Much better conditions are Aragatsi Berd today allowed us to complete this year's architectural mapping and make significant progress in our work in the 5m SW trench extension and LB room.
Mapping on the north terraces was concluded in the morning. Future mapping work will involve simple checking and spot shooting.
In the locus 43 level of our SW trench extension a continuation of the locus 4 wall was identified, approx. 2.5m east of the western operation baulk. This means that the locus 4 wall is a curvilinear construction that proceeds from the eastern trench half to midway up the western trench half before curving into the southern baulk. Thus, the wall forms a southern boundary for the LB room in AB4 and a northern boundary for the next room north. Other large stones were identified in this area, but clear architectural affiliations for them is still lacking.
In locus 44, at operation center, our descent continued in easy-digging loamy silt throughout the day. At least for courses and now visible for our western wall, now locus 45. This is also a curvilinear construction, intersecting with the locus 4 wall where it curves into the southern baulk. However, a late day development of a large rock underlying the southern portion of locus 45 suggests that we are: (1) either reaching a bedrock floor, (2) a bedrock bench, (3) or a formation of corridor/door fill that connects the two walls on the southern side of the operation. Only downward progress will confirm!