Operations began today at Gegharot. After surveying the south western slope where we intended to conduct excavations this summer pursuant to the burial discovered in the scarp, we determined that this area was ill-suited. Due to weathering/ erosion and/or agricultural activity, the land was clearly disturbed. Bedrock was exposed in several areas, the topography looked disturbed from the surface with artificial slopes and distinct vegetation. We ultimately determined to set up a series of test trenches (1m by 1m) on the southern slope where previous excavations revealed evidence of EB I occupation (e.g. T12). While we plan to conduct geophysical survey in the southern slope, hopefully over the course of the next few days these units will help us to determine where to set up a larger operation.
Today we set up T37 A, B, and C. The first unit was plotted 12.5m from the SE corner of T12. The subsequent units were spaced at 10m intervals West to East (up the slope).
We discovered EB pottery in all three of the units. While we did not hit bedrock in any of the units, we closed T37 A and T37 B at the end of the day due to the ultimate lack of cultural materials. In T37 A, we came across an incredibly thick and high quality clay deposit (Locus 2). This context extended for almost a meter at which point we encountered no cultural materials. T37 B was characterized by a different matrix. A lighter brown and less clay-like material, this unit was sterile by .7m. Our third unit, T37 C, showed the most promise. Situated upslope, this unit was the most dense with cultural materials including large pottery sherds, bone, and obsidian. At the end of the day we began locus 3, which appears to be a yellowish tan surface situated above a black packing. Tomorrow we plan to continue T 37C as well as set up T 37D to the east. We then plan to set up another parallel transect of test trenches to the south (10 M from today's operations). Hopefully, this will help us determine where to begin our larger operation.