| | Area: North | | | | Dug in Year: 2013 | | Feature Type: basin | | Feature Subtype: | | | | Related Photo (Click to view larger version in new window) | | | | | Location: In the middle of West part of S.17, joined to F3688 | | | | Grid X: 1056.78 Grid Y: 1195.56 | | | This feature was recognized under u.20907, a plaster collapse from F3688. It was interpreted as a basin initially because of its size and sloping shape. It contained more units than initially thought, and has had a complicated life-history with phasing and interference. It was covered by a fill, u.20925, which was compound and represents the final abandonment of this feature.
Constructionwise, it seems as the inhabitants, when they decided that they wanted this structure to be adjoined to F.3688 (by then perhaps a center piece), they made small cuts in the floor and laid a levelling element, probably also to elevate the feature, in order to cover the previous cut F.7140 and also because the floors were slightly uneven. Then they laid the plaster wall and the plaster floor, which in the first phase was covering a quite big area (the whole extent of the feature).
For some reason, the people wanted to change the feature at some point. That is when they laid a grey base and lining (reused plaster?) in the southern side of it, to reduce its size. When this reduction was made they cut it for the burial of a neonate individual (F.7134). I think this is also when they cut the eastern end for the deposition of ground stone tools. In other words this reduction and change of form in this feature was apparently constricted and surrounded by ritual and symbolic actions. The grey base was then sealed furthermore with a floor (u.20986), showing only its lining under u.20925. Anyway, once changed this is the form of the basin until it was finally closed with u.20925.
This is a complicated feature, and it is hard to grasp its function. Presumably it can be seen as contemporary with the latest hearth (F.3692) opposite it (?). No special finds were found that could speak of use; it was quite clean. Perhaps it was made for storage of some sort, and perhaps it had to do also with the cut below (F.7140). Perhaps this is a reorganization and formalisation of that functional unit, just as we see in the hearth sequencing in the other side of the space, where they remade and formalised the heart hconstruction, especially in the latest phase. | | | | In situ Conservation: No | | Lifted: No | | | | Feature Relationships: | | above: (Click to view the record) 7140 | | bonded with: (Click to view the record) 3688 | | cut by: (Click to view the record) 7128, 7134 | | | | Number of Related Diary Entries: 1 | | | | Conservation Recorded: No | | Related Photos: 8 (Opens as a group in a new window) | Buildings:
none | Spaces: (Click to view the record)
| | No. Of Units in this Feature: 10 (Click here to view unit list) |
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