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Unit Book A16

The Courtyard of the Tupkish Palace (Version 2)

A16a25

Processed on 2024-12-04

1. OVERVIEW

Roster Date Author Record
Best definition 2002-09-27 !! ^ burial [Input: -MX12-99.j]
Summary 2007-07-16 cJC Human burial (i175) discovered to the north side of pit f342 and mixed with the pit fill f343. The bones are hard and burnt, possibly from secondary firing as a result of their inclusion in the pit. [Input: R716CJC.j]
Best image 2011-12-12 lC
v140 [Input: VZ12LC.j]

2. IDENTIFICATION

Designation

Roster Date Author Record
Definition 2002-09-27 lR ^ burial [Input: -MX12-99.j]
Description (summary) 2002-09-27 lR Burial found in A13 pit that cut through the stones of the pavement a12. [Input: -MX12-99.j]
2002-12-01 lR Pit that cut through the stone pavement a12 with a burial inside containing the remains of i175. This pit was partially excavated three years ago by A13 but was terminated due to the lack of time and the realization that there was a burial inside. A13 partially exposed the skull and chest region then covered it back up. It is still unclear whether this pit was created for the burial or whether it was first a pit then re-cut into a burial since the body seems tucked too far to the north for the whole pit to be a burial. The body also appears secondarily fired given that the bones are a darker color and very hard. Usually the skeletons uncovered are brittle and white, these bones are hard and solid much like cooked animal bones. The pit fill f343 is all ash with chunks of charcoal found around the body. It is possible that either the body was filled with soil then later secondarily fired from the top, or that during burial it was fired. We removed the bones after photographing them and will leave the situation as it is until next season when we have more time to excavate this fill and understand better the situation. No items were found with the burial except for several pottery sherds that are part of the fill. One sherd was lodged around the left femur, a carinated green colored rim sherd. This sherd can be found in the pottery q-lot and is seen in the drawing and photograph. [Input: -MX12-99.j]

3. STRATIGRAPHY

Recovery/Assignment

Roster Date Author Record
Daily notes about recovery of elements 2002-10-01 fAB We had left this pit as one of the last things to clean out, and did not realize that it still contained a burial. Diadin cleaned the bones for photo while the rest of the unit was cleaned for final photos. [Input: MX12FAB.j]
Notes on recovery 2002-10-01 fAB Probably not dug as a burial shaft, due to the fact that it is round (tomb shafts in the area are either small and somewhat oval or rectangular) and the body had little or nothing in the way of offerings. Body was also not in the center of the tomb, but rather laid along the northern edge. Covered with ash, also an indication that it was not intended as a tomb. LR noticed that the bones seemed secondarily fired, possibly in the pit. [Input: MX12FAB.j]

Volumetric Localization

Roster Date Author Record
Locus 2007-07-16 cJC k205 [Input: R716CJC.j]

Spatial Aggregation

Roster Date Author Record
Features within aggregate 2000-12-18 !! f342 (^ pit), f343 (^ fill) [Input: A-CUMUL.j]
Items within aggregate 2000-12-18 !! i175 (^ human body) [Input: A-CUMUL.j]

Time Sequencing

Roster Date Author Record
Stratum (to which element belongs) 2015-05-20 !! s330AAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]
Phase (to which element belongs) 2015-05-20 !! h5hAAH [Input: ZA520CJC.j]

5. TREATMENT

Site Presentation

Roster Date Author Record
Notes on conservation or analysis 2002-12-01 lR The skull of i175 was excavated three years ago by A13 and re-covered. Cloth was placed on top of the bones then plastic and covered with soil to protect the bones. When uncovered this year, some damage occurred over the years. The cloth had dissolved and attached to some of the skull creating black splotches. The skull became more brittle and cracked. Evidence of water seepage was seen by the chin which contained laminations. Better methods for preserving exposed bones must be employed. Likely the best technique is to cover the bones only with soil avoiding plastic and cloth. [Input: -MX12-99.j]

6. REFERENCE

Analogical Record

Roster Date Author Record
View/drawing of aggregate

v136
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

v140
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

v140a
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

v140b
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

v140c
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]

v146a
2007-08-03 pC [Input: R803PC.j]
Notes on analogical record 2002-10-01 fAB Drawing was done from photo [Input: MX12FAB.j]