Daily Trench Journal

Area C

Trench 1

July 14, 2002

I started today by beginning the removal of the eastern wall (L1069), beginning with the highest of the five courses in the southern section. Once the wall is removed entirely, I will look for evidence of a foundation trench.

As the courses were removed, it became apparent that his one wall might actually be a conglomeration of three to four different features. The southernmost area remained 1069. The northernmost area has been renamed as L1075 and may be split into two if further excavation reveals similar construction techniques with other sections of the walls. The middle section is 1077 and seems to be less well constructed than the other loci and may simply be some sort of connector between 1069 and 1075. Hopefully its purpose will become clear with further excavation.

L1069 – the first course was generally made up of river cobbles, more thin than wide and placed at an approximately 45-degree angle from the rest of the wall. In this course, half of a broken stone bowl was found with circular drilling/grinding marks at the base (KT 1069.12). The stone bowl piece had been inverted and used as a cobble. The second course was made up of smaller cobbles and broken pottery set in a very compact and dense clay-like matrix. The third course was made up of mainly larger cobbles with some areas of very compact and dense soil in the southern corner. Pieces of basalt and slag were also incorporated into this level. Bricky lumps were coming up in the soil as well as worked obsidian. Each new course as excavated is given a new KT set of numbers. The fourth course of stones was partially excavated, and will be completed tomorrow.

L1076 is the area between L1071 and L1068. This was taken down about 5cm. No evidence of a foundation trench has been found below 1069, 1077, or 1075 at this time.

L1074 was started in the area between the flagstones of L1075. A fire installation and are containing possible sealings was found. I will excavate at a later date. Until I can spare that time, a large bag filled halfway with dirt has been placed over the area to protect it.

L1070 was finished today. The western half of the trench will not be explored at this time as I first focus on bringing the eastern half down to the same level.