| Entry: | In space 112 we concentrated our efforts on the exposure, documentation and lifting of sheep skeleton 10839 (front legs removed earlier as cluster 10828). This work was supervised by Nerissa Russel from the faunal remains team. The sheep skeleton was in a rather poor condition but nonetheless a clear picture could be obtained of its articulation.
The burial was oriented roughly east west. The skull was located in the east. This orientation is a reversal of that of skeletons 10813, 10814, and possibly 10840 which may be of interest. The sheep, which constitutes a young individual, was lying on its back, and the hind legss were extended, but coming up at an angle. The body had shifted to the left, but the skull was twisted towards the north, right profile facing upwards (see drawing 04/917).
The front legs were extended vertically upwards, and were encountered at a much higher level (they were mostly removed as cluster 10828). Given the odness of this position it has been suggested that the leggs were held up while feature 1702 was infilled. The hind legs too were held up and placed on a fill layer.
Below the sheep skeleton is a brown layer, with a lot of phytoliths/or salts, upon which the matrix breakes evenly. To the south this horizon curves steeply upwards, and covers skeleton 10840. Thus 10840 was put in slightly earlier than 10839.
With these finds feature 1702 finally starts to make sense. It seems to have been initially dug to inter both 10840 and 10839. Later on burials 1711, 1710, and 1709 were cut through this older burial feature.Entered By: Bleda Düring |
