7/2/2013
Today was cool and cloudy, with rain nearby, but only rained as we were about to close for the day.
Today I began with Ardzrun, Melgon Hopar, Jut Haik, Gago, Nareg, and Edo (working for Boris). After an hour or so, we established permanent teams, with mine as follows:
Sahag Tonoyan, Gor Karapetyan, Boris Khachatryan, and Gagik Nersisyan (Gago). Boris sent a substitute again, who was Edo. Sahag’s substitute was Artur.
We began by cleaning the stones and walls of locus 2, to prepare for a photograph. Then I took 4 photos: 2 from the S and 2 from the E.
Bottom elevations for locus 2 (all datum 1):
N corner: -100.0 cm
E corner: -96.4 cm
Center: -99.5 cm
S corner: -103.4 cm
W corner: -98.0 cm
Top elevations for locus 8 (all datum 2):
N corner: -81.0 cm
E corner: -83.3 cm
Center: -82.0 cm
S corner: -75.5 cm
W corner: -85.9 cm
We finished excavating loci 3 and 8. Next I put the team at work in locus 10, to bring the room level, and expose the possible tumble.
Locus 9 (new locus) is the area below locus 3, started because some finds came up when we were cleaning locus 8.
Locus 10 (new locus) is the area underneath locus 2, slightly constrained by the fall—we will take out 15 cm or so, to expose what we believe is wall fall, to confirm it.
We found a relatively high number of animal bones in locus 9 (as we did in locus 2), including a 1st and 2nd phalanx (probably matching) and a carpal that also likely belonged to the same animal. The preservation of bone in the soil is quite bad—all but the hardiest of bones are crumbling.
Today was a bit frustrating; the mapping went very slowly and we missed the leadership of Sahag or Ardzrun. Tomorrow I will begin by having the team excavate locus 9, while I map the very large stones in locus 10.