Unit 2296
Category: layer dug in 1998
Area: North
Interpretive Categories: Fill
Data Category Information: none
Discussion: By some mistake there are 2 of both X.2 and X.3, and no X.5. (AMV 6/99)
This is a black ashy soil with lots of charcoal immediately surrounding the bones in the scapularium. S1 and s3 Flotation samples were taken from the wider general area, more specifically s1 was from the East and s3 from the West of the unit. Towards the center of the unit, was found the bone tool (x1) with a broken point, and x2, a thin spheroid piece, possibly from very thin skull or something like an eggshell. This find, x2, had prints of phytoliths, some of which are visible in situ, beneath it. Near and around the bones of the scapularium, higher concentrations of phytoliths are being encountered. However, as yet (20/8), there is no clear relationship between the bones and the soil, ie. if they were lying on the unit, or the surface below (or maybe extension of the platform to the East). Sample 5 represents organic remains between unit 2296 and deposit underneath (blackish).
Xfinds 2-4, 6-13 and 17-21 have been put in this unit after noticiing that they do not belong to unit 2281 where they had been registered at first under the same xnumbers. This explains why there are two x2 and x3 finds in this unit.
Recognition: Recognized by texture (aggregates/inclusions now smaller)
Definition: Texture and color
Execution: Trowel and brush
Condition: Moist
Consistency: Friable
Colour: 10 YR 5/4 yellowish brown and specks of 10 YR 8/8 yellow
Texture: Silty clay loam
Bedding: Massive
Inclusions: Flecks of charcoal; medium pieces of plaster and brick
Post-depositional Features: Salts
Basal Boundary: Clear anthropic (Plaster floor beneath)
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 140
Total Deposit Volume: 189
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 8
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 38
Number of Related Diary Entries: 0
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:: 104
Unit description: This unit number refers to the collection of 8 almost complete large cattle scapulae, a partial cattle skull, and a wild boar maxilla, two pieces of cattle horn core and another large piece of cattle skull, which were clustered in an area directly to the north of the major east-west wall in BACH. Also included are some other smaller bones from the matrix but these were much smaller and appear to be part of the midden-like deposit in which the larger bones lay. This matrix = unit 3517, but bones collected at 2296. The bones of the cluster sometimes overlie a phytolith layer (many taken for samples), which may indicate that they were deposited over a vegetation (grassy?) layer. That the phytoliths were seen after lifting the bones may only show that they preserve better beneath this material (or indeed have become like salts). Other bones (e.g. the boar maxilla) lay directly over a dark burnt layer, seeming to contain charred grasses? In other places, the bones seemed to be over bricky building debris. Overall, the scapulae did seem to come off a layer of plant material, but whether their placement was intentional or not is not clear. Most of the scapulae lay flat with dorsal side up. Two, however, were almost upright (X2 and X22), abutting the wall: were these leaning against the wall when it fell and slumped? Some of the bones overlay each other (e.g. distal end of X6 overlies proximal end of X17, and X9 overlying X18 and X19 - and these were almost crushed together). Also, X2 was 'in front of' X22 (against the wall). Of the cattle scapulae, 5 are right sides, and 3 lefts. None of the bone was burnt. Weathering was slight, indicating that they had not been exposed for any length of time. There are no signs of the scapulae being used as tools, no butchery marks evident (as yet), and the only modification seen is the removal of a scapulae spine (X9). The boar maxilla had been cut in the median-sagittal plane, and also had been cut forward of the P2 (this seems similar to some of the boar jaws seen in South 1889). The cattle (Check also with Bison*) skull was chopped in transverse manner, just in front of where horn cores would be. is this an off-cut from horn core installation?? Within the skull, deposit is 'dirty' as with ashy midden, not perhaps as would be expected if this was plaster for an installation. Possible explanations: - Storage/smoking/preservation of shoulder blade and meat. Scapulae could have been hung on wall, localized, and fallen in with room collapse? The skull and horn core pieces, however, argue against this since these are not good meat pieces. - Feasting idea: this building received scapulae preferentially at communal cattle cooking events, and these may be deposited in low down (just post-abandonment) fills, post-consumption? What may argue against this is lack of consumption/meat removal marks (*check), and also the fact that we don't see other strong body part selection elsewhere, in other structures or areas of the midden. Also the minimum number of individuals for cattle alone is 5. This would mean a huge quantity of meat. - Scapulae may be tools? If this is the case, they have been little modified (only one has spine removed), and as yet there are no indications of wear/polish. Maybe unused tools? Supporting this idea = North house had a scapula scoop lying over hearth; and Mellaart mentions scapulae 'shovels'. Considering the context and other bones, could scapulae have been used in someway in installation manufacture (e.g. horn cores in plaster, bukrania??)??. X1 is a bone point. Figurine Records: No 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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