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Date |
Author |
Record |
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2008-08-30 |
jW |
Before the start of the excavation season, we had hoped to explore two aspects of the northwestern section of the temple complex. First, we wanted to investigate what the geophysical survey indicated was the northern limit of the revetment wall. This would be accomplished as excavation unit J5. Second we wanted to investigate what the survey indicated might be a substantial building at the northwestern edge of the plaza. This would be accomplished as excavation unit A21. [Input: S831JW.j]
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2008-08-30 |
jW |
Time and resources were not available bo open excavation unit A21; however, the following questions were to be investigated by J5: 1) The first question was to explain the presence of two revetment walls at the point where the wall turned from an E-W orientation to a N-S one. 2) The second question was to brobe the height of the wall in relation to the plaza. The mehtodology was to follow the southern an western faces of the revetment wall. Excavation to the north would expose the terminus. Excavations along the faces would expose the height of various segments. Excavations to the north of the south face would tell us more about the glacis associated with this part of the revetment wall. 3) We needed to be aware of the presentation aspects of the temple complex so that visitors could see the monumental architecture from the same perspective as the ancients. 5) All units were to write and process the data portions of the Urkesh Global Record during the excavation season. [Input: S831JW.j]
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2008-08-30 |
jW |
The results for unit J5 were as follows: 1) excavtion at the northern limits of the revetment wall revealed a monumental, unfounded staircase made of large, dressed, limestone blocks. The staircase was bordered on the north by large, uncut, limestone boulders. It ran E-W, rising to the east in five steps to a platform roughly defined by flat stones and, in some places, a pavement made of reddish, bricky material. [Input: S831JW.j]
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2008-08-30 |
jW |
A probe directly to the east of a stone of the top step yielded ceramics securely dated to Phase 6 (Mittani). 2) The situation along the southern edge of the staricase was not as clear. This ecge had been damaged and may have been subjected to rebuilding at the end of the Mittani occupation. In this area we did find the top of another wall of dressed stones rising from the southeast to the northwest which was under the northern extension of the revetment wall. It was abutted by an escarpment which fell from the northeast to the soughwest. At this point the excarpment was 2.2 meters higher than the latest one in J1, 20 meters to the east. Although we have yet to positively link the two escarpments, the evidence strongly suggests tht the western end of the plaza as defined by the revetment wall is higher than the eastern end. This means that the wall was not founded as deeply here. 3) We did not have time to fully explore the apparent phenomenon of two separate revetment walls turning north at the northwest corner. There are several large blocks of of late accumulation which cover much of this area. A probe directly to the north of each wall section showed that the western section yielded ceramics securely dated to Phase 6. The eastern probe yielded ceramics dated to much earlier phases. This suggests that the western section was a late additon to an earlier revetment wall that included the lower wall of well-dressed stones and the excarpment. 3) The pillars of accumulation also prevented us from fully investigating the glacis of the temple mound. We did make a small probe along the east side of the northern part of the revetment wall, stopping when we reached baqaya-like material at the base of the lowest stone. [Input: S831JW.j]
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2008-08-30 |
jW |
There is also a line of baqaya-like material which can be seen in section of a baulk that runs perpendicular to the face of the east section of the revetment wall. This indiates that the glacis in this part of the temple mound is similar to that which was found in the previous excavations in J3. 4) Approximately one week of the six allotted was spent on presentation. A new observation platform was built and sightlines were opened from it by trimming and removing baulks and protrusions. It is now possible to see along the length of the revetment wall from the west staircase, east though the plaza excavation, to the eastern staircase and apron. 5) As of the end of the excavation season we have entered and run most of the systematic portion of the J5 UGR. Major things yet to be completed are the graphics and stratigraphic analysis, assignments, and rationale. [Input: S831JW.j]
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2008-09-13 |
jW |
The focus of the first two weeks of the study period, S831 to S911, has been to complete feature descriptions, complete and edit the feature log, measure coordinates of features that were not clearly understood at the time of excavation, group feaures for specific labels, finish final photographs, prepare templates, and make preliminary assessments of strata and phases represented in this unit. We have also reviewed template and plot entries that will appear in the global record, along the way consolidating files that appear in several places in the computer systems we are using. [Input: S913JW2.j]
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2009-07-19 |
jW |
The starting numbers for season MZ22 (2009-T) for various components of the UGR are: feature 201; q-lot 285; item 33; view 145; plot 8; aggregate 8; composite 2; relay 1171; drawing 22 and 122; sketch 46; and off-grid loci 104. [Input: T719JW.j]
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2009-08-01 |
jW |
jW does not believe that in two weeks we can remove the amount of k100 required to significantly excavate south and west of the parts of f188 and f225 we have already exposed. Granted the accumulations are not expected to yield culturally significant material, but the high baulk that would remain to the south in the west part of k106 would still impede progress to understanding the stratigraphy in the region immediately south of the south face of revetment wall, f189. jW believes that if we are to remove parts of k100 this season, we should begin to excavate more of k100 in preparation for significant excavations in that part of k106 next season. That way, if time runs out before we finish in MZ22, we can easily complete the work in the first week of MZ23. This approach has the added advantage of providing better sight lines from the observation platform over the winter to the revetment wall, the glacis, and into J1. [Input: T801JW.j]
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2009-08-04 |
jW |
Throughout season 21 and into season 22 we have observed the deleterious effects of running water on the surfaces immediately outside of the revetmment wall systems. The erosion problem has occasioned the construction of stone structures to channel water and to stabilize horizontal surfaces. From the late Mittani period to at least the Early Dynastic II period we have observed the erosion effects and what remains of the stabilization structures. One of the goals of the season was to determine the shape of the temple mound in the Late Chalcolithic period. The constant erosion problem is strong circumstantial evidence that the Early Dynastic revetment wall system was built on earlier period remains which included a rise to the north and west. [Input: T804JW.j]
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2009-09-29 |
jW |
gB, fAB, pC, jG, rE, and jW met at the site to discuss several stratigraphic issues in J1 and J5 which have arisen during the study periods and in the preparation of the analytical sections of the UGR. The results with respect to J1 will be discussed in that book. The results for the affected J5 features will be discussed in the specific labels which incorporate them. [Input: T929JW.j]
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