; File processed on 2026-02-27

; A10-introduction
-inc	0000-00-00_H613FAB.J	fAB	The opening of excavations in area A10 is projected for Sunday, h615. This is so that FAB, RAH and LKA are all present, since RAH and LKA are arriving h614. The plan of the excavation is to open 4 squares initially, with approx. 12 workmen. There are three goals for this area: 1= Define and explore SE corner of AK, or of sector C if it is not the corner of the overall building. We are able to project this corner because of the work done in MZ9 in area A8, which found the E wall of sector D, and work done earlier that uncovered the S wall of the building. 2= explore sector C, especially the room or rooms along the southern wall. 3= to explore the area immediately outside the building to the south. This third goal is secondary in priority, as understanding the layout and function of AK is primary. These goals were discussed at the first meeting (h610) with GB,MKB,GG,DNS,CLN and FAB, as well as the organizational meeting in March '97 in Los Angeles. In the meeting on h610 and the next day, we discussed the layout of the squares. The first decision was as to the rotation of the squares in reference to the AS grid. GB made the case that a new orientation following the layout of the AK building as opposed to the AS grid because this would offer us a section of sector C parallel to the south wall. This would also make it easier to follow the southern wall of AK. The drawback of this orientation is the danger of features perpendicular to the south wall (eg other walls) laying in the baulks. This would mean that any stratigraphic definition would change with the removal of the baulks, which should not be the case. However, it was decided to begin a new orientation following the AK wall layout. FAB suggested a "T" layout, with three squares abreast from W to E along the southern wall (projected) of AK, and a fourth north of the center square. This layout would give the section of sector C, explore the Southern wall and the projected corner, the area to the south of AK, as well as a piece inside sector C to explore any interior walls.
-inc	0000-00-00_H613FAB.J	fAB	As for a projected timetable, we have approx. 6 weeks for excavation: from June 15 (h615) to about July 27. The squares closest to building AK in elevation seem to be k1 and k4, with about 3 meters to projected tops of walls in sector A. There is evidence of a negative wall in k1, which should give a very nice section of the contents of the room to the north. Also to be considered is the supposed kiln in A6, which may be in k4. k4, however, straddles a wadi that stretches from NE-SW and goes through k1. This, hopefully, means a minimum of later settlement, so AK may be close to the surface. MKB noticed bricky material in the SW corner of k4 on the surface, immediately under a cement border that was built by us a previous season to protect sector A from water. It is high, and only about 3-4 meters north of the projected AK south wall, so I doubt that it is a part of the AK building, since the rooms in sector A were all larger than that. This all means that in the best of possible cases, we will have a sparse layer of later occupation, and then a lot of fill and collapse on top of the latest floors of sector C. A guesstimate timetable is as follows: week 1= removal of sod layer, following of negative wall. week 2= definition and exploration of later material. week 3= final definition of later material, removal of later material, beginning to remove collapse/fill and find other walls. week 4= removal of collapse/fill, possible lateral expansion. week 5= digging of floors. week 6= removal of baulks, final excavations, cleanup.
-inc	0000-00-00_H704FAB.J	fAB	Our third week of excavations has come to an end, leaving us with helf of the season left, and more than half a season's worth of excavating to do! During this weeek our stratigraphic understanding has leapt forward in terms of the AK structure: we have found portions of the S wall, and a parallel wall to the north, giving us a much greater understanding of the footprint of the building in the A10 area. The major discovery has been the S wall in k's 2 and 3, where we hope to find a doorway in the beginning of next week. The layout of the area has also changed, with the N-S baulks coming down, linking k's 1,2 and 3. The burial, a2, was removed, with a great many objects, including a ram's (?) head, but no complete skeleton. For the next week, we hope to remove all of the N-S baulks, linking k10-k1-k2-k3 and k10-k4-k5. This will mean a loss of those sections, but now that we have the AK layout, we have decided to follow the rooms and not the loci. Of course, the E-W baulk will remain until later in the season, because it gives a very nice cross section of all the accumulations in and between the rooms. The major thrust of next week will be the opening of 2 new loci to link the walls in k3 with the wall excavated last year in A8. this means removing a lot of dirt, but will give this sector of the building a sense of completion, since we will have uncovered the entire footprint of this sector.
-inc	1997-07-12_H716LKAD.J	fAB	H710 ended another week of excavations in A10, with a stratigraphic summary of the AK building with the rest of the staff.  The lack of the doorway in k11 and the puzzle of f29 were the main points discussed.  K8 and k9 are the only areas left in the scattered occupation phase, and in k11 we have reached a level just inside the AK wall where we will stop for now.  Our goal for next week includes removing k8 and k9 scattered occupation layers and removing the baulks between k11 and k5, and k5 and k4.

; A10-procedures
-inc	1997-07-16_H716LKAD.J	fAB	GB suggested we make all the rooms aggregates for easy distinction among them.

; A10-staff
-inc	0000-00-00_H613FAB.J	fAB	FAB, RAH and LKA will be the primary excavators, with FAB as #1, RAH as associate and LKA as #2. RAH has documentation and typological data as a primary goal for this year, but will still be a vital part of the excavation effort. GG will also be working in A10 on and off, but will probably not enter data into the journal or be able to contribute more time than a casual assistance.
-inc	0000-00-00_H613FAB.J	fAB	The work should be divided into three parts, with one of the team members being responsible for the work done in each of the parts by the other two. FAB will be in charge of the field work, which includes: section drawings, feature drawings, sketches, relays, and samples. LKA will be in charge of the book, which includes daily journal notes, data entry, sketches. RAH will be in charge of objects and lots, which includes object cleaning and recording, routing logs and pottery and bone storage.

; A10-strategy
-inc	0000-00-00_H613FAB.J	fAB	One of the most important goals of our work this year will be to maintain a "top notch" book - a perfect record of the work done in this year. This is important because it is a new book working in a new sector. There are no other books in this sector, so it is possible that in future A10 extends to include all of sector C. A perfect book is vital to future work because it will provide an interface between the stratigraphic components that have been removed and the ones that are being discovered.
-inc	0000-00-00_H616FAB.J	fAB	Tomorrow we must excavate two diverse strata: the later level in ks 3,2 and 5, and the earlier level in k1.  The later level appears to be a structure, with a tannur possibly linked to it (k5). The strategy for excavating this strata is this: to go down in k3 following and defining the wall until the floor is reached. The floor may have been the hard laminations seen in the extreme E of k2. GB will bring the new students tomorrow to teach them on this wall. The second operation in this strata is to step the S part of k5, below the tannur, which is still topsoil due to the sharp slope of the mound/wadi in this point. This will give us a better understanding of the tannur in relation to the material in k2, and help define the relation between the angled surfaces and this later occupation. The second strata is the presumed AK wall in k1. This we will approach from two directions: from above by digging through the bricky mass until we reach a solid wall, and from the section. The section we will divide into two portions, the N and S parts. Since the wall is 120 cm, we  think that Diadinn can dig only half, giving a nice visual representation of the wadi fill that remains and the wall surface behind. Relays will also be a prioirty, especially if the wall does come out on the surface of K1.
-inc	0000-00-00_H704FAB2.J	fAB	Tomorrow we plan to make a big push to remove the two baulks between k1 and k2, and k2 and k3. If there is time left over, we will remove the step left to the E in k3, where we have only been digging the E half of the locus. As for the rest of the week, I hope to spend Sun finishing the baulks if needed, k3's step, and the scattered occupation layers. Monday to Thursday will find us digging k8 and 9, linking the A8 wall to A10. It is optimistic, but I hope to come down on the A8 wall by Thursday. At that point a major decision must be made: do we go down in the AK rooms to the first floor, or do we continue to open more loci and increase our understanding of the footprint of the building? The only factor that remains to be considered is whether or not the AK building extends to the E. This will be determined when we remove the step in k3 and can see the extent and limit of the S wall.
-inc	1997-07-16_H716LKAD.J	lKA	Yesterday gb helped us marshall our various desires concerning the excavation of A10 for the rest of the season.  He believes that three goals are now within our reach.   First, the removal of the baulks between k4 and k5, k5 and k8, and k5, k8, and k9.  Toward this end, we have already drawn sections of the first two and removed the one between k4 and k5.  Second, we should be able to dig down in a22 quite a good ways, since the room is fairly small.  Third, it would be most desirable to see whether visible portions of the E-W running wall in k11 has stopped because of a jog, a door, or a corner.  BWP has laid out the dimensions of the extension of k8, and we hope to start digging it as soon as possible.