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Introduction
As a result of heavy rainfall, as I noted in the previous report, a collapse occurred in Area J7 or C2 as referred by Patrizia . This collapse exposed a burial feature containing a skeleton, mud-brick, and basalt stones.
As an immediate protective measure, the burial was re-covered with soil to conceal it and prevent tampering, while awaiting a detailed assessment and the implementation of an appropriate long-term conservation strategy.
However, rainfall in the following days exceeded expectations, leading to a significant collapse of the section. As a result, the skeleton remains were almost entirely lost, while a small ceramic jar became visible
Despite this damage, the mud-brick structure of the burial remained relatively well preserved. This situation required urgent intervention, particularly under favorable weather conditions, to prevent further deterioration of the remaining archaeological context.
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Recovery of Displaced Materials
All visible bone fragments and pottery sherds scattered on the surface were collected and placed in bags. It should be noted that it cannot be confirmed with certainty that all collected pottery sherds belong to the burial, due to the widespread presence of pottery sherds across the area due to natural erosion and runoff caused by rainfall.
It is also possible that additional bone remains are still embedded within the collapsed sediment. Only surface-visible materials were collected, without excavation. The same approach was applied to the pottery sherds, as leaving them within the sediment may contribute to their protection until an excavation can be conducted. The ceramic jar had rolled down-slope prior to being retrieved and transported to the expedition house by one of the site guards.
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Protective Measures
In order to protect the remaining burial, collapsed sediment from a nearby section was collected and placed into sandbags. A total of nine sandbags were used and stacked carefully to fully cover the burial.
Due to the high moisture content and weight of the soil, it was difficult to rely solely on our local workers. Assistance from two site guards affiliated with the local administration was therefore accepted, and they contributed effectively to the process. After arranging the sandbags, the area was covered with a plastic sheet (nylon) to provide long-term protection.
The plastic sheet was secured along the edges with stones and then covered with soil to prevent displacement and water infiltration. In addition, a drainage channel was constructed to divert water coming from above. The channel extends from the west toward the east.
The southern edge of the channel was reinforced with a protective barrier to prevent potential seepage. The final configuration consisted of stacked sandbags covered with a secured plastic sheet, stabilized with both soil and stones.
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Finds Processing and Documentation
The recovered bone remains and pottery sherds were transported to the expedition house, where they were placed in labeled bags indicating their association with burial C2.
The ceramic jar was photographed and recorded metrically as follows:
- Description: A small ceramic vessel decorated with red painted lines. A very fine hairline crack extends from the rim to the middle of the body. Minor erosion is visible in the rim.
- Height: Approximately 9 cm
- Maximum Diameter: Approximately 14.9 cm
- Rim Diameter: Approximately 10.5 cm
- Base Diameter: Approximately 5.4 cm
- Thickness: Approximately 0.4 cm
Following documentation, the jar was stored together with the rest of the finds in the main storage within the expedition house.
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