.bk A9
.fl L722jlw1.j
.fd daily journal for L722
.ei jlw
.ed L722
.rd L722
.ri jlw

-wk 6 picks and 16 in support reported for work. Muhammud Juma was absent.

-dy gb and jlw inspected the unit to review goals and set priorities for the last days of the excavation in MZ14. We have definitely established that the phase 4 and 5 settlements to the west found in A2 and A7 estend eastward about 5 meters. As one proceeds further to the east he encounters some ill-defined structures that appear to be made of mud plaster.  Some have hints of red bricks on top, while others do not. Seen in section, some appear to have the rectangular form of the foundation, f225, while others are very amorphous.  This continues for about 15 meters, the approximate width of the modern gully. Then for the next 10 meters, substantial mudbrick walls again appear, which are obviously the northern extension of the settlements of A11 to the southeast. The large wall complex that begins in k21 and extends to the north, through k31, k41, k42, k51 and k52 is interesting and is most likely Phase 5 Khabur. The seal, i138, and the statuette, i149, are tantilizing hints of important settlements after Khabur.

-sg in the few days that remain, we will explore the northern wall complex within the confines of the squares already established.  Today we added another tier to the east, k43 and k53.  We will not exent the "X1 tier to the west this season, even though the northern extension of wall complex, a25, most likely will be found there.  We will level k24 and stop excavating in the lower tier for this season.

k 25
dy concentrated on defining the set of late phase features encountered below the first layer of accumulation, f312, under the topsoil, f307. These inclued a sherd and pebble floor, f326 in the NW corner, a very hard accumulation, f329, in the middle of the eastern half and the top of a substantial mudbrick structure, probably a wall, f328, in the SE corner. Ceased excavation in this locus to preserve the wall for future season's excavation of this portion of the unit.

k 24
dy removed what is probably a mud wall or wall foundation, f325, in the NW corner.

k 52
dy removed backfill in preparation for excavation on L723.

k 53
dy removed a thick layer of accumulation, f327, from what amounts to a large west baulk due to the mis-fit of the MZ6 step trench, which takes up the eastern two-thirds and the current orientation. There were large quantities of pottery in this accumulation.

f 325
df w
ds dense, hard mud plaster structure in the NE corner of k24.
nr we removed this feature with some reluctance because we know that we will not be able to trace it north in MZ14. It is one of a family of similar amorphous objects several meters square that seem to be oriented N-S in an E-W line spanning the gully along the north perimeter of our excavation "frame' for MZ14.  The material is dense and hard, and does not yield easily to the pick. There are traces of this or similar structures in the east and south baulks of k24.
P2 L723

f 326
df pv
ds flat surface of fist-sized stones, a few sherds and some white material that coats some of the stones in the north half of k25.

f 327
df a
ds accumulation under the topsoil, f311, on the west side of k25. It yielded an unusually large number of sherds for the volume (6 q-lots).
co light yellowish brown
c# 10YR6/4

f 328
df w
ds substantial mudbrick wall structure in the SE corner of k25. It seems to go with wall, f309, in k15.
co very pale brown
c# 10YR6/4
nr we have only uncovered the outline of the top set of bricks in order to preserve the entire structure below for future excavations.