Back to top: Depositional data for unit J1 Accretion
Introduction
The accretion process is very well attested in J1. The open space of the Plaza during Mitanni period started to fill, probably because of a blockage (some buildings) along its southern edge. The accumulations are wind (see VC1) and water born, and to understand the impressive size of this process, almost 5 meters of semi-natural deposits were formed in less than two centuries. We define this accumulation as semi-natural because the formation process is due to natural forces but the inclusions contain ceramic and other materials. Moreover some of them are very compacted and were used as walking surfaces, showing a still intense human traffic on the Plaza.
Follows now a complete list of the accumulations could be considered as (at least partially) formed by this natural process, shown by the videoclips VC1 and VC8. J1 natural wind born accumulations: ^acc3= f38, f142, f143, f145, f149, f150, f157, f175, f176, f179, f182, f198, f200, f204, f205, f206, f208. J1 natural, only partially, wind born accumulations (mainly water born): ^acc2= f156, f203, f224, f225, f226, f229; ^acc1= f162, f181, f184, f190, f191, f227, f231, f233, f234, f310, f312, f313, f315, f330; ^acc4= f235, f236, f237, f257, f319, f322, f323.
Back to top: Depositional data for unit J1 Accretion
Accumulations
The upper levels of J1 show many natural accumulations (^acc3) covering the Plaza when it was abandoned. These accumulations are constituted of pure brown soil with just few sherds: f179, f198, f200. They are most of all windborne deposits. Regarding to this process see the videoclip recorded at Tell Mozan on August 2008. Then there are series of semi-natural accumulations made of compact material (^acc2), full of sherds, stone and pebbles as f203, f225, f229. These are extremely hard, bacause waterborne deposit of sandy material and probably because a compaction process due to people walking on it. Other accumulations found at deeper levels are semi-natural because formed by natural processes of sedimentation of washed material. On these accumulations there could be also some walking that brought to a strong compaction rather than a true forming process due to occupation.
Other accumulations (f237, f231) are formed by use and dirt above pavements.
Back to top: Depositional data for unit J1 Accretion