| Entry: | Today was spent finishing and cleaning and planning the end of unit 18341 in space 342; the newly exposed layer underneath has now been designated as unit 18346.
Notwithstanding discussion regarding floors/surfaces in this diary yesterday, unit 18346 is under strong suspicion of being some sort of surface. As observed at the interface between previous (higher) units - demonstrating either the multiplicity of surfaces in space 342, or the ambiguous nature of such evidence - the top of unit 18346 exhibits multiple artefacts, many worth x-finding in their own right, almost entirely at a flat angle upon an apparent (and relatively flat) plane. The plane (and new unit the plane is the top of) is apparent due to its dark brown-black colour and relatively high density (in contrast to the slightly looser and more grey material that constituted unit 18341).
(It is perhaps worth observing that the colour change observed in the layers of space 342 appears to be a general trend throughout the space; each of units 18328, 18341 and 18346 have been defined, at least in part, in contrast to a less dense, less brown, more grey unit above.)
PFB has suggested an interpretation of unit 18346 as a basement surface. In contrast to the apparent plastered floor uncovered by JMR today in space 310, a rather less glamorous surface (i.e. a trampled basement surface as opposed to a plastered room floor) does indeed seem to be called for. However, the contemproneity or otherwise of spaces 310 and 342 have yet to be clarified, and therefore analogy between the two seems currently appropriate as a source of inspiration - rather than firm conclusion. That said, unit 18346 as a basement surface seems to me an attractive interpretation.
During continued detailed planning tomorrow, we will have the opportunity to pay particular attention to the interfaces bewteen unit 18346 and its surrounding features (walls/buttresses). With luck, this will be sufficient to enable us to come to a clearer understanding of the unit's stratigraphic relationship with such features; clearly, if the unit appears to connect with any surrounding features (as PFB might suspect), rather than appearing as a fill subsequent to them, ithe unit's interpretation may markedly differ. |
