.bk A14
.fl O728jw.j
.fd special journal for pottery analysis #4
.ei jw
.ed O728
.rd O728
.ri jw

-ns There are four parts of A14 that are of interest in the last days of excavation.  One, arising from excavation near the northwest side of the abi is important for determing the late date the extant entrance was in use.  The second is accumulaton surrounding what appears to be the N end of a N-S brick wall abutting the abi entrance to the south.  The other two are continuations of pottery analysis already begun as a result of previous requests.

f 203
df fi
ds Fill from a deep pit seen in two loci and accompanying bulks.  Removal of bulks has yielded more pottery subject to analysis.
ns This pit is the only Phase 4 feature excavated this season.  Analysis of two previous lots incicated that it was Phase 4.  An analysis of these new sherds could tell us the use to which the area was being put.  Was it industrial or residential?  Pottery from lots q775, q790, q796, q804, q811, q817 q818, and q819 should be analyzed.

f 278
df aa
ds This accumulation overlays a pise floor surface that has yielded many restorable and fragmentary vessels (a20).
ns Previous analysis was begun to determine the functional use of the space where the jars and stone processing tools were found.  mkb indicated a continuing interest in examining more sherds from this feature.  Therefore, pottery from lots q753, q765, q783, q786, q797, q805, q806, q809, q826, q828, q831, q834, q835, and q836  should be analyzed.

f 297
df ly
ds Layer of stones and sherds in the SW quadrant of k11.  Originally believed to be a deposit filling a stairway leading up from west to east that may have formed part of the abi entrance, the better view now is that it may have been part of a path leading to the entrance on the north side.
ns This layer of stones and sherds has a counterpart in the SE corner of k12, f286.  Originally the two features seemed to be a gully deposit formed when groundwater runoff dropped heavier material into a confined channel formed by large stones which framed a path or stairway running west to east up the hill toward the abi.  During the excavation of one pickrun through this feature, jo examined the sherds and preliminarily determined that they were Phase 3.  This presents the intriguing question of whether this layer may have been part of the entrance to the abi.  If so, it may be from the time that the entrance as we see it today was last used, since the elevation of this feature and the top step are approximately equal.  The pottery from lot q787 should be analyzed to determine the phase of this layer.

f 293
df a
ds Reddish accumulation sealed by accumulation, f291, in the southern half of k21.  It surrounds at least 3 courses of reddish bricks, f302, which appear to be the north end of a N-S wall immediately to the south of the abi entrance.
ns In order to form the strategy for our excavations in the following season and to phase the results of the current one, we need to know when the structure containing the bricks was extant.  Analysis of q785 should help us answer this question.  Analysis of q769 from f291 may also prove useful in this inquiry.