Unit 2845
Category: layer dug in 1998
Area: South
Interpretive Categories: Midden
Data Category Information: Location: external; Deposition: finely bedded
Dimensions: 7.36 m E-W x 3.96 m N-S x 10 to 15 cm thick
Discussion: Surfaces of this deposit:
Diffuse with faint contrast and slightly uneven surface.
Slopes down from east to west at gradient of approximately 1 in 10 and down very slightly from north to south approximately 1 in 20.
Recognition: This is the layer under 2840. While excavation, it was understood that there was a layer of phytoliths underneath it. So, this is the layer that covers the phytoliths. The boundary between this layer and 2840, which overlay it, was difficult to define.
Definition: The extent of this layer was defined by the phytolith layer beneath it, i.e. where the phytolith ceased, so did 2845. Where this unit overlay a dense concentration of phytolith, it was easily removed with the point of a trowel, giving a clear, undamaged boundary at base with the phytolith layer. to the SE the same technique of removal was used but it came down to a different deposit, and a scatter of obsidian. Its extent in the SE is more uncertain. To the NW and SW, the extent of this unit is defined by the limit of excavation. However, to the SE, it was abutting an earlier wall.
Execution: Excavated with point of trowel and dental pick, then just trowel.
Condition: Hot and dry. Mostly excavated without a cover. This area was exposed for a few days so there is a possibility of contamination.
Consistency: Generally firm but towards the south, friable. Towards the NW more compact and clayey. Lenses of very loose ash to the west.
Colour: 2.5 YR 6/3 Light yellowish brown.
Texture: 90% silt, 10% clay.
Bedding: Compound layers which are parallel and convolute. LENSES: Occasionally very thin lenses of phytoliths, sometimes with yellow ochre (?). Some parallel; others discontinuous and wavy. In the NW, large lens of very dark grey ashy deposit which had frequent charcoal fragments and fragmented bone, patches of coprolite with hackberries and fragmental phytoliths. This was 2 cm below the surface and up to 3 or 4 cm thick, and had a loose consistency. To the SW, lens of friable light grey ash and silt with frequent charcoal fragments. In the centre-north, a lens of soft dark brown silty organic deposit, suggested by Wendy to be an in situ burnt deposit. Organic residue sample s.8.
Inclusions: Occasional large and small salty conglomerates, 10-100mm. Up to 5% charcoal flecks and fragments. Phytoliths (see lenses), and occasional clusters which were frequent in the N and rarer in S. Occasional flecks and small patches of coprolite. Occasional flecks and small patches of dense yellow material, possibly yellow ochre. Occasional small obsidian flakes - 6-20mm. Rare pottery. Bone fragments frequent in some areas - seem to be concentrated in areas of ashy deposit. Occasionally small and medium sized stones. Occasionally large lumps of white clay(?). Occasionally large fragments of burnt clay/mudbrick to south. 2 pieces of worked bone, 1 horn core, 1 worked shell, bone beads, whole and fragmented clay balls.
Post-depositional Features: Occasional insect and root activity. One possible animal hole. Salt conglomerates.
Basal Boundary: Although as already mentioned the basal boundary was easy to define when over dense crew of phytoliths. Towards the west. it was less definite and more difficult to remove, possibly because of less concentration of phytoliths or conversely because of clayier consistency of this deposit in W the phytoliths were less well preserved. Sharp wavy anthropogenic boundary because surface below looks as it has been trampled (it has bumps, and is cracked, compact and muddy).
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 1200
Total Deposit Volume: 1289
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 19
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 9
Number of Related Diary Entries: 3
Settlement Phase:
Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present
Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present
| Related Photos: 3 (Opens as a group in a new window) | |
| Buildings: none | |
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:: 54
Unit description: F1 is a bone point. F2 is a bone ring fragment. X1 is a cattle horncore. X2 is a piece of worked antler, perhaps a preform. X5 is a cattle DNA sample (S9). X8 is a cattle DNA sample (S11) X7 is a cattle DNA sample (S11) Last number = 2
This is a medium size midden unit made up of many large fragments including articulation but also lot of small unidentiffiable shaft long bone fragments. The material is DS and 4mm flotation. Species include cattle, sheep, horse, bird, fish and microfauna. There is less than 10% burning and gnawing and a small amount of digestion. Flotation conisisted of mainly unidentifiable small fragments but 2 fragments of fish bone were extracted.
Scrap weight 200Figurine 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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