| Entry: | The state of play in Building 6 Space 163 is that it is now Building 17 Space 170. All infill has now been removed and the primary destruction fill of the newly exposed room was gridded into 1.0m squares and sampled systematically to reveal all the new features and final phase floor.
Each square was given a unit number and a sample of 30L taken and located within the square. This process will give information concerning the final phase use of the various areas of the room. The reference unit number to the deposit is 4624, and the various grid unit numbers are 4625 to 4645, 4648, 4653 and 4654. Although the actual process of sampling is not too time consuming, the issuing of individual contexts to each grid square reduces excavation time by increasing paperwork. The obvious solution is to issue one context number to the single deposit and to commit different sample numbers to each located sample. One context sheet many samples.
This issue was apparently raised last year and the reason for the increased paperwork is because some of the specialist databases cannot handle it. This caused much discussion with the present specialist team. Within 30 seconds it was agreed that the database could handle individual samples with each unit number issued….. as we have been doing except with fewer samples. It is a good thing that this year our specialists are on the ball and understand the pressures on site. This also simplifies paperwork in all departments concerned. I can only conclude that someone was being anal last year. Please let me know if it was you.
Anyway the room looks excellent. It was photographed, filmed and Duncan began a base plan while I sought out the post retrieval pits, of which five have been excavated. These numbers are [4604] NW, [5013] SW, [4655] S, [5017] SE [5015]. All appear to be cutting the destruction phase deposit (4624). This indicates that the roof, features and sculptures were destroyed or damaged prior to the retrieval of the posts.
Of all the post holes, [4604] revealed the most important information. Excavating the PRP fill (4605) a skull was found (5018). This was found to be incorporated into the original construction fill (5019). So what does this tell us? It appears that a skull was placed into the posthole during construction, possibly another example of continuity of ancestry and present community. Whether the body was excavated from the building directly below we will hopefully find out later. There was no mandible present.
We have now moved to excavating the uppermost floor deposits (5020). The area has been gridded into 0.50m divisions and various samples have been taken. For each square a phytolith, a chemical, a phosphate, an archive and the remains got to flotation. This process is made simple by the use of a multitude of sample numbers.
We will then stop, clean up the new white floor, photograph and film, Michael from the Bach team will then record the room with a 360° view using quick time virtual reality (QTVR).
So there you have it . Site is a constant 34 in the shade which makes working conditions a little uncomfortable but thanks to Lindsey, Atakan, and Ismail we have a cover.
A Bientot.Entered By: Charlie Newman |
