| | Area: South | | | | Dug in Year: 2004 | | Feature Type: burial | | | | Related Photo (Click to view larger version in new window) | | | | | Location: | | | Burial/ grave of female skeleton (11306), within grave cut [11307]. Interesting and important with regards to construction, phasing and purpose of building 42. Adult female, tightly flexed, preientated E-W onits left side, within an extremely tight cut, which is well defined within midden depost (11347). Preservation of skeletal remains fairly good, although extensive animal burrowing did disturb some areas, such as the skull. Eastern exten of cut lost to truncation by F1513 and sever animal damage. Northern edge also slightly distorted and not yet clear due to presence of claymarl (11300), (as yet unexcavated-- represents strategraphic problem that needs to be dealt within on coming season).
Purhaps the most important and interesting feature of this grave is the presence of plastered and subsequently painted skill of an elderly adult, not yet gendered (largely due to method of excavation by conservators). Technically a grave good(?) but unit no (11330) given to identify this strange and important feature. Placed between the arms of the female the skull faces the chest , clutched tightly into the body in a clear demonstration of possesion and significance. Who was the elder whom the skull represents? Was it a relative whoose inclusion in this grave is ultimately significant?
What can be said about this grave is that it appears to have instigated the building of platform F1501. Cut into midden deposits from the phase of building below this is a clear example of burial practice determining construction and architectural erection. The burial is central to the NE platform, a feature that must have not gone unnoticed. Building 42 created in a single construction phase, seen by two platforms F1501 +F1502 and bench F1503, ultimately derived from this burial and its importance.
This cut is also likely to contain neonate burial (10498) F1516. A tentative cut no [10496] was assigned (see relevant units) but due to closeness of individuals it may be suggested that both relate to one another. Only 0.03 of fill separate the two skeletons. It is almost as if (11306) was laid into the grave, in its tight flexed position and with its plastered skull in place, the grave was begun to be backfilled when it was realised that the neonate was not in the grave as it should be. An unlikely event, but possible. It is suspcted that both are related in some way, whether a closeness in time of death etc. both we cut through midden material and both related to the pre- construction phase of the building and both have likely instigated the building of platform F1501.
Plastered skull (11330) was lifted by the conservation team. (11306) was lifted around the skull to created a larger working space. A pre-constructed box was placed around the skull. Bone was consolidated and sand and pading was added around the bone within the box. This was then lifeted to allow better excavation and conservation. | | | | In situ Conservation: No | | Lifted: No | | | | Feature Relationships: | | below: (Click to view the record) 1501 | | cut by: (Click to view the record) 1513, 1514 | | | | Number of Related Diary Entries: 1 | | | | Conservation Recorded: No | | Related Photos: 390 (Opens as a group in a new window) | Buildings: (Click to view the record)
| Spaces: (Click to view the record)
| | No. Of Units in this Feature: 4 (Click here to view unit list) |
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