https://urkesh.org/MZ/A/A16/D/A/0013.htm

Unit Book A16

The Courtyard of the Tupkish Palace - Version 1a

A16a13

Processed on 2025-02-05

1. OVERVIEW

Roster Date Author Record
Best definition 2001-08-18 !! ^ pit [Input: L724LR.j]
Best image 2011-12-12 lC [Input: VZ12LC.j]

2. IDENTIFICATION

Designation

Roster Date Author Record
Definition 2001-08-18 lR ^ pit [Input: L724LR.j]
Description (summary) 2001-08-18 lR large Khabur pit [Input: L724LR.j]

3. STRATIGRAPHY

Recovery/Assignment

Roster Date Author Record
Daily notes about recovery of elements 2001-07-28 lR We are finally approaching the end of this great Khabur pit with red material f157 and f181 wall appearing in the West with gray pit fill still to the East. In k6 North section the accumulation from a2 is seen very nicely which forms a bowl. The gray from a13 pit underneath forms bands of lighter gray sloping West to East with the Western portion higher. Alternating layers of gray are seen, light gray, dark, light, dark forming a bowl shape towards the East. If this is a pit, then it is quite large for it must extend the same length to the East making the pit almost 10 meters in diameter. [Input: L728LR.j]
2001-07-29 lR We met with gb today to discuss the phases, and he suggested that the fill we are excavating in k6,k5,and k2 is not a pit but large hollows created by depressions in the palace that conditioned the topography, which then was used as dumps. So they were not cut, but natural in a sense that they occurred naturally after the palace collapsed. These hollows provided a ground for dumping which was filled up with 5a material but in the lower end of the hallow we find strata 4 material underneath. This level may be the stratum to which the tannur f180 and the accumulation around it belong. fab mentioned that the tannur may be related to the tannur found in A12, which was on top of the palace wall. [Input: L728LR.j]
2001-08-02 lr While excavating inside k108 we noticed a clear line forming a circular pattern, which we defined as the cut of the pit/hollow a13. This cut links all the material in former k2 and k6 (below a11 and a2) together since it all belongs to the same pit a13. A hard compact reddish-brown material that forms a massive accumulation measuring approximately 50cm in thickness marks this cut. The material inside the circle (the fill) peels away easily from the red material and also curves slightly in at the base. The fill inside the circle is gray-brown, softer and full of pottery and bones. While removing the fill of a13 we did encounter a layer of chunky hard clay. [Input: L815LR.j]
2001-09-02 lR We are excavating a vertical section of this pit left in place since a2 conditioned a hump to form. This vertical section has been termed the "pillar" and we are excavating it in layers. [Input: L903LR.j]
Procedures 2001-09-02 lR we excavated the east baulk pillar by layers. The first feature is the interface between the accumulation from the phase 5b houses from a2 and a11 and the beginning of the pit a13. The first 30 cm contains a reddish compact layer with the brick foundations seen in the section. This layer serves as a seal between phase 5b and earlier Khabur material. The next layer contains soft ashy fill 83 cm in thickness. This material is darker than the rest of the material in the pillar and contains chunks of reddish pink clay, and flakes of charcoal a clear line between this feature and the one below is marked by a thin band of pottery. The next layer was removed which was called an interface layer between the ashy accumulation and the more compact light gray underneath. The remaining material was separated not by layers since it appears that the matrix is the same, but by 30cm increments to keep the pottery separate. We are using the pillar as a good documentation of the stratigraphy of the pit and keeping careful separation between each layer by ensuring that the area is cleaned and all pottery collected before proceeding to the next layer. The pillar was excavated by one person at a time using a ladder and a big pick. The person excavating the pillar was directed by someone below as to when the layer changed. The pillar was then scrapped and all the pottery collected with the khabur sherds separated. [Input: L903LR.j]

Volumetric Localization

Roster Date Author Record
Locus 2001-06-17 fAB k2
k5
k6
k110 [Input: L724LR.j]
2001-08-18 lR k108 [Input: L724LR.j]

Spatial Aggregation

Roster Date Author Record
Features within aggregate 2000-12-18 !! f152 (^ accumulation)
f153 (^ fill)
f157 (^ accumulation)
f161 (^ accumulation)
f163 (accumulation C)
f164 (^ pit)
f165 (^ fill)
f169 (^ pit)
f170 (^ fill)
f171 (fill)
f176 (^ layer)
f177 (^ layer)
f178 (^ layer)
f181 (^ wall)
f183 (^ fill)
f185 (^ layer)
f189 (^ pit)
f201 (^ floor, type a)
f211 (^ fill)
f281 (fill)
f287 (^ layer) [Input: A-CUMUL.j]
Items within aggregate 2000-12-18 !! i39 (unknown)
i41 (pin)
i42 (figurine)
i44 (^ seal)
i45 (bowl)
i46 (jar)
i47 (^ human body)
i49 (jar)
i50 (^ human body)
i67 (metal wire)
i104 (jewelry item) [Input: A-CUMUL.j]
q-lots within aggregate 2000-12-18 !! q347
q348
q349
q355
q356
q359
q360
q363
q368
q371
q374
q376
q377
q378
q380
q381
q382
q383
q384
q386
q387
q388
q389
q390
q392
q393
q394
q395
q396
q397
q398
q400
q402
q403
q404
q408
q409
q410
q411
q412
q413
q414
q415
q416
q417
q418
q419
q420
q421
q422
q423
q425
q426
q427
q429
q430
q431
q432
q434
q437
q438
q439
q440
q441
q442
q443
q445
q446
q447
q448
q449
q450
q451
q452
q455
q456
q457
q458
q459
q461
q462
q463
q464
q465
q466
q467
q471
q472
q473
q474
q476
q477
q478
q479
q480
q481
q482
q483
q485
q486
q487
q488
q489
q491
q492
q493
q494
q495
q497
q498
q499
q500
q504
q505
q506
q507
q508
q509
q512
q513
q514
q515
q516
q517
q519
q520
q521
q523
q524
q525
q528
q530
q531
q533
q534
q535
q536
q537
q538
q539
q540
q541
q542
q543
q544
q546
q547
q548
q549
q555
q556
q557
q559
q560
q561
q562
q563
q564
q565
q566
q567
q568
q570
q571
q572
q581
q582
q584
q587
q589
q596
q609
q610
q611
q614
q615
q616
q617
q618
q619
q620
q621
q634
q639
q648
q685
q687
q730
q740
q748
q753
q762
q816
q951 [Input: A-CUMUL.j]

Time Sequencing

Roster Date Author Record
Stratum (to which element belongs) 2000-12-18 !! s255AAH [Input: A-CUMUL.j]
2015-05-20 !! s244AAH
s265AAH
s270AAH
s310AAH
s315AAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]
Phase (to which element belongs) 2000-12-18 !! h6hAAH [Input: A-CUMUL.j]
2015-05-20 !! h5hAAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]
2015-05-20 !! h6cAAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]
2015-05-20 !! h6hAAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]
2015-05-20 !! h6mAAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]

6. REFERENCE

Analogical Record

Roster Date Author Record
Photo of context (v view)

2002-07-17 lR [Input: -M726-A.j]
View/drawing of aggregate

2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]