Daily Trench Journal

Area D

Trench 8

June 1, 2007

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

Today is the first day of work at the site (Kenan Tepe) for the 2007 season. I am assigned to area D8 where the main objective for the day is to perform cleaning of the accumulated debris due to erosion during the off season. Initial examination revealed moderate to high level of erosion which had covered the trench protected by a plastic sheet. The highest amounts had accumulated along the west baulk. Photographs were taken before the work began. According to plan, work started in the furthest NW corner of the trench and proceeded due SW along the baulk. During the debris removal, at the bottom of west baulk, a layer of ash was revealed in the profile approximately 0.40 m off the intersection of the trench floor and the baulk. A second layer of ash appeared below this one and followed the floor level of the trench about 3.85 m south of the north trench wall (baulk). From this ash layer, a single animal bone (long, with articulated end) bone eroded onto the trench floor. It did not appear to be burned or charred.

The top ash layer covers approx. 0.65 m of the wall in the NW corner of the trench and appears to sit above it. It extends over almost half of the baulk southward.

During the next phase of debris removal, the cell room floors and walls were cleaned as the protective plastic sheet and overlaying debris were taken away. In L123 (previously named L114), the floor bricks became apparent and at this point, we were confident that we have reached the previously recorded surfaces of structures. Elevation was taken in the same room cell.  

On the surface of an adjacent room cell, a pseudomorphic layer and a single pottery shard compacted into the floor surface was recovered.

Work will continue tomorrow as new loci are assigned and new surfaces revealed.