Unit 10986
Category: Layer dug in 2005
Area: TP
Interpretive Categories: infill
Data Category Information: Location: between walls; Deposition: heterogeneous
Discussion: This is an upper level of an infill of space 248 in N part of an extension (the infill below was recorded as unit 11740). Unit 10986 was distinguished between plastered mudbricks walls forming a rectangular space (room). The N wall was excavated as unit 10918 (and its plaster as 10981), E walls as 10983 (and its plaster as 10984), S wall as 10985 (plaster as 10983) and W wall as 7827 (plaster as 10905).
Within the space there was also a bench [unit. 11573] discovered and a bin (?) in N edge (11574) of the bench. On the E side of the bench a bucranium [u. 10962] was exposed within a layer 10963 (which is marked as the same as 10986). It was given a separate unit number as a bucranium with its fragments of an infill were cut in block by a conservation team. In S part of the infill 10986 there was also another ((but only its right part) horn core found.
N part of this infill was badly truncated by a circular cut of a pit [unit 10964], while in S part by a large ovel pit [cut - unit 12247]. These cuts had partly destroyed the space but on the other hand, they provided very useful sections, which helped in the process of the excavation.
Infill 10986 was unique as fr as the amount of human remains excavated within it, is concerned. Some of human bones were recorded as skeletons (those articulated), while the others as 'x' finds within an infill. In N part of an infill there were more articulated bones, while in S part - more disarticulated.
These were 5 sets of bones excavated as skeletons. Skeleton 11566 - probably adult, which skull was placed next to bucranium, was badly truncated by a cut 10964, but its robs and scapula were found on N edge of the cut as well as its hip bones and feet excavated on its E edge.
The most complete of the skeletons [11569] belongs to a female and consisted mostly of right side of body. It was placed in central- eastern part of an infill. Partly underneath there were human remains excavated as unit 11700. It consisted of distal left tibia and fibula, left foot and partial right foot. More on the S, there were some infant bones (disarticulated, but in a concentration) recorded as unit 11570. The last skeleton distinguished while excavating was unit 11571, which composed of articulated femur (with healed fracture) and tibia. These bones were placed in the very south of the infill - leaving against a plastered wall [wall 10985, plaster 10983), and running above horn core placed within this infill near S wall and recorded as separate unit 11704.
All other disarticulated human bones were excavated as 'x finds' of the infill 10986, however ofter closer examination done by an anthropologist it was observed that 6 of them may belong to the same individual. Therefore unit 12265 was distinguished and bones which originally had been excavated as x24, x27, x30, x41 and x43, were finally recorded as this unit with no "x find' distinction. It was assessed as 90% of possibility.
It has also been suggested that x19 (right ulna) and x29 (rihgt humerus found in 2 fragments) could had belonged to one individual. A deciduous tooth (x21) an a skull in SE corner (x11) could be the remains of another individual and possibly also x33 (fragm. of a cranium) part of which is still stuck in the surface of a horn core [unit. 11704], which is thought to happen post-depositionally.
Apart from human remains there were also some artefacts recorded as 'x finds' within infill 10986. there were many beads - some single but vast majority in sets - some of them in order. There was also a clump of pigments lying between left tibia and fibula of skeleton 11700 (x39 of 10986), worked bone and worked stone (x10, x44), fragm. of a copper spiral (x6) and chalky ball of regular shape (x340 as well as some animal bones (x40 - foot, x38 - first thought to be child ribs).
As far as beads are conserved, some of them were lifted using a thread and a needle, because the order, in which they were put could have been found out.
One of sets of beads was divided in 2 by a fragment of scapula (?) - x20 (right acronion?). The western part of this line was recorded as x18 (of 10986) and a line of beads seemed to have been in order. Eastern part was lifted as x15 and could be described as more or less in order.
There were several samples taken from this unit. One of them was C14 sample taken from a skull situated in SE corner of the space (this skull was recorded as XII).
Not only were all walls around the infill plastered but there were also 2 horizontal layers of plaster distinguished within this unit. They were fragmented but the best visible in N part pf the Space - between cut 10964 and wall 10918 and in central part - between skeleton 11569 and wall 10982. In some places there were 2 layers of plaster visible covering some bones - these situations are depicted on photos from this unit.
Recognition: colour and consistency and boundaries of walls around
Definition: an infill of a space 248 (upper level)
Execution: trowel
Consistency: friable
Colour: light & middle grey
Texture: silty sand
Bedding: layered - two horizontal layers of plaster (see page 4 of 4)
Inclusions: pottery, animal bones, human bones, obsidian
Post-depositional Features: animal burrowings
Basal Boundary: distinct
Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field):
Dry sieve volume: 0
Total Deposit Volume: 100
Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 6
Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 44
Number of Related Diary Entries: 0
Settlement Phase:
Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present
Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present
| Related Photos: 100 (Opens as a group in a new window) | |
| Buildings: none | |
Spaces: (Click to view the record)
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| Features:: none |
Finds Room Information:
All material from site passes through the finds room for washing and separating before it is passed onto the various lab teams. The finds room keeps a basic inventory of what is found. A finds material type list is given here. Further analytical detail maybe provided by the Lab Team data below.
X Finds Material: nothing recorded
Finds Material Stored: nothing recorded
Lab Team Data
Please note the list below does not represent everything that might have been found in this Unit, but represents the datasets we have available on-line. Please ArchaeoBots Sample Recorded: No Ceramics Data for 2005 still to be released Clay Object Records: No Chipped Stone Records: No Conservation Recorded: No Faunal Records: No Figurine Records: No GroundStone Records: No Heavy Residue Records: No Microfaunal Records: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested microfauna recordsPhytolith Sample: No
Sorry not all of this data is available online at present, please contact us if you are particularly interested phytolith samplesDownload this Units Data
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