Unit 3555

Category: layer    dug in 1999

 

Area: North 

 

Related Photo (Click to view larger version in new window)  

Interpretive Categories: fill 

 

Data Category Information: none

 

Discussion: Still removing collapsed debris from central area of sp.86. No change in deposits, but possible proximity of floor surfaces is stimulus for changing unit number. 

 

Recognition: lower part of previously identified collapse/debris 

Definition: arbitrary in vertical terms 

Execution: pick + trowel 

Condition: normal 

Consistency: slightly sticky, slightly plastic 

Colour: 10YR 6/3 mottled grey/red/brown 

Texture: silty clay 

Bedding: massive 

Inclusions: burnt lumps 0.5-5cm <10% 

Post-depositional Features: roots, insects 

Basal Boundary: sharp, distinct 

 

Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field): above: (Click to view the record) 3563, 3572 below: (Click to view the record) 3542 

 

Dry sieve volume: 225 

Total Deposit Volume: 252 

Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 3

Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 1

Number of Related Diary Entries: 0

 

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: (Click to view the record) 3

Spaces: (Click to view the record) 86

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 contact us to obtain more information about this Unit.

ArchaeoBots Sample Recorded: No

Ceramic Records: No

Clay Object Records: No

Chipped Stone Records: No

Conservation Recorded: No

Faunal Records: Yes Count of records:: 71  Unit description: A large-medium size unit with a lot of fresh breaks, probably because there are some elements such as antler and larger vertebrae that tend to break easily. Condition of material is variable. Some, about half of the fragments, have good surfaces, weathering stage 3ish, and dark browny patina, maybe indicating some heating but not burning. The denser elements, such as long bone fragments, tend to have this pattern. Then the larger less dense elements, such as a cattle skull, equid axis, antler and horn core fragments, are lighter in colour, with a more matte surface, although still weathering stage 2. These two patterns make me wonder whether we are seeing two major depositional episodes in this unit, or maybe more, with these as the most recognizable. The large pieces seem to have been complete in the ground, and would have been quite big - e.g. about 20 cm long, and 3 dimensional. They are also not typical discard pieces, e.g. quite a lot of large antler pieces (which may or may not be from the same antler) and a Bos skull. Maybe they were on a surface and intended for modification?? The smaller fragments seem to be normal discard from processing and consumption activities. Taxa: in terms of fragments, 03 size are more common, but by weight, 07 would be more common. There are a few 02 size long bones and a fox mandible fragment with tooth. 03: long bone shafts, ribs, just one vertebra, of O/C a pelvis fragment, metapodia, phalanx and teeth, plus some skull and horn core frags. In sum, all body parts represented but rather few diagnostic long bone parts or vertebrae. Of 07 size, there are long bone fragments, the single large axis (of a large equid, F35), a carpal, and a Bos second phalanx. There are also loads of fragments of a Bos skull (modern breaks) which would probably have been one in the ground. The skull is far from complete, but frontals can be identified. One fragment of frontal has an interesting blow mark on it, which seems to have healed slightly - the mark is smoothed over on one side and the edges are not fresh. If this interpretation is correct, the blow would have been quite forceful, or it may have been a hunting wound where an arrow or spear hit the skull, but clearly not fatal, and the animal went on to heal, only to get killed later! An alternative explanation might be that this was a post-mortem blow that was smoothed over later by post-depositional activity, e.g. trampling or abrasion against the deposit, but this seems less likely since the rest of the surface of the piece (and indeed the vast majority of other fragments in the unit) doesn't appear worn. Incidentally, the unit sheet says that X1 is an animal skull but there is no faunal material labelled X1. It is possible that the Bos skull described above is X1, and the BFD mentions this, although it is labelled with an F number. The >4mm sample (no 1) was sorted for diagnostics only, and the scrap has a similar pattern to the dry sieved material. One of the two diagnostics is part of the equid axis, the rest (and larger part) being in the dry sieve. This was therefore glued together and recorded with the dry sieve part and obviously recorded and stored together, with a note in the comment that part was from the dry sieve. The other diagnostic is an 05 size distal metapodial - maybe deer, small equid or pig?? Can't tell.

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 records

Phytolith Sample: No Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested phytolith samples

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