An rather fragmented day because of Ambassador Heffern's visit, but we made significant progress in our deconstruction and descent through the LB room floor. We completed the excavation of the Pit 501 (locus 54) matrix and began work on the portion of Pit 403 located within the operation (loci 58 and 59). We also reached bedrock at the base of locus 53, under the EB floor.
In the LB room, work focused initially on the removal of covering stones (locus 56) and excavation of the 401 pit (locus 54). Two of these stones were revealed to be large basalt basin fragments (metate or mortar?) overturned and used as pit pavers. A single groundstone hammer or other kind of tool was also recovered in the immediate vicinity. Soil samples were taken from these deposits.
This work was followed by the removal of the lower Pit 403 covering stones as locus 58 and the beginning of excavation of the pit fill itself as locus 59. An astragalus and small circular object of some kind are already visible. Soil samples were taken from these deposits as well.
In locus 53, our work to remove the LB builder's cut an identify deeper deposits reached bedrock, approximately three courses below the top of wall locus 45. We hope to complete this removal process before week's end.