Unit 32632

Category: Layer    dug in 2016

Area: South 

Interpretive Categories: Oven superstructure 

Data Category Information: In Situ: in situ; Location: feature; Description: oven; Material: brick&mortar; Deposition: homogeneous

Discussion: This unit was exposed after remove the room infill U32604 and is placed in the corner of the N and E walls, abutting that features.
The oven was quite big and very well preserved. Seems that first they build a foundation structure, made with brown and light brown bricks. This foundation had the dimension of the oven and we think that the line of bricks that there are still in situ, are part of this foundation (in blue in the sketch). (Leave part of this “fundation” was just a methodological excavation decision at the end of 2016 season, to be sure that we will be able to document the relationship of this oven with the hearth F8170 in the future. So this remains need to be documented properly to realize if the oven have more phases, and how were exactly the characteristics of that foundation, if it is a foundation).
We also want to notice that probably related with this foundation there were a line of mud bricks (dark brown and light brown) located in the south part of the oven, abutting the E wall of the building and disposed parallel to that wall (1.22 x 0.30 m) . We are not sure about the function of that element, but we are pretty sure that was related with the oven. This element was built on the hearth F8170 and was related with the latest floor in that space (U32634), as the oven.
After they build this “foundation” they placed the oven domed, which was around 0.15 think, very compact made with orange clay (S7), and that was preserved at least 0.45 m high, so will be possible to recreate exactly the dimensions of the combustion area of that oven. From inside that domed, we documented a plaster surface, very burn, compact and dark brown that we remove also with the same unit. Anyway, we took two different samples only for this part of the superstructure (S4 and S5).
When the domed was completely build they packed the spaces between the walls with brown bricks (s8), clay and mortar to give consistence to the structure.
We also wants to notice that during the removing process of that superstructure we found what we think that there were foundation deposits. We detected three different deposits, one in the north part of the superstructure that was a line of micro fauna (S3) and a possible articulated bones (X1). In the corner between the walls, we found another bone (X2) and in the E part of the oven, there was another important concentration of bones, with a big scapula, very damaged, (X3) that was really intentionally deposit, with a few shells (X3).
Finally we also want to notice that in the south part of the domed (inside the oven), we realize that there was a part of the surface that had white plaster. This was only visible in the extreme south of this domed, but was clearly not burned. So, they plastered again this oven and then after that they leave the building without used again??? The oven was truncated in the west part from the Neolithic.

At the beginning of 2017 season, we remove the remains of the oven superstructure leaved on place at the end of 2016 season. During that process we documented two new X find, X4 composed for scapula and X5 shell, placed in the NE corner of the structure. This x finds are clearly related with the other three documented in 2016 season. After remove the remains of the superstructure that was abutting the building walls, we exposed the plaster of this features. We also were able to see that between the superstructure and the walls in the E side of the structure there were more remains of micro fauna, which probably were related with all this commemoration offerings.
After remove this remains it was much more clear the relation with the hearth F8170.
The oven dome was light orange, made with silt and sand (S7), and was preserved at least 0.45 m high, so will be possible to recreate exactly the dimensions of the combustion area of that oven. From inside the domed, we documented a plaster surface, very burn, compact and dark brown that we remove also with the same unit. Can be the remains of two plastering episodes, so we took two different samples S4 for the most external part and S5 from inside, more orange and maybe also part of the make-up. A part of this plaster and make up that probably belongs to the latest phase, we documented another plaster layer. This was only visible in the extreme south of this domed, but was white and clearly not burned.
In summary in the corner between the E and N wall of the building, on a makeup layer (u 32654) they built two fire installations, the oven F8160 and the hearth F8170. The oven was composed by a light orange dome around 0.15 cm thick which was preserved at least 0.45 cm. In a second phase, probably related with a reparation, the space between the dome and the walls corner was filled with mud bricks and clay to give more consistency to the structure. Relates with this process, as a commemorative offers they placed micro fauna, bones, shell…(X1 to X 5 finds) between the dome and the walls. This activity is also related with the construction of a line of bricks extended out of the oven’s dome, defining a kind of wall 2 m x0.30 m parallel to the east building wall (U32650). This wall was directly build on the latest phase of a hearth (F8670) and truncated a bit this earliest feature. Even there is not clear visible remains, I’m quite sure that this “retaining” wall was extended also abutting the north wall, defining a kind of L. The function of this element is hard to say but is clearly related with the latest phase of the building and probably with the oven activity. (CB-2017) 

Consistency: Very compact 

Colour: Light brown and dark brown 

Texture: Clay 

Bedding: Massive 

Inclusions: Brick and mortar 

Post-depositional Features: Truncated 

Basal Boundary: Constructional, abrupt 

Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field): above: (Click to view the record) 32654 below: (Click to view the record) 32631, 32604 equal to: (Click to view the record) 32643 

Total Deposit Volume: 818 

Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 7

Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 5

Number of Related Diary Entries: 0

Settlement Phase:

Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): IX 

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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