| Entry: | 12-08-2013
In contrast to yesterday’s exploration and discovery of a new third floor, and subsequent collection of this floor, the fill, and floor below together (18376, 31144, 31143), I today began collecting each layer separately ın 31136. For the majority of the unit, a fine layer of phytoliths and dark brown soil was coating the base of this brownish gray floor layer, with the next third floor (31143) below. These phytoliths may represent a chaff coating before laying down a new floor (to add tensile strength). It was very satisfying that the floor was naturally separating from the fill and floor below, making me feel very comfortable that I was correctly removing this floor from the floor below, as opposed to collecting them together as I had in earlier units. When I reached the south side, however, the yellow white floor below (31143) was either not present below or was present in patches only. A particularly interesting area along the southern profile demonstrated a different stratigraphy, with brownish gray floor (about 4cm), followed by the yellow white layer (about 1 cm) and then the dark brown soil with phytoliths coating the bottom. It was only a small lense, approximately 15 cm around, and continues into and is visible within the profile of 31135. I was initially confused about this, but after removing the fine gray fill below the floor, it was clear that the yellow white floor 31143 was not present on this south side, and it was clearly disturbed by animal burrows. Therefore, this small lense of yellow white, according to JMR, is likely the same floor that was below the phytolith layer in the rest of the unit, but here is present in a different way due to the animal disturbance. I am still frustratingly unsure about the nature of this feature, as it doesn’t make sense to me why phytoliths and dark brown soil would be present directly under floor 18376 separating it from the 31143 floor below over most of the area, and the under both the floors together in this one small patch. I am leaning more toward this being some sort of small plaster feature, not necessarily the same as the 31143 floor present in the northern area of the unit. Only excavation of the unit directly to the south, 31135, will clarify this issue. |
