| Entry: | This is my first diary entry, and despite writing my own daily, the first time that i have sat down to actually write on this programme. Thought that it was about time i did so as a lot has happened in the last week. So here goes.....
As of today i have been here exactly one week. After a day or so to settle into life back at catal, and a dusty and hot day of helping to clear the 4040, simon mccann and i began work on our own little area within the shelter. On the south side, it stands as a little island away from everything else, an area left since the 1960s Mellartian excavations. Work was done a few years back when excavating for the footings of the shelter but this area was left.
First thing to do was to clean back to see just what we had. A few mudbrick walls turned up, but we kinda new about these as a tentative plan of this area was drawn a few years back (space 202). A few bits of plaster and a few burnt areas but pretty much what we expected really. Until we began to clean the sections. As an island with nothing else around we have been gifted the most amazing aid - a guide of what to expect, so we know pretty much what to expect and when. Having said that, whilst cleaning towards the disturbed western end, an area with no clear walls or spaces, i managed to uncover a neonateburial. With my trowel. A rather heavy handed trowel. I was not pleased, as amongst the bones were several (now counted to 13ish) small oval/sub circular shell beads, approx 1cm long. The most beautiful things i have ever found here, and apparently the first of their kind on this site. Went and got the bones people,who managed to salvage what they could. The skele was actually pretty messed up before i got there, and was actually buried at an angle of 45 degrees. I know it wasnt my fault,but i just wished that i had managed to find in context, and not by accident. And to confuse things more, there is no definate feature, space or even building to assign it to. I planned it and surveyed it in, so we should be able to tie it in later. Not really the way i like doing things, but still,no way around it.
So after all that cleaning, especially of the sections, we could see that we had the remnants of a building (now building 42 - the answer to life, the universe, and everything),approx 40cm, which all sits on a complicated sequence of midden, burnt deposits and another house. As you can imagine we were pretty keen to start. Through the section we could see that there was a plastered platform in the NE corner of the area (now dubbed 'Little Britain' - to make us feel at home), so it seemed a good idea to remove the room fill down to this level. Working, mattocking and shovelling in the shelter is far worse than i imagined. With no air or breeze the dust just hangs in the air, which is not pleasant.
Anyhoo, what we uncovered was far better than anyone could imagine. Basically, running N to S we have a plastered platform (F1501), of which there are at least 3 phases (seen in the section), pretty badly mashed by animals, which drops only about 1cm onto another platform (F1502). Central to this is a rectangular cut (S facing), approx 20cm x 10cm. Talking to Ian and seeing some of the detailed photos of the Mellartian era, these 'niches' may represent a kind of post hole from which came a rectangular structure, approx 50cm high, from which, in the Mellart phase at least, bull horns. Again, this is something that has not been seen the 1960s. Another niche was found, again central along the edge of F1502), W facing. Upon the surface of this platform/feature we found found several lumps and pieces of plaster just sat upon the plastered surface. These have been interpreted as the disgarded pieces relating to the niches. Whether they are or not I guess we can never say, but it looks pretty good to me. Actually, after cleaning it all back agian today for photos (we spend our lives cleaning it cos the dust is so bad, plus it looks sogood when its clean!) we noticed a possible grave cut beneath the debris. Looks pretty convincing at the moment so we get tolook at it tomorrow.
Still moving south, we we halfexpecting the surface to continue all the way to the concrete footings, but no, it suddenly rises sharply to reveal a bench! Once cleaned youcan actually see at least 3 phases of construction, thanks mainly to our little furry fella friends. At some point they must have thought that it wasnt high enough so raised it another 2 inches. And all of this, all plastered in a high quality, lime rich, brilliant white plaster which looks fantastic, drops about 3inches onto another surface, which is not as nice (the plaster has largely gone) but still looks good.
Planned it today so more tocome off tomorrow, mainly the scattered debris and a little furtle at the possible grave.
More when i have something tosay,but for now i,m off to feed my face as it is 7 o'clock!Entered By: Gareth Chaffey |
