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Code
KK11.11
Season
2011
Narrative

Team started today by finishing the removal of Locus 21, the very dark blackish silt in the western corner and along the NW baulk, which had been started yesterday. One large groundstone with what appears to be reuse in the form of a central notch for use as a mortar was found in this locus. I took three soil samples from Locus 16 (A B and C), the context delimited by the linear stone Feature 15 and the partition wall. There were a few bits of charcoal in this matrix as well as a more orangish color.
In the morning, several of the large rocks in the western corner were removed, as they appeared as rock fall from the SW wall of the room, or potentially from the doorway blockage. Almost immediately, two large reddish-brown rim sherds appeared, which matched one found yesterday in the same area by Gagik. I declared this vessel collapse as Locus 22 and took photographs without the photoboard (forgotten at the house). After removing these two sherds, several more appeared about ten cm down, including a very large rim sherd of another low-fired cooking vessel. The rim sherds for the reddish-brown vessel seem to make an almost complete profile, but as of yet no base to the vessel has been found. There were a number of bones in the immediate area of these sherds, as well as several small stones that were resting directly on top of some of the breaks. Gagik found a relatively okay sized piece of charcoal for radiocarbon analysis, although I would prefer a larger, more intact piece. I do not think the sherds were resting directly on a floor, but it seems that the vessels were left 'in situ' in the room after it was abandoned. The matrix immediately around the sherds is a mix of the much darker, looser silt seen in Locus 21 and some of the lighter brown, clay-y matrix with splotches of orange and yellow and black seen in the doorway area and Locus 20.
After cleaning this area and finishing one 10 cm pass in Locus 21, I had the guys start another 10 cm pass in Locus 20, as I now believe I am right on top of the original floor of the room associated with Feature 15. This pass revealed more stones to Feature 15 as well as the SW wall and the doorway area, although the matrix has not really changed and there are not many pieces of charcoal. There is a really high density of bones in this locus, which was screened, more so than ceramics.