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Introduction
If in the section emplacement was described the static aspect of stratigraphy, here is described its dynamic aspect, which is not observable, but it is rather based on inference from observations of emplacement. Deposition is the way in which things got in the ground and depositional history describes the process.
Unit J6 has a coplex deposition due to a height difference of 5 m between the northern part and the southern one within a length of about 10 m. This causes the presence of the earliest strata and structures being found at a high elevation to the north in the Third Millennium. There is a faster growth of accumulations to the south, in the plaza, where horizontal surfaces are interrupted by a gradual build-up in form of accumulations. The buffer zone between the horizontal layering and the slope starts at the beginning of the staircase flank wall. A slope is visible beneath the flank wall. This slope originates from an early mound dating back to the Late Chalcolithic period. Evidence of structures inside the terrace enclosure was found during the excavation of unit J3.
During the Akkadian period a thick band of red earth and melted bricks was laid east of the east staircase flank wall, to protect it from erosion. This ‘glacis’ followed the slope of the underlying surfaces. Several floors were found overlaying the glacis and abutting the betili. This was an intensively used area due to its proximity to the staircase and plaza. Floors date from the EDIII period to the early Mittani period.
During the Mittani period, the slope is moderate and uniform in all the unit, covered with hard surfaces (glacis) interrupted by sherd floors. The floors are found in all J6 and these are related to structures. One of this structure is a bin, with the function of storage. After a while a large building collapses and covers all the area, and afterwards there are no floors or structures found here, but only natural accumulations.
Back to top: Depositional data for Unit J6
Depositional categories
In chapter emplacement we distinguished the elements we recorded into following groups: ordered aggregation (walls), horizontal surfaces (floors), amourphous amassment (collapse, fill) and gradual build-up (accumulations). In terms of deposition, ordered aggregation implies construction, which is an intentional building process resulting in the coherent organisation of volumes (floors, walls). Another intentional process is discard, which is a planned release of mass (a fill of a pit or a dump). In contrast, unintentional process include accretion (gradual build up) and disaggregation (collapse, erosion). These categories are described on the left bar.
Back to top: Depositional data for Unit J6