Daily Trench Journal

Area D

Trench 8

June 3, 2007

Recorder: Mila Hover (a.k.a. Melek hanim, MH)  
Workers: Cengis, Necat, Sadik

Today, the work in trench D8 begins by removing L131 (the locus assigned to all of the walls of the Ubaid structure). The methodology considers the relationship of room walls to locus L130 (wall in the west baulk).

During the removal of the standing mud brick layers (walls between the cell rooms), we will pay attention to the composition of the mud brick. Sample was taken from the SE corner of L123 wall which is adjacent to (is the North wall of cell L129).

Meanwhile, we are collecting different material type cultural debris as it becomes available during the dismantling of the walls. In much of the brick material, we are observing pseudomorphic impressions of grain chaff (brick samples taken from the locus). The major concern at this point is to distinguish between the bottom brick coarse and the underlying packed dirt in order to separate the two contexts for further work and to separate any artifacts as they are recovered. Closing elevations taken after reaching the underlying layer. Area is cleaned up.

After the break, the remaining parts of interlocking walls (going eastward, parallel to the west baulk and wall) were removed. No cultural material was collected from them.

After the cleaning of L131, new plastered walls seem to underlay the ones of the removed Ubaid house structure (see photo log). This is visible in the area of former L125 and the adjacent L123 and L126 and between L125 and L124, located from it. However, the EW running wall is not defined yet over the pre-existing south wall of L124. This may be due to the difference in level.

Next, the goal is to level off the entire northern part of the trench in order to follow these suspected walls there. NOTE: Even if this is not the case, the fact that we are observing a plastered layer (the white line outlining the suspected bricks), it is the first instance of this which is a distinct difference from the walls of the Ubaid structure previously described.      

Work continues in L132 (courtyard) where a 5cm layer is being removed from the surface of the entire area. Several ashy stains and the orange-brown stain observed and described yesterday, are being investigated in order to see if they have any significant depths or are surface discolorations. With an exception of a portion of the locus (area along the east baulk of the trench), the area is completed.

The reason for leaving this section (see daily plan for its location) is to consider further an obvious change in the surface hardness, especially associated with the brownish, clay-like stain. Cultural material was recovered in the following categories: pottery, bone, lithics, shell, and ground stone (SF: KT 13), ceramic spindle (SF, FT 12), and a stone implement (SF, KT 14).

The area was photographed before the end of the work day.