Emplacement for Unit J6

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Principles

A discussion and explanation of how stratigraphy works within the Urkesh Global Record can be found in the grammar. In this section main features are described as they were found, avoiding interpretations of function, typology and chronology, which are discussed under deposition and typology. Emplacement is the static aspect of stratigraphy, it explains how things are in the ground at the moment of they are exposed. It aims to observe, document and describe all elements we find during excavation. The defining criterion is the orientation of the components, the way the elements appear to us when seen in place. On this basis we can distinguish different elements: surfaces, build-up, amorphous amassment and ordered aggregation.

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Elements

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Layering or gradual build-up

In this category are included all features with the characteristcs of having an horizontal alignment of inclusions within an inert matrix, and with inclusions generally having a horizontal angle of response (lens, accumulation). 46% of the excavated features in J6 are of this category. The first 2 meters of the unit were covered by natural accumulations. The complete list is in the typological index. In this section is given a summary of the most important ones.
accumulation ^a1: The upper layers (aouth 2 meters) directly found unter the topsoil are characterized by the presence of small rooths, small stones and some pottery and animal bones. Few q-items were found in these accumulations. The soil is brown and soft, the elements contained in it form an inert matrix. The area is abandoned, the elements present in this accumulation such as pottery and objects are washed down from other parts of the tell.

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Amorphous amassment

The elements that define a feature as amourphous amassment is the random alignment of inclusions. The collapse of a building, the dump of material in a pit are examples of this category. More than 10% of the features excavated in J6 belong to this category.

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Dump

With ^dump1 the matrix of the features changes drastically. Within the features included in ^dump1 we observed the masive presence of pebbles, animal bones, large stones and pottery sherds. The dump was found in all the southern portion of J6 (k65, k74, k75, k84, k85, k86, k87).

A second dump in J6 is represented by ^dump2. It includes f200, f306 and f293, characterized by a soft red soil with ash lenses and a large presence of pottery, clay lumps with seal impressions, tannur peaces, objects, bones, and kilin waste. This dump was found directly unter pit f192 and covered wall f227 and glacis f300 (see also section w206)

^dump2

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Fill

Four pits were excavated in J6.

f87	fill of a small round pit f92 cutting the brickfall. The pit was filled with a soft and fine brown reddish soil with pottery sherds.
f142	is the fill of pit cut f122. The soil was soft, grey and ashy with several almost horizontal layers. It contained a large quantity of sherds and animal bones. It cuts f151. Therfore the bottom of the pit is reddish.
f192	fill of pit cut f199	f282