Daily Trench Journal

Area D

Trench 8

June 12, 2007

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

Today, recording and excavation of multiple loci in the SW quadrant of D8 continued on the territory of the following areas: L149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, and 155. This is a cluster of loci, which are located in the area of the former L142 (along the west trench baulk). They abut each other and establishing possible relations between them will be the goal during their excavation.

It appears that a large destructive event, due to fire, took place and melted mud structures (wall or oven), thus, resulting in their collapse and the accumulation of large quantity of ash and burnt debitage, i.e., burnt small rocks, pottery, lithic debitage, and ground stone tools.

L150 and L154 are ash lenses filling depressions in the hard clay surfaces (possible mud brick slumps). Both are relatively shallow (approximately 5cm) and contain various debitage: pottery, lithics, and small rocks, all show signs of burning.

From the top of L150, sherds from a small ceramic vessel was recovered, and from the top of L154, a fragmented basalt stone tool was collected (KT5).

The contents of both loci were removed and samples were collected. Carbon was taken from L154. Both loci have irregular shapes.

Concurrently, work is going on in L146 and L148: removal of 5cm layers from the top of the fill. Intermixed in it are stone tool fragments, unmodified river rocks, and pot sherds.

In L146, the previously known mud brick wall (L144) is being further investigated.

Closing ash pits L152, L154 and L150. Elevations and pictures taken.

In L147, the removal of fill in 5 cm increments began as well.