| Entry: | Long time no see. Lots of things have happened since my last entry in Space 163.
I excavated a baby in a basket F.487, skeleton 4438, cut 4409. The position of this skeleton was unusual as the head was facing west, with the arms extended by the sides of its body (s-n) and the legs extended at right angles to the body (e-w). The collapse in the basket impression (4442) suggests that the body had been placed in the basket in a sitting position. It was then placed in the cut [4409] where it had collapsed to the left under the weight of the grave backfill (4410).
We continued working in Space 163, excavating the neolithic infill in the SE quadrant first. The amount of infill (in litres) was recorded and all of the deposit (4443) was sieved for any artefact evidence not retrieved in excavation. Samples were taken of the quadrant. After a very hot day of excavating we came across two main features in this quadrant. One was collapsed wall plaster with a trace of painting, and the other is the top of a fire installation. We stopped at this level, protected the remains of the wall painting and fire installation and covered the area in plastic to prevent drying. This is because we need to see all the features together, and that the infill above the floors need to be systematically sampled.
So.... the next day we began the process again in the SW quadrant (4172). Phew......... no skeletons. Features include a possible bin in the very SW corner butting up against the south wall and west wall. There also appears to be a platform in the southernmost part of this quadrant, and a large spread of plaster to the west. Again we stopped at this level and protected the archaeology. Very small slots were cut into the infill under the south and east walls of space 163. This was to find the plaster and walls of the lower building. The plaster and mud bricks of the east wall are set back at a dangerous angle here, and will collapse the later walls (F.486) if excavated. Therefore we cannot excavate these walls. The south wall plaster may also hold the same threat.
So.... we (Pete, Lucy and myself) began excavating the north-west quadrant (4325). Excavated a couple of spits and low and behold..... skeleton. This was a very interesting skelly F.492, headless, legs akimbo with a mat impression and the remains of a charred piece of between them. Pete began excavating this with Basak helping with the lifting. And they will get to be on telly.... *******.
See their diaries for forthcoming details.
Ok so we lost Pete to another skeleton..... but the cavalry just joined.... the arrival of Adnan and Atakan.
So.... the four amigos began excavating the NE quadrant (4416). Within 20 minutes my mattock had a small encounter with another ‘baby in a basket’ F.494. Adnan began excavating it. With two umbrellas up to protect the skeletons from the sun... (no shelter yet) it was becoming hard to excavate infill and avoid disrupting the delicate excavation work. So I decided to catch up on the mounting paper work and ensure that the matrix was in order. Atakan and Lucy found the remains of a possible platform on the north wall and had to stop excavating
The excavation of Pete’s skeleton took some time as it contained many contexts and subsequently Adnan finished in advance of Pete, while I was recording walls. Adnan was moved to another part of the site, Lucy too. When the skelly F.492 was finally lifted we began the continued excavation of the NE quadrant. Again el trusty mattock sought out the nearest skeleton. No damage..... as we were excavating very slowly searching for grave cuts. This skeleton was adult (not sexed yet) and is the first complete skeleton since 1965. All others have been crushed in antiquity or had they’re heads removed in advance of burial (as with Petes’ skelly). The newly exposed skeleton was placed under the entrance way. So myself and Pete removed them. The cut was then found.
I began excavating the new grave.... Feature 513. After removing the upper fill (4410) I encountered a layer of owl pellets (4619) spread across the torso of the body. Owl pellets can give much information on micro fauna, times of the year and if the building was abandoned or not at time of burial. Therefore I sampled the owl pellets... in places 2-3 cm in depth to retrieve this information. A grid of 10 cm quadrants was laid over the body and 15 samples taken, 100% of the deposit that fell into this grid.
The event was filmed, photographed and recorded. Removal of the owl pellets revealed the full extent of the skeleton (4615). The body was placed in a crouched position head north, pelvis south. The head and body was facing the east. The head was also facing slightly downwards. The left leg was overlain by the right leg. The left leg overlies the left arm..... while the right arm overlies the left arm. The sternum was found intact and the skeleton was excellently preserved. Within the chest cavity was found a sooty deposit (4621). This could be a result of the smoke within the houses collecting in the lungs. A 100% sample has been taken so someone better do something with it.... because it would be nice to know what it is for sure. Other skeletons have had similar sooty staining and it would make a nice comparison.
The body was fully excavated with the exception of the left foot which is currently obscured. The head has just been lifted....complete..... so maybe some facial reconstructions.... Q Julian Richards.
Red ochre has also been found, but curiously underneath the skeleton rather than spread on top. It is possible that it was placed on top of the skeleton... but the owl pellet layer has stained everything a nice shade of orangey red. This will be planned, sampled and lifted. The remaining left foot will also be planned and lifted.
Ok do some theorising. Owl pellets. My opinion is that they are infact removed from an area where an owl is living.... as a scooped up deposit and placed over the body in one area... concentrating on the torso. Why? It could be because owls tend to be seen at night and are associated with the dark. Death in many cultures is also seen as dark. The ending of the day the beginning of night, the journey from light to dark to light.. The owl comes out in the dark, feeds.... and when it returns back to its nest ..... or its home..... it regurgitates its prey....as a skeleton. Its very own house of the dead. Maybe the owl held a mythological presence in this culture......well you have to use your imagination a bit!
So I need a holiday.... well I’m off(in 4 hours) to spend eight glorious days in northern Cyprus with Pete Jez and Atakan. If we took a holiday..... some time to celebrate....... where’s the beach and the scuba equipment? Ive left instructions concerning the lifting of the rest of the skeleton.....
What joys will be waiting for me when I return....... and can someone please water the garden.
Its reached that crucial stage where its Bloom or Doom.
A Bientot.Entered By: Charlie Newman |
