| Entry: | Jez Taylor. 20/04/1999
Over the last two days, Richard and myself have continued excavating midden deposit 4121, within Space 115. As previously, we have removed 0.10 - 0.15m. spits, rather than try to follow soil horizons. Unsurprisingly, there has been considerable lensing ( ash / charcoal deposits, patches of clay and plaster ), and many changes of soil texture. No definable horizon has proved substantial enough to follow - inevitably intermingling with the deposits we've been trying to seperately define. However, yesterday afternoon, working from east to west, we excavated down to a noticeably more compact, and clayey deposit, covering one third to half the area, which also yielded considerably fewer finds than previously recovered. Initially, we were quite confident, that we had found a horizon that could be followed over the whole area, possibly representing an interface between the midden, and whatever deposits lie underneath. Unfortunately, we've become bogged down in the central area, and may have lost the compact, clayey material. A darker, slightly siltier deposit, with a higher charcoal content, survives at the approximate level we've been digging, but the boundary between this and the "clay"deposit is far from clear. We are now removing a spit of this material, as we move toward the western end of the area, where we suspect we may rediscover the horizon we've been following, perhaps sloping down below a substantial build - up of the darker deposit. We're hoping that once we have uncovered the extent of our clayey material, we may be able to remove the large lump of wall - collapse?, that lies to the south, in the central area - if it is lieing on top of our soil horizon, which as yet remains unclear. On a slightly happier note, the workmen dry sieving our spoil, have rescued a few small clay figuerines - mostly animal images, but also, one intact, or very nearly intact, upright human.Entered By: Jez Taylor |
