Unit 31705

Category: Skeleton    dug in 2015

Area: North 

Interpretive Categories: primary 

Data Category Information: none

Description: NB Targets not recorded. 

Discussion: 2015 Notes:
Anticipated to be the primary burial in this feature. Other remains placed with u. 31705 along with several wooden bowls. The articulated lower limb and foot at the S end of cut will be re-associated with cranium following further excavation of the burial in 2016. Individual aged approx. 15 yr using skeletal development and dentition.

2016 notes:
31705 seems to be the lowest and best articulated individual interred in F.7962. Additional wooden objects (22678 x5, x7/8 were found laying just over the area of the rib cage, but under or at the same level as post-cranial remains from other subadult individuals of a younger age than 31705. These may have been intentionally placed over 31705, or may be more directly related to the secondary burials and/or primary disturbed interments of the other individuals higher in the cut.

After preliminary examination, charcoal specialist Ceren Kubukcu determined that object 22678 x7/8 (a wooden stick or small branch) was most likely a branch of almond wood, and found that the bark indicated the branch had likely been cut or broken off in winter or fall. These results are preliminary and will have to be verified during the off-season.

The orangey-tan organic substance found under the skull, neck (X1), long bones and elsewhere is likely some kind of animal hide wrapped around the individual at the time of interment. This wrapping may explain why the bones of this individual are relatively undisturbed by the cranial and postcranial remains placed on top of it in the burial cut.

Thicker yellow-orange organic material (x2) found lying over the lower left ribs in the abdominal area may be animal fur or hair from something formerly lying on or near the left wrist. The left hand appears to have been disturbed while soft-tissue still held phalanges and metacarpals in partial articulation. Proximal phalanges 2-5 were laying in a row perpendicular to the direction of the metacarpals a few centimeters away from the rest of the hand, but distal phalanges were tucked between the right ribs and right elbow as if the left hand had at one point been lying palm down over the right rib cage before soft tissue disappeared and the rib cage and abdomen collapesd inward. While most of the left wrist appeared to be articulated in situ, at least 3 carpals were found below the left forearm on top of the inside of the left lower ribs with the organic material. Perhaps some sort of garment or decorative item made of hide or fur fell into the collapsed abdominal cavity as the burial settled and pulled some bones out of articulation as it moved. 

X and Y of Targets: Target A - X: 0; Target A - Y: 0; Target B - X: 0; Target B - Y: 0; Target C - X: 0; Target C - Y: 0; Target D - X: 0; Target D - Y: 0 

Body:  

Head:  

Right Arm:  

Left Arm:  

Right Leg:  

Left Leg:  

Other comments: Good preservation condition 

Surface Modifications: Discoloration from heat of burning event, orange organic substance found on and under many bones 

Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field): above: (Click to view the record) 22680 below: (Click to view the record) 22678 

Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 3

Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 2

Number of Related Diary Entries: 0

Settlement Phase:

Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present 

Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present 

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 contact us to obtain more information about this Unit.

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