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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Violaine and Jessica discuss excavation strategy.
Early morning, and Violaine and Jessica discuss excavation strategy as we set up shots of the “Kom”. The infant burial has been better exposed and is seen to be running east to west, head to feet. Our beloved photographer Jay demonstrates one of his daredevil shooting stances as he balances from atop the ladder to get over the burials. Note in both shots, at the upper left bones of the third skeleton – i.e., the spinal column – running into the mound. The placement of the bodies is surprising, and we are wondering with the position of the pots, the child, and the legs of the large skeleton where the head of the last will be.

Jay, the daredevil photographer.

Documenting the placement of the burials. Documenting the placement of the burials.

Jay and the Pottery Team at work.

Back over at the front of the precinct, I take a view of our photo and pottery area from up at the magazines. Jay is busy at work as ever, and so are all the members of the Pottery Team. Rania caught finally with her face nearly looking up, and Allie and Marina smile for the camera. Luke proudly holds up the red burnished bottle from the “Kom” found in association with the burials. He has glued together the joining pieces that we recovered. We have the entire profile, and it is an exact match to one found in Dira Abu-el Naga, dating to Dynasty 17. See the photo here from the AERA Handbook. A very happy circumstance for excavators, pottery team members, and the Director particularly!

Rania.
Allie.
Marina.
Luke with red burnished bottle. Reference photo of matching bottle foun in Dira Abu-el Naga.

Documenting the infant burial.

Back in trench G East 13 and G Central 6 Baulk, Meg, Afaf, and Jessica are drawing the infant burial and the mound in order to move work along more quickly. The total station continues to have problems, so this will allow Jessica and Jill to place the burial on maps and in GIS more easily, since we cannot do this at present with the station. We are old hands at this one, since technology has really not hit the Mut Temple until very recently. Drawing manually is, however, a slow process, but it is better to have it done.

Meg, Afaf, and Jessica drawing the infant burial.
Meg, Afaf, and Jessica drawing the infant burial.

In Square Central 7 Maggie, Yasin, and Yehyia have uncovered the skull of the skeleton beneath the baulk. You will see a rim sherd directly in front of the face. As they work through the baulk which has a pit within it, they must remember the probable location of this burial.

Maggie, Yasin, and Yehyia have uncovered the skull of the skeleton beneath the baulk.
Rim sherd directly in front of the face.

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