A14-strategy

Processed on 2024-10-01

Date	Author	Record
2001-07-14	jl	We have decided to close A14 earlier than originally planned, in order to focus more on finishing A12 this season. rd and I will transfer to A12, and ed will go to A15 to help with their data processing and completing of the book. [Input: L817JL.j]
2003-08-13	jl	Before we excavate k1 any further, we need to draw the section of a4 which was exposed by the excavations within k100 (see v67). We will do this tomorrow morning. We will also continue excavating in a9, to complete the pit. We will remove the eastern baulk of k13, in order to completely uncover the contents of a11. We will finish removing the k11 east baulk and the accumulation within k89. And then, we will proceed to excavate across all four loci (keeping the features and q-lots distinct, of course), following the layers of the white reed matting and other examples of the "pathway" from the platform to the api, until we reach the original construction. [Input: N813JL.j]
2003-08-17	jl	We will focus today on removing the k13 northern and eastern baulks, and consider that the end of our excavation season. Most of our workmen will go to A15. This will give us extra time to complete the A14 book before the end of the season. [Input: N817JL.j]
2003-08-14	jl	We will quit digging in the k11 east baulk and will instead focus on the step f34 beside a5. We will continue in the k13 baulks and in a9. [Input: N817JL.j]
2003-07-29	jl	Because dc is injured and can't come down to the site, she will stay at the house and work on object descriptions and on the computer. I will spend every day in the field, with the assistance of rd2 and raf. [Input: N827JL.j]
2003-07-21	jl	Since we will probably missing our three pickmen again tomorrow, I intend to concentrate on k100, hopefully lowering it significantly. dc will also use the opportunity to work on object descriptions. [Input: N828JL.j]
2003-07-22	jl	I am anticipating getting our workmen back from A12 tomorrow. Presuming that the pit a8 does continue, then we will continue following it down. We will also continue in k100 with one or two people. The rest will probably return to k3, to finish digging its north baulk. [Input: N828JL.j]
2003-07-12	jl	We want to excavate the layers visible in the A12k6 south baulk individually, so we are going to try to remove the abandonment accumulation all across the area first. To this end, we will start in k1 and k2. In k1, we will do a single pick run (to reestablish the borders of the locus) and then perhaps continue, depending on the material that we find underneath f34. In k2, we will remove the pseudo-bricks (f31), f6 and f29, and then excavate f33 to the same level as f32. When we finish that, we will move on to f38 (k11) and f42 (k12). In that way, all of the squares will be at the same approximate level, in the same accumulation, and then we will dig down until we reach the sloping layers visible in the section. [Input: N828JL.j]
2004-06-17	jw	jw met with gb and fab to discuss the basic approach to the start of excavations. At first we considered directly addressing the issue of the link if any between the platform and the abbi. We could accomplish this by continuing the excavation of loci k1, k2, k11, and k12. However, fab pointed out that we may get an added advantage by moving west to begin at an organized pile of large stones which generally follow the E-W line of the AK palace wall and seem to angle a bit to the south to line up with the abbi. All agreed to this approach since the cover is thin in this region due to erosion and excavation can proceed quickly. Therefore, we will establish squares k4, k5, k14, and k15 today so that excavation may begin there on Sunday, O620. [Input: O617JW.j]
2004-06-19	gm	gb, fab, gm, and jw discussed how we will excavate for the next few days. we will begin from k15 and k5, proceeding from W to E, in order to understand the connection between the lower sacral area and the southern wall and platform of the palace. [Input: O619GM.j]
2004-06-21	jw	gb, gm and jw met briefly to review the progress in the first day of the excavation and consider any revisions in approach for the next few days. As f170 in k5 represents the first horizontal surface encountered, we will pause work in that locus and move east to k4, partially excavated with no significant finds in MZ16. Here we will remove the new material deposited over the winter and consolidated by precipation. We will also re-cut the partially eroded baulks. Similarly, we will repeat this process in k3, where according to what we see in the south face of the extant north baulk, we should see some occupational accumulation under the hardened crust which covers the locus. Although we have not yet reached a level surface in k15, we will open k14 and move to the east, analagous to the move to k4. The string of loci which includes k15 is in the middle of the gully and received the brunt of the wash from above over the centuries. We fear that most of the significant architecture that may have once been here may have been washed away. gm will explore the extent f170 in k5 to see if it is contained. [Input: O621JW.j]
2004-06-30	jw	we will continue on the basic approach established in a meeting between gb, fab, and jw on O629, which is to seek evidence of occupation and use of this precinct, then identify the Phase. Logically we expect the lowest levels to be associated with the palace (Ph 2), but the action over the centuries of the gully wash may have obliterated earlier facilites which were replaced at the same elevation by those of later phases. We are concentrating on the lower, western portion of the unit because it represents the lowest part of the gully which formed after the palace was abandoned and built over in Phases 4, 5, and 6. [Input: O630JW.j]
2004-07-01	jw	early in the day, gb, fab, gm and jw briefly reviewed progress for the week and discussed what needed to be done to maintain the schedule of understanding what activities and structures were a part of the abi and platform precinct. Work was suspended in k13, upon reaching the level marking the end of the sling ball manufacturing area. The team working here will be shifted to begin excavating k22, the last full square to the west of the abi entrance. After the section for the N baulk of k4 has been drawn, we will begin to remove it so that we can better trace the horizontal brick surface, f199, and the horizontal pise surface, f213, found along the far north edge of the locus yesterday and today. In k15 we will try to resolve the issue as to the source of the large quantity of Ph 2 pottery in a place and elevation where we would have expected to see Nuzi ware. In k14 we will excavate two pits, a15 and a16, found respectively in the NW and SE corners of the locus. We will finish excavating the pise floor surface,f213, in the E end of the N baulk of k4. [Input: O701JW1.j]
2004-07-04	jw	gb, fab, jo, gm, mb, and jw met on site to discuss possible alterations in the current approach to this season's excavations, which is to seek to define the sacral precinct by searching for a western boundary or approach and moving E toward the entrance to the abi. Two alternatives were discussed. jo suggested that we focus first on the loci closer to the abi (k1, k2, k12, k22) where we would be more likely to find evidence of use near the current surface since it did not have the deep cover of gully wash seen in the western loci (k15, k14, k24, k25). fab suggested that since a E-W line of stones defines the north side of the abi precinct, a similar line defining the south side may found in the "30" line of squares, where the modern tell increases sharply in elevation and the surface soil shows signs of covering architectural features. jw preliminarily evaluated current resources as insufficient to add this task, but gb indicated that more workmen could be hired. In the end, we decided to stick with the current strategy for the remainer of the week, then reconsider when jo had been fully integrated into the team. [Input: O704JW.j]
2004-07-05	jw	meeting with gb, fab, jo, gm, mb, and jw to evaluate strategic decisions of O704 in light of progress yesterday and this morning, as well as a series of elevations of key places taken by jw at the close of yesterday. Decided to continue searching for possible stones in k15 that may be in the same N-S alignment with those in k25 to the S, f228, and those in k5 to the N, f165. At jo's suggestion, we will excavate k4 as a E-W half section to get a vertical sense of the stratigraphy, and may choose a similar approach to others, including k14. gb cautioned us to be especially alert for reddish accumulation, which is a common sign of nearness to the Phase 2 walls, which were built with bricks of reddish clay, unlike later Phase walls which used gray soil for bricks. [Input: O705JW.j]
2004-07-06	jw	Although gb and fab did not yet see the results of yesterday's excavations, it is clear to jw that we should excavate k24 to the level of the stones and open k35 immediately to the south of k25. jw would prefer to temporarily stop excavating k4 and explore horizontally the extent of the possible floor, f230, and the links with nearby floors, f224 and f213, particularly if the requested pottery analysis shows that these are a part of Phase 3. [Input: O706JW3.j]
2004-07-07	jw	gb, fab, jo, dc, gm and jw discussed progress from yesterday and how to use it to best accomplish our overall goal of defining the sacral precinct and understanding the changes in use over time. [Input: O707JW1.j]
2004-07-11	jw	Held brief meeting on-site to orient gb, fab, and mkb to the logic behind the tentative stratigraphic assignments made by jw on O710. It was immediately apparent that the east and north baulks of most loci were keys to understanding the stratigraphic sequence. Staff will score baulks and place tags with feature numbers on the baulks to assure that all features had been recognized, named, described, and incorporated into the analysis. [Input: O711JW1.j]
2004-07-13	jw	gb, fab, and mkb discussed with jw and jo the stratigraphic implications of what we see in the E baulks of k15 and k25 and the N baulk of k15. Feature 207, seen in the E baulk of k15 is of particular interest since it is seen in k14 (as f245) and will, with the removal of the N baulk of k15, be seen in k5. It will be important to analyze the sherds from these features to see what part of the boundary between Phase 3 and Phase 4 they occupy. jw hypothesizes that it should be Ph 3 because the floors in k14 which capped it were Phase 3 and the pit in the NW corner of k14 which cut the accumulation f244 (which covered f245) was Ph 4. [Input: O713JW.j]
2004-07-17	jw	gb and jw met in the field to review the strategy for the final two weeks of excavation. jw is concerned that the excavation of the deep, ancient and modern gully, filled with wash and no organized architecture, except a pebble surface at an elevation of about 8090cm, which appears in k15 and in the NE corner of k25, will consume almost all of the available resources. gb agreed and we decided to shift the focus to excavating the seven loci to the N of the deepest part of the gully, k1, k2, k3, k4, k5, k12 and k13. To accomplish this, we will close out the excavations in the abi, A12, for the season and devote their resources to excavating in A14. We will continue to excavate k22 with the idea of seeing whether the early phases of the area just in front of the entrance survived the erosional forces that destroyed the area further to the west. [Input: O717JW.j]
2004-07-21	jw	At the end of the day, jo, dc, gm, and jw met with gb to review the priorities for the final few days of excavation. We decided that the highest priority will be to continue to work in k22, k4, and k3. As soon as possible we should also re-open k12 from last season and to excvate k21, a partial square directly in front of the abi. Due to the unexpected complexity of working surfaces found in the excavation so far, we cannot hope to explore the direct links, if any, between the ceremonial platforms and the abi in k1, k2, k11 and k89. [Input: O723JW3.j]
2004-07-28	jw	With respect to baulk removal, we will clear only the modern topsoil/gully wash from the E-W line of baulks which includes the north baulks of k24, k23, k22, and k21. This will contribute to the understanding of the erosional effects of the ancient gully which washed through the abi and down the slope to the west. [Input: O802JW.j]