Unit 2255
Category: layer dug in 1997
Area: North
Interpretive Categories: Building fill,Midden
Data Category Information: none
Dimensions: 95 x 100cm
Discussion: 27/8/97
Started the unit in order to remove the hard building fill which we believe lies on the top of the midden which was visible in section from unit 2229 and 2228. Began removing bricky fill in area of 3 bricks, noted on plan, several pieces of painted plaster came up. The color of the plaster was dark red 10 YR 4/8 and 10 YR 5/8 (immediately after coming out of the ground).
31/08 1997
After continuing to remove building fill we found a layer of gray ashy midden material below the building fill level. In some areas, the ashy layer is directly below the building fill (SE corner), in most other areas of the pit, the ashy layer is deeper sloping down to the NE corner, (can be seen in 2229). In the N central area there were some plaster bricks and layered (multi-layers) plastered surfaces also seemingly deposited into building fill. The unit was extended to outside 2 x 2 in order to follow natural stratigraphy of the W wall.
1998 /VT
Arbitrary layer defined by distinct colour, bounded by building 3 S wall, baulk to the N, and curtain wall to the W. Comprised of orangey brown room fill with inclusions of brick material (up to 5 x 10 cm), bits of mortar, and especially flecks of plaster, charcoal etc.. Whole deposit has distinctly compact structure, especially towards the SW corner, while NW corner seems to have much less inclusions of brick, thus being slightly less compact. Towards the E, deposit is much more "midden like" near the border with 2229 unit. Both on South and North (baulk) edge two, app. 40 x 15 cm and 20 x 20 cm, pale platforms were cleaned and left in situ, (maybe connected to suspect "platform" construction to the East.). Layer was probably created by infilling of room by considerable pieces of brick, plaster, and burnt material, thus compacting into the distinctive ------------- strong layer.
20-21.07.98
This area is the west of (mid x = 1054.18/ y = 1185.43) space 86, the hard clayish layer was the continuation of 2255 so we gave the same unit No. It is quite compact, yellowish clayey deposit. It is the previous layer of 2250- the midden unit.
26.07.1998/NY
This is an arbitrary layer with yellowish-brownish sandy compact soil.
1998
The unit was excavated in 2 more arbitrary spits and no significant changes occur in soil color and texture. Fill probably continues deeper down as seen in rodent holes. Black ashy soil patch still visible towards the E baulk.
Recognition: Color and distinct compactness
Definition: Up to the walls/baulks. To the E by color and texture
Execution: With trowel, in spits from W to E.
Condition: Nice, sunny and clear
Consistency: loose to firm
Colour: 10YR 6/4-10YR 6/3.
Texture: Sandy clay loam.
Bedding: Massive
Inclusions: Clay, bricks 20%, mortar, burnt wall plaster, several large bricks (27x16cm) also bone, human bone 5%, concentrated burning in SE corner and along the line in NE corner (see plan). Old materials roughly sorted. Group of 3 bricks in NE orientation seen in
Post-depositional Features: Large rodent holes, lots of salts.
Basal Boundary: In SE corner, basal boundary is prominent, wavy, inclined to north, uneven surface on N side.
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 944
Total Deposit Volume: 1014
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 14
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 22
Number of Related Diary Entries: 1
Settlement Phase:
Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present
Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present
Buildings: (Click to view the record)
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Spaces: (Click to view the record)
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| Features:: none |
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 Ceramic Records: No Clay Object Records: No Chipped Stone Records: No Conservation Recorded: No Faunal Records: Yes
Count of records:: 314
Unit description: Medium-sized unit with wide range of taxa and body parts. One bird bone, pig and dog represented only by cranial. Two human bones, one of them larger than 12 cm, hence probably too big to be carried by a rodent. How did it get here? The excavators have varying theories about whether it is in fact intrusive. Peter Andrews says he will be able to tell whether it is Byzantine or Neolithic. Small percentage burnt, both high and low temperature. At least some of the burning seems to have occurred postdepositionally. Some gnawing and digestion. Not much weathering, doesn't look rolled. Several pieces with an odd gray-green stain almost as though they had been in a swamp; perhaps the result of being embedded in or surrounded by plaster. Some fairly large pieces, but quite fragmented, thoroughly processed. Except for one proximal cattle radius+ulna, a very big piece broken midway for marrow. Appears to be waste from daily household-level consumption. One hyoid has lots of cuts (tongue removal): normal for many Neolithic sites, but unusual for here. Sample 1 >4mm flotation 100% sorted, only diagnostics recorded, rest as flot frags. Wide range of body parts. Mostly sheep-size except for cattle horn core. A little fish, shell, egg shell. Another flotation sample has no sample number, but a different flot number (1270). NR 2006: An additional small bird bone from the >2mm flotation, Sample ?, Flot. 1270, 50% sorted.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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