| Entry: | The last days of this seasons excavations were spent excavating the small sounding into wall F.5058 as well as the plastered areas on the small block left standing south of the corner between wall F.5058 and buttress F.3301. Here, half of the plastered surface (U.18387) running up to both features was removed in order to see what the substrate look like and to identify whether the plastering transitional layer U.16999 continues in this part. Below the plaster, which may because of its stratigraphic connection to the wall and buttress be considered the remains of a floor, a small layer of fill (U.18391) was found. This fill consisted of soil that did not show clear indications of any specific make-up, in contrast to the mortar or plaster, which are clearly prepared or mixed, but did include some potsherds. It seems as if this fill was put in place to give a slope to build the superimposed plaster on. This material was then also removed revealing the plastered surface of U.16999. Most likely this transitional layer continues further south below the other half of the plaster floor left standing. Currently it seems that the plaster patches left on the block going into Sp.454 my be connected to the floor plaster of U.18387 and therefore may belong to the upper structures of B.106 and not to the transitional layer U.16999 as previously theorised. Nevertheless, this does still remain unclarified and will require the excavation of the plaster on the block possibly then showing the sequence of layers or even connections to features. The extension of plaster over the central surface of Sp.454, whose connection to the block previously described also remains unclear, was brushed showing a clear outline as well as layers of plaster, black ash and orange material, which may indicated towards some burning event or events that took place here. The outline is oval in some places and clearly shows that the plastered area cuts into the lower area, which has been characterised as the room-fill of the lower part of B.106. Wether the possible burning events were intentional or not, which would also explain the function or nature of the area, is not yet clear also limiting any preliminary interpretations. Unfortunately, the stratigraphic link to a one of the phases (upper building – transitional substructure – lower building) is also not yet evident.
In the small sounding into wall F.5058 and buttress F.3301 more mud-brick material of U.17276 and U.16994 was removed extending the cut to a width of 1.30m. The transitional layer now exposed is still characterised by irregular plaster thicknesses over an uneven surface and patches where the redish brick material of the lower wall is already visible. As previously mentioned the question how the plaster transition of U.16999 is connected to the neighbouring building 105 and its eastern wall F.2424 still unanswered an will require further excavations next season in order to clarify the sequence of construction.
At this stage the entire building was cleaned and final photos were taken. |
