Daily Trench Journal

Area I

Trench 2

July 6, 2004

J. Henecke

I arbitrarily ended L1 and 2 at the beginning of the day, and began L4 and 5. There was no change in the soil color or texture or in the content of the fill. Only L3, the s tone feature, continues from the previous days work. We noticed a black ash layer in the northern profile of L4, which has several large potsherds above it and was dug out by an animal hole. After breakfast I terminated L4 and 5 and decided to dig the remainder of the trench in 25 cm increments. Fewer potsherds appeared in the lower levels, and they included red wash ware, a carinated bowl fragment and more applied rim jars. A ceramic spindle whorl, stone cylinder and other occupational debris were also uncovered. The layers of topsoil and plowed soil in the southern step are thinner than to the north, and it is possible that L3 acted as a natural retaining wall. Also, it appears that the stones and soil slump in the eastern profile, possibly due to erosion. It seems likely that the fill beneath the stone layers is undisturbed, and its scattered assortment of contents supports this idea. During the excavation of L4 and 6, several large stones and a mortar, similar to those in L3, emerged along the western baulk, and it is possible that L3 extends in this direction. We are in the process of articulating the stones in L3 to determine its vertical and horizontal dimensions.

JH