Unit 8865
Category: layer dug in 2004
Area: North
Interpretive Categories: burial fill
Data Category Information: Location: cut; Description: burial; Deposition: homogeneous
Dimensions: E-W 230 cm; N-S 52/65 cm
Discussion: Arter many discussions it was finally decided to regard this feature ''a burial'' (similar burials lined with mudbricks have been excavated at TP area). Other evidence supporting the ''burial'' option - the fill yielded fragments of late pottery (terra sigilata type of pottery, a rim and a body sherd of an amphora), the dimensions of the structure, which seemed appropriate for a grave. Evidence against the ''burial'' option - rows of brick and mortar in section while bricks were as narrow as they were vertical (in plan) and the fact that larger part of the feature was under what semed to be a Neolithic midden.
After excavating larger part of the structure, we made the conclusion that it might have been a burial, which was disturbed or removed. The fill yielded iron nails, several more sherds of terra sigilata type of pottery and a human bone (phalanx).
The fill is almost exactly the same as the surrounding midden. It also yielded materials, which are typical for the midden.
Cleaning a rodent burrow, Pedja (known also as Predrag Dakic) discovered part of a human skull in it and after a discussion with the Human remains team, we decided to continue with the excavation of the grave.
First thing to do was to extend the area of the excavated feature in order to expose the mudbricks, which covered the skeleton. Probably this is a ''false bottom burial'', in which the body is laid in the cut lined with mudbricks, after that it is covered by a horizontal layer of mudbricks and the rest of the cut is filled back with soil.
In order to expose the skeleton we removed the mudbricks, which were recorded as a separate unit (8866).
The fill in the cut above the mudbricks consisted of silty ash and did not differ very much from the surrounding midden. Since the cut was made in the middeny (Neolithic) layer, the grave was filled back with the same soil. It is gray in colour, much softer than the midden and mixed with ash. The fill contained great amount of animal bones. The pottery sherds were handmade (Neolithic one) and wheel-made (Late Roman ones). There were few obsidian chips as well as salts.
The animal bones, the obsidian chips and the Neolithic sherds are apparently elements of the Neolithic middeny layer, in which the cut was made. The same is true for a horn of a clay zoomorphic figurine, which was found in the SE part of the fill. It is not related to the burial, that is why it was not given a X-number.
Recognition: area enclosed within mudbricks in the midden
Definition: separated by the mudbricks, otherwise same as midden
Execution: trowel, precise tools, brush
Condition: dry to moist
Consistency: loose when dry, moderate when moist
Colour: ''middeny gray''
Texture: silty ash
Bedding: massive
Inclusions: charcoal, animal bones, organic remains, obsidian chips, pottery sherds
Post-depositional Features: salts, rodent burrows, plant roots
Basal Boundary: flat (mudbricks)
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 0
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 1
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 1
Number of Related Diary Entries: 0
Settlement Phase:
Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present
Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present
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Finds Room Information:
All material from site passes through the finds room for washing and separating before it is passed onto the various lab teams. The finds room keeps a basic inventory of what is found. A finds material type list is given here. Further analytical detail maybe provided by the Lab Team data below.
X Finds Material: nothing recorded
Finds Material Stored: nothing recorded
Lab Team Data
Please note the list below does not represent everything that might have been found in this Unit, but represents the datasets we have available on-line. Please ArchaeoBots Sample Recorded: No Ceramics Data for 2004 still to be released Clay Object Records: No Chipped Stone Records: No Conservation Recorded: No Faunal Records: No Figurine Records: Yes
Count of records::none GroundStone Records: No Heavy Residue Records: No Microfaunal Records: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested microfauna recordsPhytolith Sample: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested phytolith samplesDownload this Units Data
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