Daily Trench Journal

Area F

Trench 6

June 4, 2005

Jeanne Nijhowne

Today we began by excavating 6024 and 6026. Our goal was to reach virgin soil. We wanted to know if there was any cultural material below the pebble floor in the east baulk. Virgin soil was reached relatively quickly in both loci.

I subdivided 6030 into four separate loci for the following reasons. In the north profile of 6025, we saw what looked like a pit profile. Most likely it was the filled in after the original north edge of the test trench caved in. This matrix was definitely softer than the surrounding loci. 6031 is an extension of 6026 and the east-west line dividing them, I feel is arbitrary. 6032 on the other hand was defined because it is a layer of stones with visible horizontal potsherds. Locus 6033 is the remnant. Again, the east-west division between 6033 and 6030 is somewhat arbitrary.

We swept 6032 with a stiff broom and concluded it was a good enough surface and just barely big enough to do a HAP sample. We took a 100% sample of the floor in the 50 cm by 50 cm area. The small triangular area to the east only yielded one additional shard. We did not have enough material left over to do a soil sample.

Note on stratigraphy: The very center of the trench along the north baulk is problematic. In the redesignation of loci, it got "left behind". 6028 definitely did not extend any further west than shown on the plan. 6032 was shaped as shown on the day plan of June 4. That left an irregularly shaped area in the center that did not belong to either surface. After removing surface 6032 and 6028, we redesignated the entire strip along the north baulk, locus 6033.