Nonstructure 1223, extramural surface

Back to Study Unit

Features

Wall: other (Feature 1) Top of page
General description
Extramural, coursed masonry wall.
Use history
Appears from its location and orientation across the mouth of a drainage to have been a dam used to capture and store runoff that flowed down the natural drainage. During its use, sediments accumulated at the base of the wall on the bedrock surface on which the wall rests.
Associated features
Excavation procedure
Feature not excavated--exposed only.
Portion excavated
Only the portion within Segment 2 was exposed; feature continues outside the unit to the east and west, and probably to the south.
Horizontal location
Wall crosses the south edge of Segment 2 (Arbitrary Unit 1200); wall is located at the east end of the great tower complex, 34 m east-northeast of the great tower.
Vertical location
Rests on bedrock (Nonstructure 1223, Surface 1).
Construction
Wide, heavily-constructed masonry wall. This wall was probably constructed on top of 2 to 4 cm of mortar placed above bedrock. It was built using large, rectangular shaped/worked stones and was laid with clay/mud mortar. Construction of only the northern course was observed, the rest of the construction of this wall was outside the excavation unit to the south. Wall may be double-coursed, or more likely, double-stone-with-core.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Good.
Degree of preservation
Wall was probably taller originally; upper portion would have collapsed due to exposure to the elements.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
104
No
Total length is unknown; Database Map 304.
Width
33
No
May be wider; only one horizontal course was exposed, but a second course may be present outside the excavation unit to the south; Database Map 304.
Height
69
No
170
Inferred from amount of rubble removed from excavation unit; Database Map 309.
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture