Daily Trench Journal
Area D
Trench 8
June 16, 2007
Recorder: Mila Hover (a.k.a. Melek hanim, MH)
Workers: Mizbah, Necat, Sadik
Today, work in D8 began by continuing the removal of the collapsed kiln in L145. In the
north part of this locus, pieces of a broken large ceramic vessel are found, some leaning
against the mud brick wall (L144). Total of three rim sherds were recovered from the
locus, however, there are copious amounts of large pottery (possible oven core?). It is
not clear whether the collapsed kiln fell on top of it, thus causing the vessel to break or it
was placed inside when the melt down occurred. The pot sherds are on top of melted
mud/clay and are covered by it. They cover half of the area of the kiln. In the fill of the
kiln, large amounts of slag are recovered. After all pot sherds and melted mud brick were
removed (from top down), a layer of ash covering the entire bottom of the kiln was
observed. Samples were taken from the dirt between the pot sherds, the ashy layer, and
the sandy ash under the bottom pot sherds. Small chert flakes show evidence of heating,
i.e. small flaking of the stone and discoloration present.
It is worth noting, that from the south part of the kiln pit, among the melted brick and
ashes, the fragments of an atypical ceramic bowl type vessel (red with black paint) were
collected and placed in a separate bag within the pottery bag for the day (KT15).
After clean up and removal of the ashy layer, the bottom of the kiln pit is revealed. It
consists of brown compacted dirt. The latest dimensions measure 1.65m (EW) by 1.75m
(NS). Its maximum depth measures 0.2m. There is a small “pinch” at its north, thus
creating a tear-shaped outline. Possibly, this is caused by the leaning against the L144
(mud brick wall) pottery sherds of the large vessel.
In locus l58, the removal of fill continues in layers of 10cm. Ceramics, lithic debitage,
bone (large animal), shell, and fragmented ground stone are collected from the fill. A
group of ceramic sherds, rocks, and bones appear in the north end of the locus.
Approximately 0.6m south of this group, a group of ceramic sherds is revealed. One of
the sherds is half of a tulip type wear.
In L143, removal of fill continues as well. Large basalt rock appeared near the south
trench baulk. In the profile of the south trench baulk, half of a gray wear becomes visible.
It is fragmented (old and new breakage). At the moment, it remains in the baulk and will
be excavated tomorrow.
At the end of the day, at the south end of L158, as clean up was underway, a white
outline of a rectangle appeared. The west side of the rectangle disappears into the west
baulk and is oriented NNW. Its dimensions are 1.22m x 0.97m.