.bk A09
.fl M909JW.j
.fd Initial thoughts on the scope and character of work to be accomplished during MZ15
.ei jlw
.ed M909
.rd M908
.ri jlw

--i the primary goal of last year's excavation was to determine the links, if any, between A9 and the settlements recently excavated in A7 to the immediate west and All to the immediate southeast.  We found ample evidence that the first settlements to be build over the remains of the palace did indeed extend across the entire breadth of the mound.  At first, there were a variety of materials used for construction, including mudbrick and stone.  Later, there was a noticeable shift to pise for walls and floors.  The settlement continued across the entire mound.  About the time that Khabur painted pottery came into use, the center section was abandoned, although there was a transverse stone and sherd path that linked the houses on the western edge with those in A11 and A16 to the south.  By the end of the third week in July 2001, we had clearly answered the research question in the affirmative and excavation work was halted.  The entire group of excavators was shifted to the main palace complex to assist in maintaining the scheduled pace of excavation in the southern part of A15.  As a result, the normal time that would have been devoted to such tasks such as drawing sections, preparing drawings of the architecture, analyzing pottery and other small finds was lost, although all the important data was entered into the global record.  Over the winter, jlw, the area supervisor, conducted some preliminary stratigraphic analysis and continued to process data.

.rd M909

--i this is probably the final season of excavations for A9 as such.  There is important evidence of a substantial late Khabur building and at the highest elevations, a Mitanni settlement.  These may be explored in future seasons by way of a new area designation.  Thus, the primary goal of the work this year is to prepare the data from seasons MZ10 through MZ15 for publication.  To this end, jlw spent the first few days of this season reviewing the database to organize the display portion of the global record.

-su The following deficiencies are evident.  First, not all sections were drawn and among those which were, most lack the detail that would relate them to the excavation database.  Second, although AutoCAD was used to document the features and to check the numerous relays that were taken, the plots are not well organized to show the phasing of the development of this part of the tell.  Third, in MZ14, there were problems obtaining the final photographs.  The photographer misprocessed the initial set and the replacements were not integrated into the system before he departed.  In addition they were taken with the sun at less than optimum conditions, so some do not show sufficient details to illustrate sections or architectural features.  Another group of 26 digital images was made by jlw in late September to supplement what we had to that point.  They must be integrated into the photographic database and templates and view descriptions must be prepared for them.
-su Fourth, full documentation for the step trench excavations in 1990(MZ4) was not available in MZ14.  Since the backfilled step trench was an integral part of the portion of A9 excavated in MZ14, it was most difficult to integrate the exposed architecture with what was being excavated in adjacent squares.  This is most evident in the E-W "20" series of loci.  Locus k21 is a portion of the previously excavated step trench, while loci k22 to k25 were excavated in MZ14.  This is a critical region as it provides evidence of the last continuous occupation across the hill before it was overwhelmed by erosion and abandoned to a gully.
-su Fifth, no pottery from the previously unexcavated portions was analyzed.  Thus an important tool in the identification of strata was not available.  At the moment, continuity of elevation is the best indicator we have of membership in the same stratum.  However, there is ample evidence of terracing in the Khabur phases, so one cannot rely totally on elevations for stratum assignments, particularly since we have not broadly exposed any one stratum or dug a deep locus to investigate the stratigraphic sequence in a single place.  Sixth, for a variety of reasons there is a noticeable improvement in the quality and quantity of information recorded in successive seasons.  Although it is clear that if not properly documented at the moment of excavation, the most valuable information regarding emplacement is irretrievably lost, it may be possible to answer specific questions about gaps in the data if enough of the input files from previous seasons can be processed through the revised "J," "E," and "A" programs.

-sg In the approximately five weeks of MZ15, the following can be done to address the deficiencies.  First, the best photographs and extant drawings of the baulks should be examined to identify features and assure that they are reflected in the database.  Then, if clarification is needed, selected baulks can be recleaned, redrawn, and labeled. It may not be practicable to draw every baulk, and the south baulks of many loci are either nonexistent or consist of little other than topsoil and abandonment accumulation because of the steep slope of A9 from north to south down the hill.
-sg Second, AutoCAD drawings of the significant architectural features and aggregates by strata should be prepared.  Many of the bricks and stones were sketched atop the individual plots of features, so plans can be drawn for many of the structures from what we have.  In some cases, particularly with the pise walls, it may be necessary to either rescrape the lowest excavated level from MZ14 or continue the excavations a bit further in selected loci,
-sg Third, although the templates must be prepared, it is task that could be accomplished off-site and should be accorded a lower priority.  However, the final photos and their templates should be examined to see if they provide sufficient information about stratigraphy and architecture that will remain.  If additional photos are needed they must be taken this season.  Fourth, provided that time permits, in the case of loci k22 and k23, we should excavate the less than a meter each to bring them to the same elevation as k24 where architectural elements reflecting the latest continuity between A7 and A11 are clearly evident.
-sg Hopefully, then we could have full horizontal exposure of the highest linking stratum, which is also expected to be reflected in pise construction throughout.  Hopefully, we could analyze the uses of the buildings with this type of wall.  Fifth, a few lots of pottery should be selected for analysis.  Q-lots coming from the previously unexcavated portions of k11 and k21 as well as those at the lower excavated level of k24 would be the most informative.  Also those coming from the western edge of k41 would be useful to assist in understanding the transition between late Khabur and Mitanni settlements.  Whether or not the pottery is analyzed, completion of a stratigraphic analysis is of the highest priority for MZ15.  Sixth, as soon as some minor problems are resolved with the processing programs, a complete global record using the existing database must be prepared.  This is of the highest priority, because to a great extent it will tell us what absolutely must be done to prepare a sufficient final report.