Today we completed our work in the Ar/Ar survey area, walking a remaining portion of flat fields just east of the M3 highway, as they were recently mowed/harvested and it became possible to walk them with higher visibility. We then conducted aerial data collection with the Phantom 2 drone at Aparani Berd before rain ended our day. Before the rain, the weather was open, clear, and cool. I worked with Ian, Salpi, Amy, and Gabby.
In Ar/Ar, my transects were generally free of archaeological materials and features, save several large irrigation cisterns, pumping stations, and pipes. Salpi recovered obsidian and ceramic surface materials from the are near the tilled field that we walked several weeks ago.
We then collected drone data at Aparani Berd, showed Nigaberd 05 to Arkaady Karakhanian who was visiting, and investigated the new Lusagyugh/Saralanj survey area where we will start work soon. It remains interesting as to which proportion of the Nigaberd architecture can be attributed to natural rock weathering and which to cultural interventions--only excavation will have the final word.