.bk A12 .fl N825jl.j .fd journal entries .ed N825 .ei jl .rd N820 .ri jl f 443 ds This feature is the layer of brown soil underneath f441. Like most previous accumulations in the circle, it has large red bricky (melted) chunks, and black and white inclusions. It also has scattered laminations, a lot (relative to the previous layers this season) of pottery, small stones and bones, and occassional black seed patches, which are so small and scattered that we did not decide to make them separate features, since we could not follow them separately from the rest of the accumulation. In consideration, however, these seed patches may mark separate occassions of the ritual associated with the api. There was one small patch (about 10 centimeters across) of white material, which we also did not make a separate feature because of its small size. If f445 is indeed a pit cut, then f443 is also mixed in with the fill of this pit, which we could not dig separately because we could not see the outline of the pit or any other indicator of its boundaries. It is very difficult to discern separate layers at this elevation (if any exist) because of the wetness of the soil. Since we presume that any fill within the pit was to some extent the soil removed from it when it was dug, it is not surprising that the colors would be indistinguishable. =l f436 =l f437 =l f438 =l f444 f 444 ds This is the same as f443: brown soil, red bricky chunks, black and white inclusions, occassional black seed patches and laminations. Because k30 gets more sunlight and was therefore drier than k29 or the southern trench, it was possible to distinguish laminations in the top layers in certain locations (see v260, v261). The scattered seeds may mark instances of the performance of the ritual associated with the api; however, it was impossible to follow them as separate layers because they were so small and scattered. f448, the fill of a38, is mixed into f444 at its top layers, since we found the cut f447 as we were digging f444 and did not immediately recognize it as a pit cut. =l f436 =l f437 =l f438 =l f443 .rd N821 f 423 nd The question regarding the smooth, striated face on the northern ledge (see v271a, v271b, v272, v212a, v213) has perhaps been answered. Such a surface could only be created if it was exposed, i.e. it was not pressed against soil. It had to have been created by mud running freely down the face of the stones or the mud layers, on account of its smooth surface and the striations, which are most likely drip trails. The fissure has always had air pockets; perhaps this smooth surface is what formed when mud entered one of the air pockets and could flow freely down the stone face. Conversely, when the fissure was without an air pocket, the process which we have outlined earlier occured, namely, that the new soil stuck in the fissure became muddy and, since it could not flow away, it accreted to the accumulation within the circle and created the rough, upside down faces which we have observed in most of the mud ledge. Since it was created by a different process, we have made the smooth, striated face a new feature, f450. f 450 ds This is the smooth, striated mud surface found on the stones in scattered places around the circle. We believe that it was created by the same process as the mud ledge f423, but in different conditions, giving different results. Within the fissure around the circle, there are areas of strong accumulation and air pockets. Within the air pockets, mud would have been able to flow freely down the face of the stones, creating this surface, rather than the rough layers of f423, which were created in areas of solid accumulation. .rd N825 f 449 ds The layer of white material, presumably decayed plant material, underneath f444 in the east of k30. Equal to f440 and f446. =l f440 =l f446 f 448 ds The fill within the presumed pit a38. We did not realize that a38 was a pit until we had already excavated within it; therefore, much of the pit fill was included in an f444 q-lot. This feature only covers the second half of the excavations within a38. f 447 ds A smooth, curved surface in the north of k30. It appears now to be a small pit cut; however, when we first discovered it, it seemed more like a sloping layer within the soil. As we tried to follow it down, we discovered that it eventually sloped back upwards, creating half of a bowl-like space. Because it is only the south half of the bowl, and not the north half, it suggests that the pit was dug only from the south side, and when they reached an appropriate size and depth, they stopped digging, since no face was created on the north side. Following this interpretation, the smooth face is the result of either the shovels (or other tool) that they used to dig, or some sort of smoothing of the face after the pit had been dug. The extreme southern edge of the pit face had been removed previously as a part of f433 in k29, since we did not notice it as we excavated this feature. f 445 ds A smooth, sloping surface in f433. It was mostly straight (following a NE-SW axis, except at the southwestern edge, where it bent outwards, to the west. We interpret it as a small pit cut, based on our interpretation of f447; the two features are essentially the same in appearance. However, f445 was much larger than f447, and continued below the level to which we excavated this season, so we have not found a bottom (if one exists). If it indeed was a pit, then this pit was much larger than a38. f 439 ds This was the layer of plain brown soil underneath the black seed layer f427. It was like most of the other accumulations within the circle: brown with red bricky chunks and black and white inclusions. It did not appear to be laminated, but it was possibly too wet when we excavated it for us to notice them. =l f430 =l f431 =l f432 =l f433 f 433 ds brown soil with red bricky chunks, black and white inclusions. Underneath f426. Did not appear to be laminated, but we must consider the possibility that it was laminated but that the moistness of the soil prevented the laminations from showing. =l f430 =l f431 =l f432 =l f439 f 438 ds This is the brown soil with red bricky chunks and black and white inclusions under the black seed layer f435. Although we did not detect any laminations while digging it, the equivalent features in the main part of the circle, f443 and f444, did show signs of rough laminations in dryer areas. So, it is very possible that this feature also possessed some laminations, but that it was too wet for us to detect them while initially digging. =l f436 =l f437 =l f443 =l f444 f 437 ds This is the brown soil with red bricky chunks and black and white inclusions under the black seed layer f434. Although we did not detect any laminations while digging it, the equivalent features in the main part of the circle, f443 and f444, did show signs of rough laminations in dryer areas. So, it is very possible that this feature also possessed some laminations, but that it was too wet for us to detect them while initially digging. =l f436 =l f438 =l f443 =l f444 f 436 ds This is brown soil with red bricky chunks and black and white inclusions; although its equivalent features were underneath the black seed layer f334/f335, there were no seeds visible over f436. Although we did not detect any laminations while digging it, the equivalent features in the main part of the circle, f443 and f444, did show signs of rough laminations in dryer areas. So, it is very possible that this feature also possessed some laminations, but that it was too wet for us to detect them while initially digging. It covers f440. =l f437 =l f438 =l f443 =l f444 f 435 ds This is a black seed layer about five centimeters below f426/f427 in k33. It covers essentially the entire locus. =l f434 =l f441 =l f442 f 434 ds This is a black seed layer about five centimeters below f426/f427 in k32. It only covers the western half of the locus; the other half of the locus and the next locus k31 do not visibly display such a layer. =l f433 =l f441 =l f442 f 425 ds This was the brown layer with scattered black seeds above f426 in the north-west. =l f408 =l f416 =l f420 =l f422 =l f417 =l f421 f 424 ds This was the layer of strong black seeds in the south-east. It was the first area of black seeds which we discovered, and was originally identified as f408. It lay on top of f426. =l f408 f 428 ds This was a small area of black seeds, in a bowl-shaped depression, in the south-west of k30. It did not seem to be connected to any of the other black seed layers, including f426/f427. The shape of the deposit is interesting; the depression makes it almost seem to be within a small pit, and it would be very interesting if it lay on top of a sloping face/cut like f445 and f447. This is speculation, however, since f428 was on top of what is now the south baulk of k29/k30, south of the trench, and therefore will not be excavated this season. We will have to wait until next season for the answer. f 429 ds This was a small patch of white lamination-like material within f430. It coated a small depression, and was only about 20 centimeters across. It was accidentally removed without a sample during the excavation of f430. f 413 ds This is the area of very clear laminations (the first which we observed two seasons ago) in the north-east of the circle. It is orange and brown-white in color. =l f405 =l f409 =l f371 =l f372 =l f414 f 405 =l f409 =l f413 =l f414 f 409 =l f405 =l f413 =l f414 =l f371 =l f372 f 414 ds This is the end of the very clear laminations (which we first observed two seasons ago) in the north-east of the circle, within k29. It is orange in color. =l f371 =l f372 =l f405 =l f409 =l f413 f 415 ds This is the brown material around the north-western edge of k30. It equals f410, but was renamed when the new loci k29 and k30 were implemented. =l f410 =l f369 f 410 =l f369 f 416 ds A brown accumulation with scattered black seeds in the north-east. It overlay f419. =l f408 =l f417 =l f420 =l f421 =l f422 =l f425 f 417 ds A brown accumulation with scattered black seeds. Due to a numbering error, this feature is exactly the same as f421. f421 should be used rather than f417. =l f408 =l f416 =l f420 =l f421 =l f422 =l f425 f 418 ds This feature is equal to f411. Therefore, it is presumably a thicker layer of earth in between laminations, in the same manner as f411. =l f411 =l f412 =l f409 =l f405 f 419 ds This is a layer of very strong black seeds, pressed against the mud ledge f423 in the north-east of k30. =l f408 =l f426 =l f427 f 430 nd This feature included all of the soil in k30 except for f428 and f423. This means that the area in the south-west called f422 was redesignated as a part of f422.