| Entry: | Today was a great day. Watching Space 99's transformation from this massive amorphous block to a more defined and segmented area has been like watching a flower grow into maturity. We finished removing a butress (U. 21143) today attached to the western wall that defines our space, recovering a few exciting finds including a small discoid clay bead (much like the ones found in some burials) and a flint drill. Personally, the drill represents the most interesting find recovered from Space 99, especially given its larger context- namely, the drill was made from a prismatic blade (specific to one flint industry at Catal), obviously it was made from flint which is unique given the very small percentage of flint manufacture on site as opposed to obsidian, the drill also appears to have been used as a compound scraper (showing indication of wear use on all three portions of the distal platform), and appears to have been burned prior to being deposited near the butress.
A more over-reaching analysis of the drill's deposition could include the idea that it was placed there as a type of ritual attached to the construction of walls/ wall components- a practice heavily documented here at Catal.
The day's finds also included a small, if not delicate, disoid clay bead much like ones I've seen in pictures of burials previously excavated on site, and, in connection with the human remains found within this unit (disarticulated vertabrae and two teeth), I've kept the possibility that there could be a burial associatted with this area in the back of my mind. However, given that many different types of clay beads have been recovered from burials and the fact that our human remains are not outside the norm for midden-like deposits, this theory is highly unlikely- but it never hurts to keep your eyes keen for things you don’t expect to find, especially when it comes to human burials.
Besides the phsysical aspects provided by the day, I was also very excited about the ways my eyes and intuitions are adapting to the conditions here at Catal. As we reached the base of the butress I suddenly realized that there was an extremely marked change in both the texture and clay content of the soil. In combination with intense mottling, the compact nature of the clay (which will inherently hold more moisture) became more and more evident which activated my archeo- spidey sense (my apologies to anyone who doesn't get this cultural reference), making me step back and consider whether or not we could be reaching the base of the unit. Right around that time Borgu was scheduled to come by and monitor our progress, and, sure enough, she said we had most likely reached base of the unit and the adjoining wall.
Obviously, within my first week here all I saw were shades of grey- dull grey, light grey, dark grey, maybe not 50 shades of grey but you get the point- and all I felt through my trowel was hard and compact. The only way I can describe the subtle transition in my perception is likening it to learning a new language. At first it all sounds like gibberish and your level of incomprehension flusters you to the point of acquiensence. But slowly, little by little, you start picking up on words- here and there- then phrases that import a cultral signifigance, and finally, after one or two years you're talking like a six year old but with the ability to understand and be understood. And I feel archaeology is a lot like this, a gradual acqusition of knowledge and experience that allows you to better see and understand what you're looking at. Right now I might still be a new born in Catal terms, but I grow everyday and maybe one day I'll be a fluent speaker in the language of the Central Anatolian Neolithic. |
