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Strata
Excavation units are established at various points of interest on the tell. Generally, they start at the surface and consist of a group of 5m x 5m squares. As the excavation begins and proceeds, various distinct layers, or strata, are encountered and documented. The precise identity of a stratum can vary but it always contains a group of features in contact. The strata are numbered successively from top to bottom and are unique to the excavation unit.
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Stages and Phases
Adjacent strata can be grouped to define significant functions, construction for example, as the tell was built up over time. These are called stages. When combined with typological data, stages can be identified as phases. A phase encompasses a period of time and activity when a particular local political organization and ceramics tradition dominated. We have encountered nine such phases over the lifetime of the excavated portion of the tell. These phases are divided into sub-phases that encompass such activities as construction, use, remodeling, new use, and abandonment.
Phases are numbered from bottom to top to reflect buildup. These numbers are coordinated across units resulting in a standardized system. Excavation unit J5 shares phase numbers with adjacent units J1, J2, J3, J4, J6, and J7 and this sequence has been designated as JPD. The Phases are currently numbered one to nine, while the strata are numbered 00 to 850
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Horizons
When phases are compared to those at other regional sites, many similarities can be noted. These can be organized by political systems, and typology of both features and objects, particularly ceramics. These similarities seen regionally over time are called horizons, which are often named for dominant political organization, Mittani for example.
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J5 implementation
The strata sequence currently used is J5B, it is a sequence based on the J5 data and is unique to J5. It is a component of the final version of the JPD developed during the 2011 and 2012 study seasons. (The JPD sequence was formed by the amalgamation of unit sequences from J1, J2, J3, and J5.) The previous unit sequence, J5A, can be found here.
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The strata definition chart (J5B)
| phase | stratum | sub-stratum | definition of stratum and sub-stratum |
| 9s | 00 | Volumetric material (f103) | |
| 9p | 10 | Inter-seasonal accumulations (f201) | |
| 9m | 20 | Topsoil (f1) | |
| 9h | 40 | Accumulations under topsoil (f7) | |
| 8r | 60 | Scattered occupation (f27,a4) | |
| 8m | 70 | Middle Assyrian construction and accumulations (f12,f28) | |
| 7v | 120 | Last Mittani accumulations (f75) | |
| 7v | 122 | Construction of alternate entrance to temple mound (f37) | |
| 7v | 128 | Remodeling of entrance (f45, f192) | |
| 7s | 130 | Use of Western Temple Entrance (f63) | |
| 7m | 148 | Westward expansion of temple mound (f21, f70) | |
| 7j | 161 | Continued erosion of built-up surfaces and attempts to control it (f155, f218, f222) | |
| 7f | 174 | Soil escarpment against early revetment wall (f74). | |
| 7f | 176 | Accumulations atop soil and sherd floors (f244) | |
| 7f | 178 | Stone staircase and associated floor (f205, f246). | |
| 7f | 180 | Mittani structures to contol water erosion against revetment wall | |
| 7f | 180a | Brick dam and settling basin to control erosion (^wcs2). | |
| 7f | 180b | Mittani accumulations atop EDIII glacis (f190, f191). | |
| 7c | 190 | Earliest Mittani deposits (f258). | |
| Horizon 6 | No significant Khabur material recovered | ||
| Horizon 5 | No significant Isin Larsa/UrIII material recovered. | ||
| Horizon 4 | No significant Akkadian material recovered. | ||
| 3s | 620 | EDIII accumulations covering and abutting escarpments (f249). | |
| 3p | 630 | Construction of the second (mud) escarpment (f241, f242). | |
| 3n | 640 | First floors and deposits atop first (stone) escarpment. | |
| 3n | 640a | Deposits atop floors and escarpment stones (f274). | |
| 3n | 640b | First floor after SE wall constructed (278). | |
| 3m | 650 | EDIII modifications and additions to the revetment wall. | |
| 3m | 650a | Slanted stones between EDIII wall and NinV escarpment (f293, z2). | |
| 3m | 650b | Construction of the SE portion of the revetment wall (f189). | |
| 3l | 660 | Floors abutting the stone excarpment. | |
| 3l | 660a | Accumulations on pebble floor (f282). | |
| 3l | 660b | Pebble floor that abuts stone escarpment (f288). | |
| 3d | 720 | Ninevite V construction of west part of revetment wall system (f41, ^esc1) | |
| 2m | 850 | Earliest wall LC3? (f284). |
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