| Entry: | Mud bonded mud-brick walls (F.’s 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7):
Drawing the separate courses in detail has highlighted some consistent characteristics within the building components of the main walls of Building 1. As identified before, the extraordinary length of the intact bricks (c. 1m) has already encouraged an interpretation of ‘made in situ’. The discovery of ‘bedding’ bricks forming the primary course of Building 1 encourages the same interpretation. The uneven upper levels of the previous build was seemingly dealt with by infilling the dips and hollows with made to measure mud bricks. This was achieved by either cutting the bricks to size (unlikely because of the thinness of the bedding bricks : c. 1 cm) or by manufacturing the bricks in situ using a former or template. The bricks could have been levelled or pared afterwards to make an even wall plate ready to accept the first proper course of bricks. Notably mortar was not used, within the area examined, to remedy any unevenness.
Evidence for this interpretation is further enhanced by the triangular/wedge-shaped mortar-filled spaces between the heads of each brick in a course. Suggestive of the bonding entering after bricks had been laid or set, the sharp upper corners of each brick appears squashed downwards by subsequent courses. Furthermore, the mud bonding changes regularly every 3 courses (or 30 cm lift) of walling. A characteristic perhaps also indicative of elements being allowed to dry or set before the next constructional phase. This incremental construction is analogous with Cob or Clay-lump construction seen in ethno/medieval archaeological contexts (Cite??)/
Closely spaced parallel walls:Entered By: Mark Knight |
