.bk A09 .fl J620jlw.j .fd daily journal .ei jlw .ed J620 .rd J618 .ri gb v 16 ph there are two main goals of photo: - (1) show the three presumed phases of AK: (a ) original brick pavement (presumably the first floor of AK), subsequent pebble pavement, still early use, wall jutting out from A6: (b) presumed destruction: red bricks and ash layer sloping up to the E and N; (c) congealed destruction compacted by waterlogging up above, seen only in section (rather poorly preserved since 1997). - (2) show how current assumptions condition our strategy: we will remove bottom layer of f87 (perceived congealed destruction) to expose entire red/black layer of original destruction: this will provide (if it materializes) an excellent seal for possible earliest accumulation of AK. .rd J616 .ri gb -sr what is exposed in quadrant 1 of k4 is important because it marks for the first time in A9 a transition from indistinct eroded collapse which in its higher portions became congealed as a result of stagnant water within a bowl-like depression. The presence of apparently burnt bricks and ash layers may suggest destruction. If so, we may head for a richer accumulation underneath it. -sg we will stop excavations to lower levels for now. Instead, we will:(1) dig through the doorway to A6, (2) clean the pavement locus (k5), and straighten sections, (3) remove the wall stump (f15) and baulk between A6 and A9, (4) scrape and study well the sections leading to brickfall, f89, (5) if we need to put workmen to work elsewhere, we can start cleaning k3. .rd J618 .ri jlw -dy photographed k4 and k5 during morning of J618,workmen's day off. .rd J619 .ri jlw -wk three large picks and 15 in support. -sg the excavated surface in k3 (1997) is now 1.91 m higher than k4. We need to more uniformly excavate in A9, so we will shift attention to k3 for a few days. Our focus will be to look for a doorway/wall which we expect will mirror the walls f1/f97 along the southern edge of k4. The two sets of walls would hopefully be linked by the paved floor f84. f 102 df fd ds small (45cm by 35 cm) section of sherd and pebble floor along north baulk (15 cm south of edge and 60 cm west of large stone, f65) Small patches of burned soil in general vicinity. gb believes that these may be associated with post AK houses excavated nearby in A2 last season. f 95 df ac ds surface soil and wadi accumulation forming south baulk of k3 ac began excavating south baulk to expedite dirt removal from k3 by way of k4 to avoid high lift out of deep trench. Then, decided that at least temporarily, it would be better to remove dirt by direct lift using ladder. Until ladder arrived began using lowered baulk as a step to get in and out of square. (the distance from the "floor" of k3 to the surface is about 2 meters and the distance from the "floor" of k3 to the "floor" of k4 is an additional 2 meters. While clearing backdirt and inspecting the degree of preservation of surface, used baulk for access. Baulk partially collapsed with jlw on it. No injury, but used incident to alert all excavators to use extreme caution around eroded baulks and edges, particularly those with a high differential between top and bottom. Will maintain baulk (which is badly eroded) at a height of 50 cm to 100 cm above k3 for safety until k4 level is reached. dy at the suggestion of mkb, began to isolate sherds from this locus for special analysis at the house by ab. q 216 sh one rim sherd with impression of imbedded large rope. .rd J620 .ri jlw -wk 3 large picks and 15 in support. f 102 df fb dy removed after measuring. No relays since markers not yet installed. f 101 df a ds distinct layer of soil with a small section of pebble floor, burned areas, a brown color (tending to some red near the eastern baulk), soft spots and a greasy texture (clumps into a ball when squeezed). dy less pottery from this feature than the one above, f63. Noticed a few sherds of metallic ware. .rd J620 .ri jlw f 101 df a tx very greasy, by which I mean that soil is not only soft, but also somewhat sticky. ds there are many charcoal bits as well. Also, ash lenses have been noted, and some localized layers of pebbles and sherds 9up to about 50 cm square). This is incompatible with the wad melt deposition, which we assume to have existed elsewhere in A9. It appears to be related instead to living occupation. lv we are about 60 cm above top of wall to A8/A6: if there is an AK wall, we may come upon it soon, but f101 clearly overlaps it, if any. st the origin of f101 maybe the houses to the west in A2. A similar large dump outside the habitation area was found in A2. ar we may have evidence of the tapering off to the east of the late 3rd millennium settlement on the hump corresponding to A7/A2.