Daily Trench Journal

Area C

Trench 1

July 17, 2002

Today we will get the eastern wall out. As the loci were removed, there does not appear to be other courses of stones below them. There is evidence of a possible foundation trench of mud brick below 1069 and extending into 1077. There is no evidence of bonding between 1077, 1069, and 1075. 1077 seems to be crudely mortared stones linking the two sections, but not bonding with either of them. 1069 could not be removed in entirety until 1077 was first removed, so it is hypothesized that 1077 came after 1069.

L1080 – Hashim is straightening the western baulk in the southern corner where a large concentration of pottery protrudes between two stones. The stones are large enough and the soil loose around them, so they were removed before they could fall out. The area between the two stones with the broken pottery also has a dense plaster lens. Samples were taken as well as photos.

L1075 – This area was split into two separate loci, north and south. The northern section becomes L1081 and is made up of carefully laid mainly squarish cobbles. L1075 is the area of densely deposited pottery fragments delineated by the two flagstones on either end. No other courses or surfaces were found below this locus.

L1069 – The wall has been removed. The area of higher dirt to the west of the fifth course has been removed. A mud brick surface is appearing below the fifth course, possibly not a foundation trench but a surface that the wall was built upon.