows. After breakfast a pickup truck came and we put the dirt from the shaffat directly into the back of the truck. We also moved the chute so we could use the large shaffat in k200 in addition to the small shaffat in k2. This sped up the dirt evacuation. The pottery was collected from both shaffats and then reunited with its q-lot in one bag. At about 11 we began to excavate in k4 and k5 while a team continued to work removing the east baulk of k1. -inc 2008-08-20_S820CJC.j cJC Today there were 17 workmen in J7. We continued removing the area south of k1, now called k100. Part of the dirt was used to backfill k100 and create a level platform surface. We also continued excavation in k3, k4 and k5. These three loci each had 1 pickman and 2 shovelmen. There was an additional wheelbarrowman in k5 to take the dirt to the shaffat chute. 2 workmen operated the shaffat in k2 removing the dirt from k3. There were an additonal 2 workmen from Anwar's team down in k200 to operate the shaffats. -inc 2008-08-21_S823CJC.j cJC Today we continued work k3,k4, and k5. We also finished removing the last bit of dirt in k100. We began removing the dirt by coming down from the top using 2 shaffats to remove the dirt. This was too slow though and so gB suggested that we cut 1 meter west from k200 into each square and remove it like a baulk. The dirt then was left in the bottom of k200 and removed on Friday, the day off. One feature was assigned to all of the materials removed in this way (f900) as the dirt was easily mixed between the two loci and impossible to keep separate. Also some objects were recovered from the shaffat without context. -inc 2008-08-23_S823CJC.j cJC Today we continued work in k3, k4 and k5. We also opened excavations in a new locus, k6. k6 is just north of k5 and is technically part of the J2 excavations but we will remove a portion of the remaining baulk so we have assigned it J7 numbers. In k3 we only finished leveling the 1 meter cut to the level of the ash and then finished. In k4 we finished the 1 meter cut down to below the brickfall where we found a harder surface. We cleaned and photographed each east section. The workmen from k3 were reassigned to k5. First they made a cut along the staircase leveling it off so we can put in a railing and then they joined the team in k5. In k4 we placed a diagonal line from the SW corner of k5 to the SE corner of k4 and the k4 team will excavate down in this small triangle in volumetric 50cm features. We had a large dust storm in the morning that stopped work for a bit which slowed down the progress. We are operating two shaffats today, both down in k200. Most of the dirt is just shoveled down to the trench so work can continue as fast as possible in the squares. -inc 2008-08-24_S824CJC2.j cJC Today we only went to the field for one hour. There was a large dust storm that completely stopped work. The workmen were sent home and we will work in the house today. cJC will concentrate on updating the UGR and entering objects. -inc 2008-08-25_S825CJC.j cJC Today we continued work in k4, k5 and k6. We finished excavating k6 very early in the day. A mud surface was uncovered and it appears there may be other surfaces so we will stop excavating in this locus this season. We scored and photographed the south section of this locus. A jar rim was uncovered in one of the surfaces but we will not excavate to see if it is just a rim or a whole jar. It will be covered up and left for excavation in the future. In k3 we reached the level where the brickfall ends and made the whole excavated layer level. The sections were all cleaned and scored. In k4 we continued excavation fairly rapidly through the brickfall. The largest concentration of workmen was in this area. At the end of the day we reached what appears to be the end of the brickfall. We spent a fair amount of the day cleaning for overall pictures of the area tomorrow. We will photograph all the sections well and then remove them in sequence from north to south to maintain good overall views. -inc 2008-08-26_S826CJC.j cJC Today we took photographs in the morning before removing the baulks to show the connections between the brickfall in J6 and in J7. All the sections in J7 were then photographed individually. We began removing the northern baulk of k5 and also the western section. The north section was removed down to about 30 cm above where the skull was found. We will continue from here with the small pick. The western baulk was almost entirely removed. The northern section of k3 was also removed. The one meter stub that protruded to the east was entirely removed and the top was cut down to be level with the remaining portions of the square. -inc 2008-08-27_S827CJC.j cJC Today was the last day of excavations. First we photographed the large east-west sections in J6k87 and J7k4. After we finished removing the west baulk of k5, the north baulk of k5 and then we removed the north baulk of k4. While excavating the remaining portion of the k5 north baulk (f52) another fragment of a human skeleton was found (i5). A fragment of a tannur was found nearby (q67.5). The north baulk of k4 was removed fairly rapidly until another human skull fragment was discovered (i6). It was excavated by lR and sH and removed. The rest of the baulk was removed and then all the bottoms of the squares were straightened. Most of the sections were trimmed. -inc 0000-00-00_S923HQ.j hQ I described all J7 objects and then put them to be photographed and I spent almost one day on describing the objects, and I took the field measurement of the rim which is sitting in k6. -inc 2008-08-26_U810CJC.j lR cJC excavated north of the cranium (i3) to the baulk and found no mandible or cervical vertebra furthermore I checked several animal q-lots and found them full of human bones including an almost complete femur and a complete mandible!! This suggests that the massive brickfall of J7 and J6 washed down human bones from presumably the east (via the slope of the brickfall seen in area J6 section (J6 k86, J6 k87), given the depth of the cranium (elevation?) excludes these bones as modern most likely dating to the late Khabur (Old Babylonian) period similar to A16 where funerary structures were found covered by a thick brickfall from the east that also washed down bones. Unfortunately due to the excavation project goals to rapidly excavate J7 sacrificing documentation for a view of the temple stairs, no relays were taken or are planned to be taken for disarticulated or isolated human bones. I will try to reconstruct the location of these bones via the feature log and q-log but think that no elevations were recorded, resulting in a loss of provenience. Luckily cJC kept bone lots for J7. -inc 2008-08-26_U810CJC.j cJC Although the human bones were not relayed individually (as they were not identified as human bones in the field) the elevations of the q-lots were recorded and thus some provenience can be determined. ; J7-equipment -inc 2008-08-17_S817CJC.j cJC Today mO came an installed a chute to take dirt down to J6k200 where there is a large shaffat. This shaffat takes the dirt out and directly to a tractor. To operate this system only requires 2 workmen, one to shovel the dirt at the top of the chute and another at the bottom of the shaffat to push the dirt into the shaffat and remove any stones or sherds. -inc 2008-08-18_S818CJC.j cJC There is a large crane in k200 that removes dirt by hauling up large zambils which are dumped into wheelbarrows. This crane is operated by a separate team. Most of the dirt removed via crane is from J6, however, the crane is useful for removing any dirt that falls from the broken sections of J7 bordering k200. In k200 there is also a large shaffat. A chute from k3 takes the dirt down to k200 where it is taken back up again in the shaffat. Pottery is collected by the shaffat operator at the bottom and reunited with its originating q-lot. -inc 2008-08-19_S819CJC.j cJC We will begin operating 4 shaffats in J7 so we can reach the season's goals of creating a view of the staircase from the southern end of k200. There is a small shaffat in k2 that empties out the west. Also in k1, bordering k1, there is a large chute that takes dirt down to the biggest shaffat which is in the bottom of k200. This dirt is removed to the east. Also in k200 are two other shaffats. They are across the trench (k200) from k3 and k4. Another chute takes the dirt down to the northernmost shaffat and that shaffat is currently being used to evacuate the dirt from k4 and k5. Currently the middle shaffat across from k3 is not being used but we anticipate using it tomorrow when we begin excavations again in k3. -inc 2008-08-20_S820CJC.j cJC Today we operated 3 shaffats in J7. A chute in k1 took the dirt down to the large shaffat. The small shaffat in k2 was operated normally and a tractor took away the dirt from the shaffat. Another chute between k4 and k5 took the dirt down to the third shaffat. mO tried to install another chute in k5 to a fourth shaffat but the angle was not sharp enough and it did not work. ; J7-introduction -inc 2008-07-28_S728PC.j pc J7 is located West to J6k200, which is the long trench made from the german team directed by Peter Pfalzner (MDOG 134 2002): this trench was done in order to connect the area C2, were are houses dated from Mittani till Akkadian period, to the temple BA, dated to ED III. Doing this were discovered part of the steps of the monumental staircase and the mudbrick surface of the temple mound. The trench to the South showed several floor surfaces going from the steps of the staircase to area C2: theese floor surfaces are dated from Mittani till Akkadian period. This also are clean from other structures. In different season of excavation was exposed most of the monumental staircase and the revetment wall, which delimites the southern part of the temple mound; to the south of the wall there is an open whide area, free of structures and delimited to the West by the palace AP, to the North by the revetment wall, to the South east by a residential area. This is the palza, an open space in front of the temple terrace. This should be free of structures, as seen in the west section of J6k200 and from different soundings. J7 is a narrow long area which has the aim to remove the accumulations covering the palza and give the opportunity to the visitors to see the monumental staircase from distance, as the ancient people saw it and experiment it. This operation requires very few supervision, therefore the same staff of J6 is in charge to supervise J7. -inc 2010-08-09_U809CJC.j cJC During the study portion (August) of MZ23 (2010), cJC will be working on the documentation of J7. -inc 2010-08-09_U809CJC.j cJC The overall strategy for J7 was to excavate a large portion of the plaza to the west of the large trench, k200. It was intended to prove that the plaza is a large empty space that could be excavated quickly and with little documentation (sometimes refered to by gB as the "argument for the backhoe"). To this end the excavations were done in large volumetric units of 50cm or more in depth. q-lots were recorded and measurements taken but not as thoroughly as if it were an exacavation with structures and use areas. This strategy was largely successful as all the volumetric features can be divided roughly into two main depositional processes, first a brickfall and then a build up of natural accumulations. The second goal of the excavation was to create a view of the monumental temple terrace and staircase from the level of the ancients. Due to time constraints and the difficulties in removing all the dirt from the trench this goal was not completely achieved. A level close to the ancient level of the plaza was reached only in the northern-most loci (k3, k4 and k5). -inc 2010-10-21_U809CJC.j cJC The last numbers used in J7 are as follows: f58, i6, k6, q71, r49, v51, w8. Subsequent excavations in J7 should begin with the next number in sequence (e.g. r50). ; J7-strategy -inc 2008-07-29_S802CJC.j cJC gB and fAB met with the J06 team members (pC, cJC, hQ, eA, dH) to decide how to best proceed with J07. It was decided that we would collect only the shape sherds and painted sherds from the q-lots. Additionally, new q-lots would only be assigned when a large zambil is full or when the feature changes. We will change features arbitrarily every 50cm. The idea is that this will roughly follow the strategy laid out by gB in justification for using a backhoe at the site. -inc 2008-08-02_S802CJC.j cJC Originally we planned to go deep in k1, k2 and k3 but because the workmen need more supervision than is available from the people in J6 a new plan will be implemented. Instead of going down further in k1, k2 and k3 these squares will be stopped at 130cm below the surface. The east baulks of the k1 and k2 will be aligned by removing a meter to the east in k2 and then k3 and k4 will also be aligned in the east. This will allow the east section to be drawn with the maximum alignment of the drawing. -inc 2008-08-06_S807CJC.j cJC Today we met with gB and fAB to discuss the strategy for J07. We decided that it would be best to continue down another 50cm (from the 130 cm below surface that the squares are currently at) before removing the baulks or drawing the sections. -inc 2008-08-06_S807CJC.j cJC Baulks will be photographed and have templates made and not drawn in the field. -inc 2008-08-13_S816CJC.j cJC Now that the squares are low enough that it is no longer dangerous to have the edge touching the trench open we will no longer excavate with eastern baulks. The west section will be photographed and templated instead. -inc 2008-08-17_S817CJC.j cJC North baulks were reestablished and will be left in place until the end of excavations. These baulks are important because there remains no east-west baulks across the cut of the German excavation in area C2 (now J6k200), and these baulks, along with those in J6k86 and J6k87, will help bridge this gap by providing an east-west section, albeit broken by the cut of the trench. -inc 2008-08-19_S819CJC.j cJC We will begin excavating without east baulks. This is partly for saving time and also we no longer need them for safety reasons because the squares are low enough now bordering k200. The west baulks will now be drawn and templated, Because the sqauares are relatively narrow this should make little difference. Additionally, the west baulks will be stepped in one meter to make the squares smaller and faster to excavate. -inc 2008-08-20_S820CJC.j cJC gB suggested we step in the western sides of the squares by 1 meter to reduce the excavation area in order to reach to bottom of k200 this season. At the end of the day gB came to J7 and he thinks that even with the 1 meter step we will not reach the bottom of the trench and he proposed another change in the size of the squares to increase the possibility that we will reach our goal. Tomorrow we will put in a line parallel to the original oblique angle extending from m4839 to m4856 but we will extend this oblique angle through to k4. We plan to stop excavations in k1 and k2 for this season. We will finish removing k100 to the same level as k1 and k2 and then stop there as well. -inc 2008-08-21_S823CJC.j cJC It seems unlikely we will be able to reach the bottom of the trench in all the squares so we will concentrate on the northernmost squares closest to the monumental staircase to maximize the view and minimize the amount of dirt to be removed. We put a diagonal line 2 meters in and parallel to the original western cut of squares k1 - k3. The new line also extends inot k4. After a few hours of work this also seemed overly ambitious and so we will cut into k3 and k4 from the eastern edge, removing all the dirt in large sections without the 50cm features. One feature will be assigned to this removal. -inc 2010-08-07_U807CJC.j cJC This excavation was primarily designed to clear a large area over a short period of time. Because we knew that J7 was part of the large open area of the ancient site, or the plaza, we did not expect any floors, structures or other architectural remains. This proved true and the area was almost entirely composed of brickfall from J6. As we did not expect any features we were able to excavate quickly and with arbitrary layers instead of changing features with differences in soil etc. Therefore most features were excavated with the big pick and with little recording. This did not negatively impact our final understanding of the area however this book does not follow the traditional pattern of recording found in some of the other J books. No sections were drawn, instead they were photographed and templates were made. ; J7-surveying -inc 2008-07-28_S728PC.j pc The markers are m4838, m4843, m4837, m4842, m4841, m4836, m4839, m4840, m4845, m4834, m4835 -inc 2008-08-18_S818CJC.j cJC Before breakfast hB came and reestablished the baulks in J7 with control points. We will not use corner stakes because the squares are irregular. ; J7-workmen -inc 2008-08-02_S802CJC.j cJC A new workman, Ibrahim Musa (iIM), was assigned to do q-lots and feature assignments in J07. hQ reviewed the procedure with him. He will also separate the body and shape sherds. -inc 2008-08-06_S807CJC.j cJC Abdullah's team in working in J06 today. J07 has three teams of workmen. -inc 2008-08-17_S817CJC.j cJC Shindar Hessu (sH) will take q-lots and assist with q-lots. He is a student from Damascus who was hired as a workman. -inc 2008-08-18_S818CJC.j cJC Today there were 9 workmen in J7. -inc 2008-08-19_S819CJC.j cJC In the morning there were 10 workmen in J7. Three more were added from J6. We were operating one shaffat. After breakfast 5 more workmen were added from J6.