https://urkesh.org/MZ/A/J03/D/K/0103.htm

Unit Book J3

J3k103

Processed on 2024-05-25

1. OVERVIEW

Roster Date Author Record
Best image 2020-07-27 jW [Input: ZE727jW.J]

2. IDENTIFICATION

Designation

Roster Date Author Record
Description (summary) 2005-08-22 gM Originally planned as J04, but later incorporated into J03 [Input: P823GM2.j]

3. STRATIGRAPHY

Recovery/Assignment

Roster Date Author Record
Daily notes about recovery of elements 2005-08-24 jW We continued to excavate the brown loess, f53, under the topsoil. Then, after the baulks were trimmed, we noticed a subtle color and texture change had occurred that may have marked an earlier transition to the next layer, a series of laminations, f56. [Input: P824JW2.j]
2005-08-25 jW Photographed, v18, then removed the two large unfounded stones, f54, runnining E-W out of the middle of the E baulk. Continued to excavate the laminations, f56. [Input: P825JW.j]
2005-08-27 jW We are concentrating on excavating the one-meter wide ledge along the S baulk to an elevation of 9000. This is the first of several steps down at two meter changes in elevation. We are excavating the ledge first so that we have a place to put the elevator. At the end of the day we were within 15cm of finishing. [Input: P827JW.j]
2005-08-28 jW Continued to excavate the laminations, f56, which are becoming more densly packed, and therefore harder to pick. Reached an elevation of 9000 in f56 in the south quarter, the location of the first stepped baulk. It is approximately 2m below the surface. Installed elevator on the step to facilitate dirt removal. [Input: P828JW.j]
2005-08-29 jW Continued to excavate the north three-quarters of the locus, removing the laminations, f56. Put all workmen in this locus to speed work, which is difficult due to the hard, dense nature of the laminations. [Input: P829JW.j]
2005-08-31 jW Continued the removal of laminations, f56. We expect to reach a cement-like surface similar to k101f43 in the early pickruns today. This may help to explain the compaction of f56 which we are seeing. As expected, laminations blended into harder, grayer accumulation, designated f63. Took relays. [Input: P831JW.j]
2005-09-01 jW Continued to excavate the hard, gray natural accumulation, f63. Only two lots of pottery, q109 and q110, taken from the entire day's excavation. [Input: P901JW.j]
2005-09-03 jW Continued to excavate the cement-like accumulation, f63. The digging is slow because of a reduced crew and the difficulty in forcing the pick down through the accumulation. We are promised a jackhammer tomorrow, when we anticipate reducing the excavated area to the north half of the locus to speed our investigation of whether or not there are structures south of the wall in what is now and likely was in antiquity an open plaza. We recovered relatively little pottery and few artifacts from this accumulation today. [Input: P903JW.j]
2005-09-04 jW Continued to excavate the hard, grayish brown accumulation, f63, by hand. After breakfast, we reached an elevation of 8700 in the northern three-quarters of the locus and measured for the second one-meter step to the north. Now we are excavating only the northern half of the locus. The quantity of pottery recovered increased significantly compared to the last few days, but still only amounted to two q-lots. [Input: P904JW.j]
2005-09-06 jW We began to cut and trim sections in preparation for final photographs and drawing. At gB's direction, we left the elevator and a small quantity of accumulation in the locus to possibly be used for a demonstration of the dirt removal process to attendees of the conference to outfit the new museum in Hassake. [Input: P906JW.j]
2005-09-11 jW Student Zuzan revised previous drawings of the north and east baulks of the locus. [Input: P911JW.j]
Strategy (projected or implemented) 2005-08-25 jW gB reminded us of the need to step in the S baulk of the locus as we proceeded down. This is accomplished by leaving one meter ledges that run E-W at elevations 9000, 8800, etc., which will then be cut back to produce a gradual slope to prevent the baulk collapses we see in other parts of the excavation. We are taking all elevations from marker m4118, whose elevation is 9189. As of breakfast, we need to excavate down another 88 cm before stepping the first ledge. [Input: P825JW.j]
2005-09-01 jW gB and jW met and agreed to test the efficacy of using an electrically-powered jackhammer to speed the excavation of f63. They also agreed to reduce the excavation area to two square meters when the elevation of f63 reaches one meter below the first step to the south. [Input: P901JW.j]
2005-09-04 jW gB notified jW that we will have a jackhammer on site tomorrow with an operator. He will be on-site both in the morning and afternoon and the staff will needed to supervise the work. We will use all available workmen during both sessions to break up the residue and remove the dirt from the locus. If work proceeds efficiently, we may be able to re-excavate the full set of steps to an elevation of 8400 in the next two days. [Input: P904JW.j]

Volumetric Localization

Roster Date Author Record
Elements within locus 2005-08-22 gM f52 (topsoil), f53 (accumulation D) [Input: P823GM.j]
2005-08-23 rE f54 (stone installation) [Input: P904GM.j]
2005-08-24 rE f56 (laminations) [Input: P904GM.j]
2005-08-31 rE f63 (accumulation D) [Input: P904GM.j]
2005-09-05 rE f75 (stone installation), f76 (pavement) [Input: P918JW3.j]
2005-09-06 rE f77 (isolated stone) [Input: P918JW3.j]
2005-09-15 jW f81 (accumulation D), f82 (accumulation D) [Input: P918JW3.j]
2005-08-22 gM q82 (pottery) [Input: P823GM3.j]
2005-08-23 rE q84 (pottery) [Input: P823GM3.j]
2005-08-24 gM q88 (bones, pottery), q90 (pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-08-25 gM q93 (items, pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-08-27 gM q94 (bones, pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-08-28 jW q97 (bones, pottery), q99 (pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-08-29 gM q101 (pottery), q104 (bones, pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-08-31 rE q105 (pottery), q106 (pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-09-01 rE q109 (bones, items, pottery), q110 (pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-09-03 gM q114 (bones, items, pottery) [Input: P904GM3.j]
2005-09-04 gM q118 (items, pottery), q120 (pottery) [Input: P918JW1.j]
2005-09-05 gM q122 (bones, pottery), q124 (pottery), q126 (pottery), q127 (pottery), q128 (bones, pottery), q129 (pottery), q130 (pottery), q131 (pottery) [Input: P918JW1.j]
2005-09-06 gM q132 (bones, pottery), q133 (pottery), q134 (pottery), q135 (pottery), q136 (pottery), q137 (pottery), q138 (pottery), q140 (pottery) [Input: P918JW1.j]
2005-09-07 jW q143 (items) [Input: P918JW1.j]
2006-08-24 bL q230 (pottery) [Input: Q829JW1.j]
Extension of locus or q-lot 2005-08-22 gM m4105 [Input: P823GM2.j]
Length of two sides 2005-08-22 gM 500 E [Input: P823GM2.j]
2005-08-22 gM 500 N [Input: P823GM2.j]

6. REFERENCE

Analogical Record

Roster Date Author Record
View/drawing of locus

v902
2005-08-20 jW [Input: P823GM5.j]

v16
2005-08-22 gM [Input: P823GM5.j]

v18
2005-08-25 rE [Input: P904GM5.j]

v18a
2005-08-25 rE [Input: P904GM5.j]

v33
2005-09-05 gM [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40a
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40b
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40c
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40d
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v40e
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v42
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

v42a
2005-09-15 jW [Input: P918JW2.j]

w3
2006-02-12 jW [Input: Q212JW.j]

w4
2006-02-12 jW [Input: Q212JW.j]

p7
2006-05-03 jW [Input: Q503JW.j]

p8
2006-05-03 jW [Input: Q503JW.j]

p11
2006-05-03 jW [Input: Q503JW.j]

p12
2006-05-03 jW [Input: Q503JW.j]

p13
2006-05-03 jW [Input: Q503JW.j]

p14
2006-06-20 jW [Input: Q620JW1.j]