Unit 23143

Category: Layer    dug in 2017

Area: North 

Interpretive Categories: Midden 

Data Category Information: Location: in abandoned building; Deposition: finely bedded

Description: Diferent sequences of midden deposits 

Discussion: This layer correspond to a sequence of midden deposits exposed below the B-131 after remove the packing/leveling layers (U23110=23090=23084 and 23131) for the construction of it building. This layer had been documented only in the eastern part of the area where B-131 was placed, but is clearly an extension of the midden deposits that Justine Issavi had been digging farther east.
So this unit correspond to a layered deposit composed by different episodes of ashes and other organic material (charcoal, bones…) and “garbage” through in that area before the B-131 was built, and maybe (this is difficult to say) also later than the construction of the B-139.
Unfortunately because of the rush of the season more than 1.10 m of this deposit had been dig as a single unit, without defining occupation or activity layers. The complete deposit had been dry sieved and lots of finds had been provided, is interesting the quantity of rings, worked bones and little figurines recovered.

This sequence of layers where clearly truncated by the pit U23147 made probably with the intention of remove the eastern wall of B-139. The fact that we could not see any midden deposits within the room infill of the B-139 and the detail of the eastern edge of the pit corresponds more or less with the place where the eastern wall of the building was, made us to think that probably the midden deposits where abutting the eastern wall of the building F 8387. Anyway we cannot be certain about this detail because the pit U23147 truncate everything. Is also possible that the midden was extended over the building wall or that during the construction of the B-139 they cut the midden to build the eastern wall. Anyway there were no traces of a foundation trench in the Sp. 625.

What it seems certain is that in this area (between the eastern wall of B-139 and Justine’s area) was the higher part of the midden and that from here was sloping in both directions. The deposition of the different layers exposed in our section suggest that idea, and also looks like the same in Justine’s area.

A part of the relation of this midden with the pit U23147 we also documented a wall (F5778) below the Sp 556 in B-131, and seems it’s abutting the eastern wall of the B-5. This wall oriented E-W is clearly built on the midden and have a continuity through Justine’s area. Until now seems clear that not belongs to B-139, and is also clear that the southern wall F7712 of B-131 was built on top of it.

Finally and probably one of the most interesting things about this deposit is it relation with the buildings around (B-131, B-139, B-77 and B 132). Regarding with the buildings that we had been excavated, is clear than the eastern wall of B-131 (F7712) and the eastern edge of the southern wall (F7705) and also the walls from the Sp. 556 (F7710 and F7711) were built on this midden. Also in Justine area, she documented the foundation trench (U32140) for the eastern wall of the B-131 (F 7712) that was clearly cutting a few of this midden deposits. Also the same remains of this midden deposits were found in relation with B-77 and B-132, so after talk with Arek, he realize that the U23143 is the same as 32711 and same as 21692. 

Consistency: Loose 

Colour: Diferent variations of grey 

Texture: Silt, a bit of sand and also lenses of clay 

Bedding: Compound layered 

Inclusions: Organic remains, natural stones, charcoal 

Post-depositional Features:  

Basal Boundary:  

Unit Stratigraphy (as recorded in the field): above: (Click to view the record) 23160 below: (Click to view the record) 23110 

Dry sieve volume: 11010 

Total Deposit Volume: 11055 

Number of Samples recorded by excavator: 7

Number of X-Finds recorded by excavator: 3

Number of Related Diary Entries: 0

Settlement Phase:

Associated Mellaart Levels (from Space): Unassigned at present 

Associated Hodder Level (from Space): Unassigned at present 

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 contact us to obtain more information about this Unit.

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