Day 6

The day started well, with the continuation of our planning and the continuation of excavation within Trench 3. It was a bit cloudy day in Jericho with some strong winds and, at some point a sand storm blowing across the site. We got our planning frame from the window maker in Jericho the day before. It was made with aluminium and was light weight with wire strings across it. It works really well and suits the dry conditions working in the middle east. I tested it out by planning Trench 2, partially to catch up on some of our recording and hopefully get excavating down to the really good archaeology and determine what this structure was! The walls of the structure to the south are quite complicated in Trench 3 and now that we are up to date with the planning, hopefully we can excavate further and work out the phasing.

Meanwhile drawing of the stonework in Trench 1 and excavation continued in Trench 3, taking away the modern back fill and revealing more of the back wall of the structure. Meanwhile Lesley's survey team got to work digitally recording the major features within each of trenches. She has done a great job in training the students up on the total station and they are now working like a well oiled machine. They surveyed most of trenches in consultation with myself, which will really help in locating the hand drawn plans to the wider maps of the area. Tomorrow more recording and now with Trench 2 completed for the first phase, more excavation.

We finished the day with some friendly competition by playing foot ball at the hotel. My word I am unfit, but it was a good laugh and some good exercise, even if my back didn't think so. Hopefully we will get a proper friendly going on soon!