July 20, 2004

Having identified locus 5201 as a potential wall feature we took down 5199 by 3cm on its southern side. Although we found anoth two flat lying large potsherds no surface was unvcovered. Locus 5197 was continued toward the southern baulk. We had hoped for a surface but we noted that whereas the surfaces and features related to the 2002 house had been levelled flat the baulk section for 5190 and 5197 was more natural in appearance. Discussed with Dr Parker the possibility that this trench is now exhausted in Ubaid features if not in pottery, lithics and bone.

We decided on a two stage plan. The first was to sink a sounding 1m x 1m in the southwestern corner of the trench (5202) and by 15cm increments assess the stratigraphy against the continuation of the south and western baulks and possibly find natural (virgin soil). Another possibility was that the orange show-through of the fill in 5198 did represent an interior surface and that 5197 was exterior to a new, if poorly defined, domestic structure. 5198 revealed a a floor surface of thick mud and large rock inclusions to be continued tomorrow.

5201, the collapsed mudbrick feature was started and sectioned for time reasons. To be continued.