Finished drawing ET2 southeast baulk as well as floor plan today. Operations at ET2 are finished.
ET3 (East Terrace 3) was established approximately 30 meters downslope from ET2. It was selected in light of a 2008 magnetometry survey hectare, which suggested the presence of a large staircase-like structure leading up the north slope of the elevated Tsaghkahovit site. ET3 was placed in between steps, adjacent to one side of a terrace wall to the west (which along with three other sides form a rough square). This southern region (upslope) of ET3 encompasses some presume rockfall from this wall, and is termed locus 1. The northerly region (downslope), locus 2, represents the flat part of the step.
Today's initial excavation confirmed rockfall at locus 1. Soil here is typical topsoil of the region, dark, moist, and easily shoveled. Locus 2 exhibited a very shallow topsoil stratum (~10 cm), which gave way to soil which in ET2 I associated with soil proximal to weathering bedrock. This soil is tan or orange, with the consistency of dry clay soil. It is difficult to shovel, with bits of weathered rock fragments (2 cm t o 20 cm in diameter) in matrix. I can't identify the type of rock the fragments are, but it might be very weathered basalt, or something different.
Preliminary excavations reveal relatively scant finds. At roughly 0.2 m deep in locus 1, finds consisted of a femoral head, and a large piece of obsidian. At locus 2, 45 cm deep, two sherds including a Late Bronze Age rim sherd were found, as well as a small piece of bone.
I am focusing operations on the northernmost extent of the trench, at locus 2. I am excavating only a 3 x 1.5 m section in order to preserve any clay/rock floor which I might be digging through. I believe I am close to encountering a stone foundation, owing to the initial appearance of what might be the tops of weathered stones. Tomorrow I will continue excavating this 3 x 1.5 m section, with trowels instead of shovels. Afterwards, I will focus on getting a better picture of locus 1's rockfall and the adjacent terrace wall, before continuing to excavate locus 2 with trowels, after I've learned the possibility of there being a floor made of a clay and rock matrix.