.bk A09
.fl J720gb.j
.fd journal notes
.ei jlw
.ed J720

.rd J720
.ri GB

f 155
H1 An important consequence of the exposure of the stone wall , which shows how the stone substructure is substantially lower than the southern walls of sector F, is the fact that we may still expect to find the eastern wall of sector F which had eluded in all previous seasons. We have been removing steadily the mid to high floor accumulation in this portion of sector F, and we are about to come to the level which matches the stone substructure of f___ [same stone wall], so we may soon have an answer to this qeustion. We had given up on the existence of this wall because we had reached a level lower than the matching wall on the South.The effort at reaching the first floors in sector F, which at first was aimed purely at removing all the uneven steps  left in previous seasons, may yet yield an important answer to the question of a screened access to the courtyard from the West.
L1 Why this wall should have a lower substructure than its counterparts to the South is an interesting question. Could it be that it had to be plastered and plastering bricks was easier than stones? Or else, was it on higher ground (as a result of terracing), and hence in lesser need of a stone base?

f 163
H1 The platform is important for dating the sequence of strata within AK. The erosion of the top bricks implies that they were exposed when no longer in use: hence this is most likely at the time when the mid floors begin. Earlier, it was in use during the second phase of the use of the courtyard, the pebble floor. At the beginning, it must have been in use during the baked brick pavement: this we have not tested yet, but we will as soon as we have clear the full pebble floor.
M3 It is clear that this platform places a great symbolic significance on this doorway (and probably its matching doorway to the North). What exactly it might have served for remains uncertain. As a pedestal for guards seems unlikely given the elaborate color pattern. For a statue? For a water jar to greet incoming visitors? Possibly also a statue with water like the one at the side of the throne room in the palace of Zimri-Lim, echoed on our seal k2.
M2 The high symbolic valence of the dorrway to which the platform is attached strenghens the opinion I have entertained all along that the portion of the palace to the East is the most improtant one. An imporytant new question is whether we have a connection between this access and a possible access from the South in A12. The monumentality of the access in A9 suggests that there should be a considerable amount of space to the East of this access. If so, one mught expect that the building extendes further East than the perimetral wall of AK. The extension to the south suggested by A12 may indeed provide such a space. We cannot prove that circulation between the two portions of the palace (AR and AK) did indeed exist, but we may be able to do so through our current excavations in A10 and A13. See new Projections floor plan dated J720.