Place: Ar/Ge.T31.31

The matrix is generally a medium brown, silty, clayey loam, with small lenses of light tan clay and a lot of charcoal. Underneath this matrix is a packed clay floor, which was uneven due to episode of reflooring and patching. The locus was taken down to the level of the best preserved level of the floor, which required removing a higher level of floor which was preserved in the center of the locus. The preservation of the floor is better in the northwestern half of the locus. The higher level of the floor is at 2283.93 masl.

There is also a pit (Locus 42) in the NW corner of the locus, which has a few rocks resting on top of it. In the NE corner, just to the south of the pit, there is a post hole (Locus 37). Above the floor, in the NW corner of the locus (near the pit), there are areas of light tan sandy clay, which were in large, friable globs.

We found a piece of burnt cord near the SE corner of the locus, at 2283.96 masl, and we collected it for further anlaysis. It was found in an area with a large amount of charcoal. East of Locus 32, we found a small piece of burnt cord (8 cm x 3 cm), but it was too poorly preserved to take for further analysis.
There is evidence of rodent activity in Locus 31.

Beams:
A number of burnt beams were found in this locus, many resting on the floor or just above it.

We found a burnt beam (Locus 32), which runs ESE-WNW , near the NE corner of the trench. It was too fragile to take as a dendro sample, but I took a portion for C14 dating (Ar/Ge.T31.32.C14.01). Under Locus 32, there was another beam (Locus 34), running roughly E-W.
Above the floor in the SE corner, there is a lot of ash and a burnt beam (Locus 35). A portion of Locus 35 was taken as a C14 sample (Ar/Ge.T31.31.C14.01), as the beam was too fragile to take as a dendro sample. There is another burnt beam (Locus 36) in the middle of Locus 31, which is lying on the upper level of the floor, just south of the pile of rock in the eastern half of the locus. It runs NE-SW. There is another beam NW of the pile of rocks in the eastern half of the trench, which is Locus 38. It runs roughly E-W. It is very eroded and sitting just above the well-preserved level of the floor. There is another burnt beam (Locus 40), just north of the small cup (Locus 39), which runs NW-SE. There is yet another burnt beam (Locus 41), which is north of Locus 40, and runs NW-SE.

Objects found:
Above the floor:

Along the northern wall of the trench, we found a polishing stone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.01) at 2284.02 masl.
In the NE corner of Locus 31, we found a large rim of a pot at 2284.03 masl and a smaller rim at 2283.97 masl.

Just west of the rocks in the NE corner of the trench, we found a ceramic disk (Ar/Ge.T31.31.CO.01) at a depth of 2283.92 masl.

In the NW corner, we found a spindle whorl (Ar/Ge.T31.31.B.01) at 2283.79 masl.

We found another spindle whorl (Ar/Ge.T31.31.B.02) in the NW corner of the locus, sitting on the floor, at 2283.78 masl.

In the SE corner of the locus, above the level of the floor, we found part of a ceramic disk (Ar/Ge.T31.31.CO.02) at 2283.97 masl.

Right by Locus 35, there is another piece of groundstone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.05) at 2283.93 masl.

While removing the whole vessel (Locus 33) in the baulk, we found a small bead (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.08) at 2283.87 masl.

On the floor:
In the NE corner of the locus, along the northern wall of the trench, there is a small vessel in the baulk, which is sitting on the floor, in which we found a portion of a bronze blade (Ar/Ge.T31.33.M.01). The vessel is Locus 33.

On the floor, along the wall (locus 46), we found a piece of groundstone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.02) at 2283.88 masl.

Nearby, we found a large groundstone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.04) at 2283.88 masl, the lower end of which is just resting on the floor.

There is a mortar (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.06) on the floor, along the middle of the eastern wall.

A piece of groundstone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.03), found on the floor at 2283.88 masl.

There is a small cup (Locus 39) which is sitting on the well preserved floor.

There is a polishing stone (Ar/Ge.T31.31.L.07), found on the western side of the locus, at 2283.88 masl.