24 LUGLIO 2018  

Area 3000

Nella porzione settentrionale la pulizia generale del settore ha messo in luce i limiti di alcune buche di forma sub-rettangolare e circolare: UUSS – 3984, - 3986, - 3988, - 3990, - 3992, - 3994, - 3996, che tagliano lo strato US 3983, a matrice argillosa. Nella porzione meridionale è iniziata la rimozione dello strato US 3964 e l’abbassamento del settore.

The Northern Section of B was cleaned and photos were taken of both the northern and the southern sections, five more holes were found. Context sheets were written up for the post holes dug yesterday and last week. The wole of the Southern section of B was pickaxed through first half, then cleaned and washed, and the second half was started. Jess and Srishti were in lab in the morning and Konrad was in lab this afternoon. 

Area 5000

While working on exposing the bones of the South end of the feature In the East side of Section C, half of the half cranium was exposed. The edge of the half cranium is surprisingly well-defined resembling an autopsy cut. Miscellaneous bone shards, a humerus, and the shaft of a long bone were exposed as well. In Section D, we continued to level down the trench to the level of the previously dug North pit. During the process, we completely extracted the skull, a number of bone fragments, and found 2 teeth (a lower left first molar with a damaged root and an undefined molar due to extensive wear).  Members of 5000, who are helping to open Area 7000, continued with pick-axing and shovelling the rubble in the morning and managed, by the end of the morning, to reach the next stratigraphic layer. In the afternoon, they trowelled the entire area and dusted with brushes to completely expose the first layer. New age pottery and roof tile fragments were found but since it is a mixed layer, they are quite insignificant and out of context.

Area 6000

Quest'oggi è terminata la documentazione dell'individuo USk 6244, precedentemente coperto dallo strato di pietre US 6243 risultante dalla decomposizione di una copertura della salma in materiale deperibile. Sul lato orientale del settore, la pulizia dello strato US 6217 sta portando alla luce un nuovo individuo del quale, come in molti casi precedenti, alcune porzioni sembrano essere state asportate da azioni seplcrali successive alla sua deposizione.

Today in area 6000 we finally removed skeleton 6233, which consisted of tibias, fibulas, and feet. It appears that there may be another burial beneath the grave of skeleton 6233. We also continued removing fill 6217, uncovering pelvis and both femurs. It appears the burial may have been disturbed during the construction of the lithic tomb just north of the skeleton, as the left humerus cannot be found.

Today in area 6000 we also photographed skeleton 6244 and then begun the removal of the skeleton, starting with the lower limbs of which were the right calcaneus, talus, tibia, fibula, patella, and femur. The left fibula was present and also removed. We have started the removal of both hands and are recording all of the bones into the context sheet as well as noting if the present bones are fractured.