.bk A14 .fl N828jl.j .fd journal entries .ed N828 .ei jl .ri jl .rd N721 -dy Today we continued down in the pit a8 through a large layer of animal bones and found a layer of earth and sherds which may represent the bottom. In k100, we found the first phytolith layer, f97, of what may be the same reed matting which jo observed four seasons ago in A12, above the platform. In k3, we finished leveling the north baulk underneath the burial and then stopped digging there for the time being, since we had to transfer three of our pickmen to A12 to replace missing A12 workers. dc spent most of the day at the house, teaching rd2 and raf how to describe objects. -sg 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. f 97 df aa ds This is the soil in k100 containing white phytolith layers, presumably evidence of reed matting placed over the platform (based on our interpretation of A12k6 four seasons ago). f 96 df ad ds This soil is essentially the same as f92; however, I created a new feature due to the presence of a10, the burial, in case some of the burial sherds had contaminated it. f 95 df fi ds Primarily ashy gray in color, this soil is somewhat more compact than f81 above it. At first, we mistook it for the bottom of the pit. .rd N722 v 59 ds This view shows the observations in k100 which caused us to continue digging despite the lines visible in the soil. The main view shows the cracks which we observed, causing us to question whether we were observing multiple features or not. It also shows f97, the white phytolith layer, in the soil. v59a is a closeup of the k100 east baulk, showing vertical cracks ascending from the lines below, suggesting that these lines represent breaks on account of the baulk drying out rather than the division between features. v59b shows the cracks continuing down into the section of the pit a4, which we again have interpreted as drying and shrinking rather than separate constructions. For these reasons, we excavated this whole area as the same feature. -dy This is the second day that most of our pickmen were lent to A12. Because we only had two diggers, we focused on the pit, a8, and on k100, where we had found the white phytolith layers, f97. In a8, we reached a reddish-brown layer of the same color as the south wall of the pit in the lower levels, f98, almost devoid of pottery. It may be the bottom of the pit, but a small ashy pocket in the north-east seems to continue underneath this layer, so the red may just be another layer of fill sandwiched between ashy layers. In k100, we found another phytolith sample in the western part. However, we also observed a number of small, straight fissures in the surface of the eastern part, which continued into the east baulk of the locus and the section of the pit a4 (see v59). After discussion, we decided that these were probably caused by the drying of the soil along the baulk and pit section, and excavated it. -sg 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. .rd N724 -dy Today, we were mostly without pickmen, as before, so we focused on k1 and k100. In k100, gb decided that it was much larger than he had intended, so he told us to stop digging across it after we had excavated the last ledge down to the level of f97, the white phytolith layers, and to focus only on squaring the circular edge of the pit a4 and on k1. We only had time to remove the ledge down to the white surface, not also square the pit. In k1, we managed almost 2 complete pickruns, being stopped at the very end of the day not only by the discovery of white phytoliths in the north-west corner of the locus (f99), but by the unexpected appearance of a white floor-like layer in the center of the locus, f149. gb also discussed the possibility of removing the baulks around k1 and k2 in order to get a better horizontal exposure of the white layers. For a 2-hour period in the morning, work was stopped in A12 for photography, during which period our diggers returned and removed another layer of the k3 north baulk. .rd N725 -dy Because work was temporarily stopped in A12 this morning, we had extra diggers for a few hours. Most of them worked on the north baulk of k3, which we are trying to remove before A18 needs its dirt train, since two of the train legs rest on this baulk area. One worker stayed in k1, removing the small area of f99 soil left over from yesterday's pickrun. Then he dug the southwest side of the pit a4, cutting the round section back into a corner, so that we could see the section better. .rd N712 -dy Today, we cleaned, scraped and sectioned all of the loci, in preparation for excavation. gb, mkb and I discussed the presumed formation of A14 and our excavation plan. Originally, there was probably a walkway between the platform and the api. As the accumulation above the platform increased in height, the walkway rose with it and gradually built up, as seen by the sloping layers in the A12k6 south baulk. Eventually, the walkway ceased being used, and plain abandonment accumulation (through which we are now digging) built up over it. -sg 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. .rd N713 f 79 df ts ds f79 is the last tiny, sloping section of them topsoil/wadi wash in the south-west corner of k12. We can see the slope of the layer in the baulks. nd It is now clear that I badly misunderstood the sequence and slope of the layers in k12 during season L. There are only three layers really visible in the section, a thick layer of backfill (from when this area was a dirtpile), marked by a layer of plastic in the south-eastern corner, a thick layer of topsoil/wadi wash underneath that, marked in the baulk by a clear change in material (of which f79 is the last remaining piece),and a thick layer underneath that, of which the ledge f42 seems to be the top part. This will cause me to reconsider my analysis of all of the other features in k12. .rd N714 a 8 df pt ds This is the large pit in the western portion of k1 and the east baulk of k2. The top layers were accidentally dug as f34, before the pit outline became clear. At its highest levels, its boundaries were indistinct, causing scattered black patches around the west half of the locus. a 9 df pt ds The small pit in the north-east corner of k1. It was a very indistinct pit, such that we did not notice the upper layers, where the ash was less concentrated. Most of it is in the east baulk and in k100. When we first observed it, we thought that it was much smaller than a8, but after we removed the baulks, we discovered that they were nearly the same size. f 80 df ad ds This is the thick, bricky accumulation with ash inclusions of the type found throughout A14. It is essentially equal to f34 in k1. It surroundes the pit a4 in k100. f 81 df fi ds This is the ashy, crumbly fill at the top of the pit a8. f 82 ds fi ds This is the mixed ashy and brickly fill in the pit a9. f 83 df ad ds This feature is equal to f80. It is in the eastern part of k100, where we extended the locus to the east in order to understand f80 better. nd Once the elevation of f80 and f83 was the same, f83 ceased being used and the whole area became know as f80. .rd N714 -dy Today, after cleaning in k1, the top layer of fill f81 in pit a8 was first clear, so we started excavating the pit, as well as f82, the top layer of fill in a9 (the smaller pit in the northeast corner). Also, since Abdul Kerim insisted that the area of k100 east of a4 was made up of bricks or bricklike material, we decided to extend k100 east to the northeast corner of k1 to see if we could get any more definition in that area. In k3, we dug a series of pickruns across the locus, looking for the other end of the burial a7. In k2, Diadin removed the top layer of f31, the brick wall, and found another layer of bricks (although bricks of very poor quality) underneath. Also, we completely removed f29. .rd N713 -dy In k1 today, we began a series of small pickruns across the locus, hoping that the clear division between black and red soil would continue, but were disappointed. The seemingly clear line disappeared after one pickrun, returning the feature to mixed swaths of red and black. Now, however, the black is concentrated in the western part and the north-east corner of the locus. We opened a new locus, k100, around the pit a4 in the north baulk of k1, in order to get a clearer section to guide our excavations, since the current pit section has been badly damaged by exposure. In k4, we started a large pick run to level out the square, and discovered what appears to be the head of a human burial, although it may be a modern burial washed down the hillside by the wadi. In k2, we finally removed f6 and started on f29. In k12, Khaled excavated the last small area of wadi wash in the south-west corner, f79. .rd N714 a 7 df bu ds This is a human burial extending from the east baulk of k4. Only part of the skull and a few other scattered bones are visible, in a matrix of dirt and fist-sized stones. It is possible that this is a modern burial, washed down the tell slope by the wadi. No clear burial pit is visible in the section. sg We will switch excavation over to k3, to see if we can find the feet of the burial or evidence of a burial pit. f 84 df cut ds The cut of pit a8. f 85 df cut ds The cut of pit a9. i 26 nr This seal impression was not found in the course of normal excavation. It was taken out of the baulk by a workman cleaning the section in the days leading up to the beginning of excavation this season. Hence, it has no q-lot number. P99 to mkb .rd N717 -dy Today, we continued to excavate the pit a8. The ashy-red mixed soil, f81, is continuing. In k3, we continued to dig the north baulk, f92. We found a few small objects, a small jar and a door sealing, and then, an hour before finishing, we uncovered a burial, a10. We could not finish it in time, so we covered it with cloth and dirt, and a guard will watch it tonight and tomorrow, Friday. .rd N716 -dy Today, we continued to excavate the pit, a8, in k1. The fill, f81, continues down. In k3, gb, rd2, dc and I discussed our excavation plans. Since we can't see the north face of the k3 north baulk, we can't really use it as a guide for excavating; however, if we remove the baulk, then excavate that area along with the rest of the locus, we will be better able to notice and follow the very faint layering currently visible at the bottom of the section. So, after finishing our last pickrun across the locus, we switched to the baulk and removed the top few layers with the big pick.