July 19, 2004

Area F, Trench 1

C. Painter

Today I continued to excavate fill L1129 ten centimeters more along the west side of wall L1123 to better gauge whether or not the mud brick is continuing. 20cm total was simultaneously excavated in fill L1124 on the east side of L1123 for the same purpose. It appears now that the wall is truly only one course sitting on top of dark brown moist fill similar to that of L1129 and L1124. No major finds recovered from L1129 save for a large amount of animal bone (a leg bone was found in situ) in the northeast corner of the locus.

In the southeast corner L1126 and l1127 were both closed and a new locus, L1130, was opened directly in the southeast corner of the trench. L1130 is a strong brown (7.5YR 4/6) fine silt pit with heavy ash and carbon inclusions and a ring of ash on its outer edge. I was able to excavate ~30cm and already clear stratigraphy is visible on the east and south baulk showing multiple subdivisions within the pit characterized by a dark ashy level, a silty brown layer, and then another ash layer. Multiple soil and carbon samples were taken. Thus far a small amount of bone and pottery sherds have been recovered. Based on its elevation and location in the southeast corner, it is hypothesized this ash pit could be the continuation of a Chalcolithic oven excavated in the northwest corner of F4.

Lastly L1125 was excavated 10cm revealing no new features and barely any cultural material.