| Entry: | We have been continuing work on unit 7913, the giant fill layer. We have fast-tracked this unit and are steadily going through it, pedistaling anything that looks remotely interesting. We started to follow the lines of bins (?) from unit 7916 out of the fill to find the outline of the structure(s). We think that there are some bins in the south-west corner. Thus far, we have just come down upon the plastered outlines of the bins. Today, we (DGN & SHL) began to dig westwards in an attempt to remove the fill bulk. We stumbled upon several plaster lumps that later Ian and Shanina told us to take out, based on previous experience of these types of house fills. By the end of the day, I think we have at least two- possibly three- bins outlined or we think we know where they go. I exposed the plaster on the outside of one bin abutting the east and north wall. I think there are two other bins in the area exposed by unit 7916.
The most exciting thing that we unearthed today was a plastered bull's horn possibly attached to the west wall. DGN found the horn core today while scraping what we previously thought was a post-hole or a post retrevial pit. So far, we believe that it is attached to the wall, although there is still about 5cm of mud covering the plaster. But there is a plaster line directly behind it so it is not unlikely. The conservation team came to assess the horn and now we have left it and will dig around it, trying to locate other features and possible floor levels in the eastern and northern section of the space.
SLS and UK finished the child burial (feature 1650; units 7917, 7918, 7919)- drawn and removed all the remains. Now that the burial is removed, we can get to work in the northwest corner and take it down to the same level as 7916- or as far down as possible until another feature appears.
The shelter is due to go up within the next few days and we have been instructed not to expose any of the plaster until it has. Also, DGN and I stopped working to remove the fill in the southwest corner because the visibility was just too bad to detect the subtleties in the soi colour change. I think (rather, I hope) the visibility will improve once we have a consistent light because right now, by about 11 am, the light is too bright to really see what is going on, unless there is a dramatic change. Also, the direct sun is drying out the exposed soil fairly immediately so anything recently scraped or identified soon disappears.Entered By: SHL |
