Trench D6 Weekly Summary #4    >through August 4, 2002

July 27-August 4

This week was mainly concerned with exposing the rest of D6, and exposing the debri that slumped from the L20 kiln complex (L20, L14, L6, L5). To accomplish this we created 3 new steps (for a total of 4), both to make room for further excavation and to expose sections for analysis. We found many stone groupings in the East, lots of artifacts (including a figurine and a fish net weight) and evidence of another surface. We also found a possible wall in the South East (L33), although we are not sure of its associations and it is well out into the eroded area.

As we were accomplishing this we continued down throughout the area of L20, with the technique of cleaning and removing debri 1 layer at a time, after photographs and discussion. We came down about 20 cm in L20 (about 15 cm below the associated surface L17) before hitting first dark ashy soil and then a layer of orange mudbricky type material. At this level the slag finally stopped (actually a centimeter or two before), but when we cleared debri from the front of the arm between chambers L24 and 25 we found a large river of slag wrapping around and under a "crossbeam" mudbrick. As we were clearing we also attempted to ascertain the actual dimensions of the kiln, and removed much of the suspect and small floating debri that was pedestalled as if part of the original structure. It seems the 4 inner arms are shorter than the outer, and that perhaps the two larger chambers, L25 and 27, while similar, are differently designed.

We also continued in the area of L14 chamber, finding a large amount (~3 kilos) of slag debri among the mudbricks just to the South and East of L20. The debri was not consolidated and did not have any evident pattern, but was randomly strewn.

Finally, our goal of finding the drain to L20 might finally be in reach. We found an area of extremely hard soil and conglomerate (L35) near the debri mentioned above (L14).