Monday 2/7/2012
Field Notes/ Pottery Washing/ Lecture
FN:
Area-C
Square- KK21
Daily Height- 325.05
4:05 -Wake
4:34-Load Bus
4:43- Bus Departs
5:20ish-Bus Arrives
5:30-Begin to Dig
The day began with the continuation of yesterday. It has been only 9 hours since we were here working so today seems like a mega day with yesterday. We worked in our Iron Age fill (which lay below the Hellenistic). Iron age fill now covers the majority of square KK21. The fill naturally contains shaped stones, rubble/rocks, and packed earth, but also more pottery. Likewise, potential insulations of unknown function are present. In said installations are where we are finding some of the larger pottery sherds.
Dusting and cleaning the area as a whole (to find all the bedrock) as well as all the vessels which have gradually been left “in-situ” became important. Also, more tabun material is found, we are cleaning around this area too, to find the whole tabun. By the end of the day, we did.
The agenda did include cleaning but soon we (as an Area) removed the entire bulk between the six JJ and KK squares. We used pick axes, shovels, buckets and the like . We removed the entire bulk rather quickly. Many rock and bucket chains occurred. By the afternoon, we continued and our Square continued to discover more vessels which we also left “in-situ”; many of which were close to the tabun. Later, the tabun proved a point of embarrassment for me twice today. I also most tripped over it and later while “double fisting” my coffees into the site, I ALMOST spill it on the tabun. And of course right in front of Kyle. Classic clumsy Grace. NEVER again will I bring my coffee into the squares. (FACEPALM).
By the end of the day the earth that was removed was quite significant. We did the measurements through out all the KK squares together as a square for a while. However, I completed the reminder of the measurements with Kat and was only able to do a quick top sketch of the square- including features, artifacts, ground color info, the measurements, and the like.
I was unable to finish it up in a beautiful bow but not too bad for my first quick one. Now we cleaned and loaded the buses. Time for lunch, pottery washing, and lecture.
PW:
We began at 4:30pm. Today there are two days of buckets. There were many, many buckets; however, we got it done rather quickly.
LN:
Archaeo-Zoology at Khirbet Qeiyafa
By Ron (Our Bone Guy)
Archaeo-Zoology- the study of animal bones (those animals with vertebrae)
An Intro:
Bones
Both Centaur and Human
All animals with vertebrae are included
Moreover, all animals with skeletons
In Excavation:
Teeth
Other Bones
Shells
Soft Tissues
Skin
(Of both animals and rarely people)
Questions Answered and Posed by Presence of Bone:
Who lived here?
Where/What did they eat?
How did the bones get here, natural or man?
Handling Bone:
Do Not Touch with Bare Hands
Fragile
Use Foil
Gets Own Bag
Typically:
All we have is bone
No meat
No marrow
No blood
No tissue
Common Secondary Products:
(No Animals were killed, just products used)
Wool/Hair
Milk
Animal Waste for Agriculture
Etc
What can bones help us reconstruct?:
Diet
Economy/Trade
Mode of Subsistence
Food Prep
Beliefs
Environmental Factors
What could the source of Bone be?
Food
Pets
Transport
Labor
Accidental Intrusions into Soil Layers:
Are unbelievably common and include
Raptor Prey
Natural Moralities
Pests
Finding Bone Through Sifting:
Wet
Dry
VERY SMALL FINDS!!
Determining Age:
Fusion of Bones
Dental Eruption
Dental Attrition
General Size
General Ware & Use
Aging Teeth: Signs differ from Elderly, to Adult, to Youth
Determining Sex/Gender:
Size
Shape
Information from Skulls:
Age Can Be Determined
Sex Can Be Determined
Pathology:
On Bone & In Bone »> Presence of or lack of Disease can be a good indicator of cause of death
Cut Marks:
Evidence of Butcher can only be seen after cleaning
Burt Bone:
Human indication of interact is common but not logically required
Color of bone can determine the temp/heat of fire
The heat of the fire determines what cause of burning
Human Cause (Med to High Temp and High Concentration of location)
Natural Cause (Med to Low temp)
Either (Med Temps)
Location of Bones:
Indicate function of bone/ a future product? Used for food?
Often found around tabun/ovens
Sheep/Goat Bones:
Are common
Cannot be determined for 100% the difference(grouped together as “Sheep/Goat” Bones)
The ankle of Goat/Sheep can be used as a die for an ancient die game (are found at sites all over the world)
Bone Worship:
Tel Safi (great examples)
9th Cen. BCE
(LATE IRON AGE)
Most Common: Cow
Raw Material and Products can be made from bone****
Cylinder Seals:
Made from animal bones
Often Depict Animals
Sometimes are exotic animal bones or depictions
Indicate Trade
Animals Used in Rituals:
Religious/ Ritual
Very specific use and location
“Ritually local”
Bones from Qeiyafa:
Goat/Sheep
Cow
Deer
Wolf
Camel
Donkey
Fish (Bones & Scales)
Common Animals from the Region:
Goat/Sheep
Cow
Camel
Donkey
PIGS
Judean Sites:
NO or Little Pig Bones (Less than 1%)
Kh. Q. HAS NO PIG BONES AT ALL AT ANY STRATA LEVEL