Overview of Unit S6

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Goals

S6 is a minimal cleaning operation, intended only to open a smooth pathway between the J zone and the vista point above the Palace. The reason why, at the risk of overkill, it is considered a unit in its own right is only because, in order to obtain an even and level surface, we had to excavate in places up to half a meter below the surface. While the material proved to be essentially nondescript in nature and late in date, the importance of even topsoil layers cannot be discounted a priori, since we have in fact found important items in other areas of the site.

The publication in digital format is also intended to show the usefulness of the Urkesh Global Record in keeping track of even minimal episodes that affect the subsurface of the site.

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Depositional and functional considerations

No structures or identifiable deposits were encountered, except for the very top of modern burials. These were not disturbed, except that we removed a few tombstones still showing above ground; they were not recorded as separate features. The area is a general burial ground, used in earlier years primarily by the inhabitants of Amuda, according to M. Omo. The general appearance of the tombstones, deeply embedded in the soil, supports the conclusion that these graves go back by at least several decades, which is why no present relatives would be aware of the identity of the people buried.

Only at the eastern end of the pathway were there burials the identity of which could be identified. In fact, M. Omo pointed to the location of the grave of an infant son an his, situated at the beginning of the path. However, our excavations are so ephemeral that no trace of a burial shaft was seen, much less human osteological remains.

A review of the individual sherd lots indicated that nothing special was present.

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Procedures

With only two workmen, the operation lasted for nine days, but much of the time was taken by the finishing operation in function of the final arrangement of the path. This entailed, in particular, the shoring up of the downhill slope, with relative plastering, and the scattering of gravel – which shows well in the view on the title page and in the overhead picture on the website opening page.

Sherd lots were systematically collected, and reviewed by M. Kelly-Buccellati. As is our policy for topsoil features, no count was made, and all sherds, including shape sherds, were discarded after review.

Bone lots were not collected.

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Location

The label S refers not to a zone, but to a special operation, not directly tied to any given area. In fact, the strip links zone J with zone E, and at the end it leads to the Palace overlook (the Palace being in zone A).

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Main results

Predictably, excavations yielded no particular new insight. As intended, the main result was in function of our site presentation program.

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

General statistics

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Excavations

Back to top: Overview of Unit S6

Recording