| Entry: | Our pod of three (me, Jedrzej and Yunuz) started excavations of B. 102 yesterday, first started the last days of the 2012 season. In S17 a floor level was reached last year, but wasn't found in S18, and not even in a sondage cut they made in the middle of the room was able to help them in that sense. However, sondage cuts, being small and deep, might miss fragments of information especially if you, as we, are working with a very fragmented and disturbed context. In this case, we actually found bits and pieces of the floor level in S18 aswell when removing rest of room fil (20481). The sondage cut was however not in vain, as it actually informs us of the next really clear floor level some 20 cms down, presumably in a better condition.
In space 17 however, the floor level was clear as well as a hearth and an oven, some cuts here and there, and a thin wall stuck in the southern bulding wall. The oven is currently under excavation. Dividing the spaces was a presumed wall F3688, which now has been further clarified. It is a wall-like structure, right now with unclear function. It has no mudbricks but consists of plaster and packed clay. The plaster has had red paint on, but is badly preserved and partly fallen down. On it, or rather on the bottom of the fill 20481, we found some very nice obsidian pieces; arrowheads, blade, flakes etc. Also , we discovered a part of the feature not known before, which kind of looks like a small sink with plaster linings. Where it initially was thought to be the southern part of the wall (F3688), we found rest of room fill (20481), and beneath it we exposed a burial (F3691), an ashy layer with bovine horn core, and another bin-like wall stuck in the Southern wall. Entrances between spaces 17 and 18 might be in two places, but as it is a cut north of F3688 it is not very certain, although no wall rubble has been found there.
What is really happening here? My initial thoughts is that sealing of the house or closing it, was perhaps started off with a burial, but maybe more certain the leaving obsidian objects on the strange feature in the middle of the room or/and in the "sink" attached to it. The wall-like feature is an interesting installation, and I am indeed confused. A bench was an suggestion, but it seems like a strange place to put benches. A multifunctional room divider of some sort however is still a possible abstract interpretation. To consider its centered position with the nice plaster decor facing the hearth, might be an useful pathway to interpretation. We will see. |
