Nonstructure 901, extramural surface

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Features

Firepit (Feature 1) Top of page
General description
Firepit on an extramural surface.
Use history
Used as firepit; left open.
Associated features
Excavation procedure
Feature was bisected, west quadrant excavated first, then east quadrant.
Portion excavated
Only the portion of the pit within the excavation unit; feature continues outside unit to the south.
Horizontal location
Located at south edge of a 2 x 1 excavation unit; at north edge of the roomblock in Architectural Bock 900.
Vertical location
Prehistoric ground surface (about 83 cm below modern ground surface).
Construction
Pit was excavated into fill.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
Yes. Walls and floor of pit were highly fire reddened--probably through use.
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Excellent.
Degree of preservation
Shape in plan view
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  basin-shaped.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  elliptical.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
31
No
North-south.
Width
63
No
East-west.
Height
No
Depth
18
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
1
Fill is burned material resulting from use as firepit
charcoal, sandstone pebbles, ash
dark brown
silt loam
Firepit (Feature 2) Top of page
General description
Firepit on an extramural surface.
Use history
Used as firepit; left open.
Associated features
Excavation procedure
Recorded in provenience data, which are available through the "Field Data: Provenience Data" query in the multisite research database.
Portion excavated
Only the portion within the excavation unit; feature continues outside the unit to the east and south.
Horizontal location
Located in southeast corner of a 2 x 1 excavation unit; at the north edge of the roomblock in Architectural Block 900.
Vertical location
Prehistoric ground surface (about 85 cm below modern ground surface).
Construction
Pit was excavated into fill.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
Yes. Walls and floor were fire reddened.
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Good.
Degree of preservation
North boundary is disturbed by rodent activity.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  irregular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  unknown.
Inferred:  irregular.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
50
No
North-south.
Width
30
No
East-west.
Height
No
Depth
17
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
1
Burned material related to use
ash
rodent
brown
silt loam
2
Chunks of oxidized sediment were mixed into firepit fill, either from this pit or possibly from adjacent firepit
charcoal flecks
rodent, insect
strong brown
loam