Date: 30-Aug-97
Weather: sunny, still, hot
Number of Workers: 2
Lots Open: 1528, 1534, 1535, 1536
Page Reference: 170

STRATEGY: 1. Remove 1534, 1535 and 1536 (walls f609 and f613). 2. Continue excavation of 1528, in the western half of trench only, to define the tholos wall f612. The eastern half of the trench is left as this has been planned and removed and this is a good point to leave off excavation for this year.

SUMMARY: 1. Removed f613 as excavation in the western half of the trench did not reveal any more of this wall. F613 turned out to be a one course small wall. The soil beneath was excavated as 1536, although it is probably equivalent to 1527 and/or 1528. Finds included pot and bone (no flint). 2. Removed f609. It turns out that we may not have excavated past the bottom of this wall and instead the wall appears to be similar to other Halafian walls in that it is made up of layers. We therefore excavated the wall to date in two spits. The upper consisted of a red, blocky soil mixed with c. 50% calcite/plaster. The lower layer (which may still be going down into the trench. To be examined tomorrow and possibly continued next year) of homogenous, red clayey soil. Finds in both spits (each 7cm thick) include pot, bone and flint in small amounts. 3. Took off another 5cm of 1528 than removed a further 5cm in the NW quadrant to see is f612 continues (sloping downwards). We plan to stop excavation here. The eastern half of the square has plaster and ashy patches as well as possible pits: aim of which is to be left until next year. We took a 1 x 200ml soil sample (c. 5cm squared patch) which contained tiny seeds (?).