July 15, 2001

The N-central wall feature (L5025, ~ 1.5m x 2.5m) is finally GONE! After the fourth layer I have finally come to nice, soft, brown soil underneath it (L5030). The last layer, like the one above it (L5015) contained hefty portions of pottery and lithics, but no bones of any sort. I am revising my earlier theory that it may have been a pit to it may have been a work surface, though it still seems awfully small. Its relation, or rather, lack thereof, was also cleared up with the NE rock jumble (L5020). Whereas the rock jumble continues to ... jumble ... the feature is gone.

Took a couple centimeters off the mudbrick area that occupies the western edge of the north half of the trench (L5019) to try and get a clearer picture of the mudbrick there. Results were not as I had hoped. I'm still rather vexed by the whole area.

Tried to get a clearer picture of the mudbrick baulk/wall (L5004, 5004, 5012, 5014) by removing the poorly preserved parts, which included most of L5012. Though this did help somewhat, it also showed the wall to be riddled with roots, which does not bode well for good articulation.

Also dug two good-sized pits which seem to be in the same surface (L5027, entire south area of trench save western wall L5008 and the two pits), L5029 and L5024, the former being the SW corner and the latter being along the eastern baulk. L5029 yielded large amounts of pottery, including some nice diagnostic and possibly Ubaid pieces, as well as a good selection of lithic and bone finds. It was very ashy and seems to continue under wall L5008 and into the western and southern baulks.

L5024, on the other hand, yielded very little in terms of finds, and was filled (about 50 cm deep at its greatest extent) with extremely high quality soil, the kind of black dirt farmers dream of and workers wheelbarrow down to the watermelon farm...