|
| Area: North |
| |
| Dug in Year: 1997 |
| Feature Type: niche/recess |
| Feature Subtype: Hand recess |
| |
| Related Photo (Click to view larger version in new window) |
|
| |
| Location: in south wall of space 71 |
| |
| Grid X: 1042.37 Grid Y: 1190.29 |
| |
This is a bizarre feature - a cylindrical hole was cut or left in the wall. Into this was placed a packing of orange-brown clayish soil, followed by a thin layer of a pale similar soil with a few bone fragments (2178), they the appear to have inserted a ready-made object consisting of an oval cone of bricky clay material covered with multiple layers of plaster, some of them painted red. IT seems impossible that this was made in situ. The top of the cone was n the centre of the wall, pushed close up against the packing material, & the broader base was flush with the wall & fitted exactly the cut on the wall surface (2179) - another peculiarity. The wall was then plastered over, hiding the construction completely.
Discussion:
This is peculiar because of the closeness of fit on the face of the wall, & the requirement to make the moulding before putting it in the wall due to the heavy plastering came(?) out (coned out?). On the one hand, since the fit is so good, it seems the hole was cut to fit the moulding, however, if so, why did they cut it with straight sides & not make it fit the moulding inside the wall? It is possible it was all done while the wall was being made, yet this is not a case of a gap between 2 bricks - the bricks above & below are cut to accommodate the moulding. When the wall is taken apart we just might get more clues.
The moulding could be regarded as a 'breast', or as something abstract. Whatever it was, why was a it put in a wall where it could not be seen due to the plastering? |
| |
| In situ Conservation: No |
| Lifted: No |
| |
| Feature Relationships: |
| cuts: (Click to view the record) 6 |
| |
| Number of Related Diary Entries: 0 |
| Conservation Recorded: No |
| Related Photos: 1 (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) |
|
