Day 4

So after a day off of a lot of walking, day 4 started with a lot of slow walkers to site. But after getting going we got stuck into some more excavation. Mahmoud, the site director was away today, attending meetings at his University, so I ran the show. We continued with excavating Trench 2. Trench 1 had gotten as far as we could without recording and, without the drawing equipment that was unfortunately locked in Mahmoud's room, we moved onto a new trench, number 3, just to the south. Further elements of the vaulted rook was uncovered and what we think may e the back wall. Trench 2 continued until we couldn't get any further as well, with some stone flooring and possibly some plaster found on the outside of the reservoir wall, Plaster on the insider face suggests that the thick walls of the reservoir may have been constructed in multiple phases but more excavation is required. Trench 4 was started to the south to follow the walls along this side and see if we could outline the walls of the structure we are investigating. The students laid out the grid squares themselves with some help by me and did a great job cleaning over the stone work.

Meanwhile, Lesley continued to teach the students survey skills. The survey team today continued surveying the features uncovered in the trenches, as well as he new grid squares. Today the surveyors also started located the reservoir walls in much greater detail as previously which should link all of all excavation information into the larger picture and in great detail. Tomorrow, hopefully, we will do some drawing.