| Entry: | Work in Sp. 341 resumed within a new layer of room-fill called U.16973, which is different in compactness to the preceding material. This levels is much thicker and as we are getting closer to the supposed floor level the amount of finds, including many clay balls, fired and unfired pottery, obsidians and some stone tools, has risen substantially. Because a possible transition to a lower level of room-fill was difficult to discern while digging within the entire area of the Space a discussion about the strategy of excavation was opened. The result of this brainstorm between JMR, EUR and KTX was to open a small sounding in the centre of the Space in order to quickly remove a smaller amount of material over a smaller area. This window (U.16979) would hopefully allow us to realise the interface or place of transition between this layer and the one lying underneath. In this case an ashy area followed by more compact, redish-brown material was visible in the sections and regarded as the interface (ash) and the subsequent level of room-fill (compact material). This quick and simple, but also effective, method of a small sounding was very successful in allowing us to establish the stratigraphy of these lower reaches of room-fill and therefore also help to understand the nature and sequence of activities that may have taken place in this area. The only disadvantage of this excavation option was that none of the material was screened or sampled due to the mixed character of the soil removed. Despite this, a substantial amount of finds were uncovered, including several mentioned previously, which has substantiated the anticipation that the close proximity to the floor of the room coincides with a rise in the number and density of finds. |
