SAB 99 Square Q 13 SPV: Inna FINAL REPORT Stratigraphy and microstratigraphy of square Q 13 (see encl. num. 1 and 2) The season 1999 of excavation at Sabi Abyad in square Q 13 revealed stratigraphic sequence consisting of four major levels or strata - level 6 A, level 6 B, level 7 and level 8. Most attention have been dedicated to levels 6 A, 6 B and 7 and their connections. Level 6 A architecture was excavated mainly in years 1991 - 1993. Level 8 formerly called level 7 (excavated in squares R 12 and R 13) was not really excavated this season. Level 8 - only wall EX could be associated with this level. Only a top of wall EX have been exposed so far. Between levels 7 and 8 thick layer of wall debris was recognized. Level 7 - is represented by three different stages (strata) and some phases 1) the lower (oldest) stage - to the oldest stage have been belonged so far wall EU. Wall EU was leveled to build a new architecture (tholos IV). 2) the intermediate stage - consists of tholos IV and building V. Tholos IV was leveled to build the new tholos III. 3) the topmost (youngest) stage - is represented by the tholos III, ovens DN, DP and DQ and hearth platform CZ. The architecture of stage 3 is associated with two building phases a) and b). a) the lower phase - in this time was built tholos III with oven DQ inside and oven DN in the open area. b) the later phase - tholos III was divided into two halfs by wall CX. Oven DQ was replaced by hearth platform CZ. Oven DP was built eastern of tholos III on remains of building V. It seems, that oven DN was still working. It seems, that to the latest phase of level 7 belong hearts DA, DB and DC. With level 7 (not with any stage) is associated new oven found under oven CS (level 6 A). This new oven was only partially exposed. Level 6 B - is represented by building I and ovens EC and DT. Also architecture of level 6 B could be divided into many building phases. That is not out of the question, that the later architecture of level 7 (tholos III, oven DN) had been still standing when the architecture of level 6 B was built, (because a part of wall CX of tholos III was built-in wall BV of building II (level 6 A). For that reason building I (level 6 B) was built only in the southern half of square Q 13 (because the area towards north had built up by architecture of later stage of level 7. Level 7 and level 6 B were leveled by people of level 6 A. Level 6 A (burnt village) - is represented by building II and ovens CS and CR. Walls CH-B, CD-B and BZ-B and walls CN-B and CP-B formerly regarded as unburnt parts of walls of level 6 A are not the same walls as CH, CD, BZ, CN and CP, but walls of level 6 B. It seems, that the level 6 B architecture (building I) was leveled and remains of walls were used as foundations for building of walls of level 6 A. Wall/bench CF partially exposed in year 1993 under oven CR together with level 6 A architecture is probably a wall of level 6 B, which was leveled and the remains was used as foundation for oven CR. 1 Architecture (see encl. num. 1 and 2) Level 8 (see encl. num. 3) wall EX This level was formerly called level 7 and was excavated in squares R 12 and R 13. After the season 1999 has been meant, that there is one level (or stratum) more between level 6 B and formerly called level 7. This new level is named now level 7 and the old level 7 was renamed on level 8. Wall EX - this wall is situated in the middle part of western half of Q 13. This is 28 cm wide and ca 140 cm long (but the northern end has not been exposed) wall running in the NNE - SSW direction and made of orange-brown pise. Deposit: wall EX was found under wall debris (locus - 185) Level 7 (see encl. num. 1, 2, 3 and 7) 1) the lower (oldest) stage - wall EU Wall EU: width 34 cm and length 175 cm, running in the WSW -NEE direction. Western end of EU is getting lost in the western baulk and eastern end is continuing under the tholoi IV and III. Wall EU is preserved to a very limited height 8-18 cm and it seems, that it was leveled to build new architecture (tholos IV). 2) the intermediate stage - tholos IV- tholos wall DW + EB-A, doorsocket DY - building V - walls EG, EH, EK, EL Tholos TV: situated in the middle of western half of Q 13 (see encl. num. 4). Tholos IV was standing on the SE slope. Tholos wall is running over wall EX of level 8 and over wall EU of level 7. Tholos IV has been only partially exposed. It has an interior diameter ca 3 m and width of pise wall is ca 33 cm. Doorway: Tholos IV was probably accessible through a doorway in the western facade. The width of doorway was not recognized, because the structure was preserved to a very limited height: 5-16 cm. With the entrance of tholos IV is associated doorsocket DY about 9 cm in interior diameter made of 1-2,5 cm thick lime plaster. Floor: Tholos IV is associated with floors: EM and EQ (EQ is probably other floor as floor surface EQ in locus 183). Floor surface: Tholos IV was covered by floor surfaces: DH, DG, DX and DR. Remark: SE half of tholos III was standing on account of sloping surface on homogenous hard foundation soil. It may also a part of tholos IV had similar foundations. Building V: situated eastern of tholos IV. This is a small rectangular structure (ca 2,60 x 2,00 m) with two rooms oriented west by east and preserved to the height 36 - 55 cm. The western room 1 (df 181) measures ca 1,25 x 1,25. The eastern room 2 has probably the same size, but on account of section baulk has been only partially exposed. The present size of room 2 (df 174) is 1,25 x 0,60m. Room 1 is composed of wall EL, EK, EG and EH and room 2 is composed of walls EK. EG and EH. Wall EG (ca 24 cm wide) is abutted to walls EK and EH. Wall EK (ca 29 - 33 cm wide) was in the eastern part disturbed by construction of oven DP (later phase of level 7). Wall EK is bonded with wall EL (ca 29cm wide). Doorway: The relation between walls EL and EH (ca 29cm wide) is not clear, because the walls were not preserved in the SW corner - doorway into room 1 ? Floor: Room 1 is related with floor ET and room 2 is related with floor ES and with orange burnt floor EW (recognized only in the eastern half). Remark: Wall EH was covered by floor surface DR. 2 3) the topmost (youngest) stage - tholos III - tholos wall CY, wall CX, oven DQ and hearth platform CZ - ovens DN and DP - hearts DA, DB and DC a) older building phase (see encl. num. 4) Tholos ID: was standing on the remains of wall EU and tholos IV. Tholos III is situated approximately in the middle of northern half of Q 13 . The ground plan of tholos III is not really circular and has interior diameter ca 3,50 x 3,90m with ca 40-45 cm wide pise wall preserved in the NW part to a height of about 10 - 20 cm and in the southeast to a height of ca 30 - 50 cm. Surface in Q 13 was sloping southeastwards, therefore the southeastern half of tholos III was built on homogenous hard light brown soil, which was used as foundation soil. Oven DQ: With the older phase is associated oval to circular shaped oven DQ situated in the SSE part close to the tholos wall. Oven DQ has an interior diameter of ca 63 cm and its wall is ca 4 cm wide made of brown-orange loam. DQ is related with floor DO. Doorway: Tholos III was accessible from southwest by ca 50 cm wide doorway. Also finding of a pivot stone in this part secondarly made of a grinding slab substantiated this suggestion. Floors: The older building phase is associated with many major superimposed floor levels consisting of hard loam layers, which are often composed of very thin and compact microlayers of loam. Tholos III is relevated with floors EN + EO, DO + DF and DJ + DI. Floor surface: The older phase is associated with floor surface DR (in the open area) surronding tholos III. Oven DN: Immediately to the southeast of tholos HI was standing an oval shaped oven maximal measuring 1,80 x 1,70m and preserved to the height ca 30 cm. Its wall is 27 - 41 cm wide and is constructed of pise layers made of light brown clay. The interior was plastered at least by two layers of hard orange-burnt mud plaster: first ca 1,5 - 3 cm thick and second ca 0,3 - 0,5 cm thick. On the first mud plaster layer was found a white coating ca 0,3 - 0,7 cm thin. It seems, that the interior facade of oven DN was at least twice renewed. The oven was accessible from the southwest. b) later building phase Tholos III: It seems, that tholos III had been used in the older phase as one space. Until later the interior of tholos III was divided into two rooms by wall CX ca 36 cm wide running in the NNW - SSE direction. The western room was coated with orange about 1 - 1,5 cm thick layer of mud plaster and the eastern room was coated by ca 1 mm thin white lime coating somewhere with black traces of fire. Hearth platform CZ: Oven DQ was leveled and covered by several floors - for example DI and DE. In the middle of eastern half close to the wall CX circular hearth platform CZ was built. Hearth platform CZ has an diameter of about 50 - 54 cm and was made of pise material. In the middle was ligth orange burnt. CZ is associated with floor DE. Doorway : No doorway into eastern room of tholos III have been recognized. One unclear possibility of entrance seems to be from the southwest. Floors: Also the later phase of tholos III is associated with more floor levels consisting of many microlayers of loam (see upper). The western room of tholos is relevated with floor DD and the eastern room with floor DE. Oven DN: It seems, that oven DN was still used also in later phase. Oven DP: Eastwards of tholos III was standing oval shaped oven DP maximal measuring ca 1,46 x 1,30m. The southern half of the oven wall was built on remains of wall EK of older stage of level 7. Oven DP was fully flattened to a floor by upper level of occupation. It seems, that oven DP was partially deepened in the eastern half. The height of undeepened ovenwall is ca 7 cm. The deepened wall is ca 26 cm high. It seems, that oven DP was accessible through an opening in the east, but on account of a very limited height of the oven wall is the opening not really clear. The floor of oven DP consisted of dark grey - black hard burnt loam and under this floor a surface covered with sherds was found. Hearts DA, DB, DC: rather oval shaped shallow pits filled with grey-dark grey ash. The bottom of hearts were orange-brown burnt. The measurements of hearts varyed in length between 70 - 90 cm, in width between 30 - 60 cm and the depth between 10 - 25 cm. The border of the hearts were not really clear and it seems, that there were more then one hearth on the same place. All hearts were concentrated eastern and northeastern of tholos III. It seems, that the hearts could be associated with the latest phase of level 7. To the level 7 probably belongs also an oven found under oven CS. This new oven have been only partially exposed. This oven was almost fully leveled by upper levels of occupation. 3 Level 6 B (see encl. num. 1, 2 and 7) building I - wall CH-B, CD-B, BZ-B, CF, CP-B, CN-B, CF, ED, EV, EY, FA and FB ovens EC and DT Remark: The walls CP-B + CN-B and CH-B + CD-B + BZ-B were long time considered as the same walls as walls CP +CN and CH + CD + BZ of level 6A (their unburnt part). Until later was recognized, that the walls of level 6B were leveled by level 6A occupations and the remains were used as foundation for new architecture. Building I: In square Q 13 was only part of a rectangular structure (building I) found. The building is oriented NEE by WSW and in Q 13 is situated in the area ca 9 by 3m. The walls of building I were partially standing to a height of 55 cm. In square Q 13 building I consists at least of four rooms situated in the eastern part. In the western part was situated probably a courtyard perhaps with ovens, but this is not clear yet, because in this area was level 6B not everywhere reached. It seems, that building I of Q 13 could be associated with architecture, which was found in square Q 14. In the northern half of Q 13 any architecture has not been related with level 6B. 1) Was architecture of level 6B in this area completely leveled by level 6 A occupation? 2) Architecture of level 6B not existed in this area, because the structures (tholos III) of level 7 was still standing? Part of wall CX of tholos III (level 7) was built in wall BV of building II (level 6A). 3) Is it correct to consider level 7 as a separate level and not only a stratum of level 6 (level 6C)? It seems, that also the building I of level 6 B was built at least in three phases (see encl. num. 5 and 6): a) phase First were built walls CP-B, CH-B and wall FB, which is visible in the section baulk. In the same time were probably built also walls CD-B and BZ-B. Walls CH-B, CD-B and BZ-B were running in the WSW - NEE direction and it is not clear yet, there are three walls bonded together or only one long wall. Also on account of a very limited height of wall BZ-B is not clear, if this wall was running to the western section as wall BZ. Southeastern of this long wall and parallel with it was running wall CP-B. Walls CP-B and CH-B form an angle with wall FB, which was reached only in the eastern section baulk. It seems (see section drawing), that wall FB is abutted to walls CP-B and CH-B. (TS'a. 1,") Building material: walls CP-B, CH-B and FB are pise walls consisting of grey and greyish-brown homogenous clay. T.1.-3. CH-J n b) phase Tt^ . ^ , Later wall CP-B was supported from the southern side by a block made of very compact and hard clay. This block of clay served as foundation soil for wall CP-B. After then similar block of clay (foundation soil) was laid up under later (future) wall CN-B. (■*■»}. Building material: Walls CN-B, EY, FA and EV consist of brown pise and it seems, that these walls were built together. Wall CN-B is abutted to wall CP-B. Connectios between wallsCN-B and FA are not clear yet, but it seems, that wall FA was abutted from the south to the foundation block of clay. Walls FA and EV are bonded. Also wall CN-B is bonded with wall EY. ("fi <\. \ \ Oven/feature DT: This feature was standing in room 3, which is formed by walls CN-B, EY and FA. DT has been only partly exposed, southern half still in the east section baulk. DT is a beehive shaped feature probably circular in plan and about 1,80 - 1,90m in maximum diameter. Feature DT was made of compact light brown clay similar to material, which was used as foundation soil under wall CN-B. DT was preserved to a height ca 72 cm. It is not clear yet, if is there an oven like large oven S in Q 14. Floor: Room 3 with oven DT is associated with floor ER. Oven EC: Oval shaped oven EC measuring ca 120 x 93 cm was fully leveled by occupation of later phase of level 6B. The oven wall was only partially preserved to a height of 7 cm. Oven EC was situated between walls CD-B and CN-B and was accessible from east. Remark: It is possible, that the oven EC was built already earlier, because the foundation soil of this oven is lying under foundation soil of the wall CN-B. Floor: Oven EC is related with floor EE. c) phase Wall ED: Rather later was built wall ED, because the oven EC should be not otherwise well accessible. Or there was not wall but only a bench. This wall ca 35 - 38 cm wide was preserved to a very limited height of ca 5 cm - was leveled or only a bench? This wall/bench was running in the NNW - SSE direction approximately under wall CO of level 6A and was abutted to the walls CD-B + CH-B and to wall CN-B. Floors or floor surfaces: Building I is associated with floors EE (room 1 and 2), ER (room 3) EP (room 4), DZ (room 1), DU and DV (in rooms 1 and 2) and EA and EI (under ovens CS and CR). Remark: Floor surfaces DV, DU and EI: Wall ED was leveled and covered by floor surfaces DV and DU. It has been not clear yet, if the floor surfaces was belonging still to level 6B or already to level 6A. Wall CF: was running parallel and immediately at the wall BZ-B (or BZ). It seems, that wall CF is the same wall, which was partially exposed in 1991-93, and that it is wall of level 6 B. Walls BZ-B and CF were leveled by people of level 6A and wall CF was used as bench or foundation for oven CR and wall BZ-B as foundation of wall BZ. Level 6 A (see encl. num. 6, 8) Building II: walls CI, CU, CT, CV + walls excavated in years 1991-93, doorway FC, ovens CS and CR and burial B-l Removal of the remains of architecture of level 6B and also of still standing structure of level 7. Whole area of Q 13 was fully flattened by homogenous hard foundation" material similar by consistence to mud brick debris. Building II: The major part of architecture of level 6 A was excavated in years 1991-1993. Only the NE part of building II has not been exposed, because has been covered by stone wall of level 3. This season were exposed walls CI, CU, CT and CV. Walls CI, CU and CT (= room 141, in year 1991 = locus 120) were heavily burnt. In the room 141 close to wall CU were found large pieces of orange hard burnt mud plaster with excellently preserved impressions of reeds indicating, that this room and probably whole building was covered by flat roof. Floor: Room 120 is associated with floor CW. In room 119 (in year 1999 - locus 142) was found remains of reed fibres lying on hard surface and suggesting a mat made of reed, but it is not clear, if this floor surface belongs to the building II or there is a lower floor surface. Doorway: In the wall BV was found a doorway FC ca 60 cm wide and closed by mud brick debris. There is a doorway to the open area northern of building II. In the foundation of the wall CD was found a necklace (object 64) made of very small beads of varios colours (ca 400 beads). This necklace could be related with the burial of an infant excavated in 1993 (room 10, locus 121). Oven CS: Oven CS was excavated in year 1991-93. This season the floor of oven CS was removed. Under floor was recognized a covering made of sherds. Burial B-l: Small pit with infant inhumation (burial B-l) was found under oven CS in the floor EJ. The burial was fully disturbed by animal hole. No burial gifts were found. The floor EJ is the same floor level as the floor of oven CR. Oven CR: The circular oven CS was not excavated in year 1993 to the last floor. Oven CR was this year fully exposed. This is an oval shaped oven measuring 130 x 120 cm and the oven wall was preserved to the height 32 cm and was 19 - 30 cm wide. Oven CR was accessible from the east. 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