Nonstructure 3-N, extramural surface

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Features

Wall: other (Feature 1) Top of page
General description
Wall in courtyard.
Use history
Could have been a water-diversion device to redirect runoff away from Structure 103 (kiva).
Associated features
None.
Excavation procedure
Wall not excavated--just exposed.
Portion excavated
Portion within excavation unit.
Horizontal location
Runs grid north-south with the slope in courtyard 103; is in grid-west one-third of unit.
Vertical location
North end rests on bedrock Surface 1 of courtyard; south portion rests in refuse deposits.
Construction
Approximately 6 irregular stones (plus a few smaller stones) were aligned on sloping courtyard surface; set in red silt loam mortar.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Poor.
Degree of preservation
Wall is only one stone wide and one stone high--could have been constructed that way, but questionable.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  other.
Inferred:  other.
Shape comments
Plan shape is linear.
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
153
No
North-south.
Width
36
Yes
Height
22
No
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
Wall: other (Feature 2) Top of page
General description
Coursed masonry wall on the courtyard surface.
Use history
Appears to have bounded courtyard associated with Kiva Suite 103; not a retaining wall, as it is oriented down the slope. Refuse was deposited outside the wall but not inside.
Associated features
Doorway (Feature 5, Nonstructure 3).
Excavation procedure
Portion of wall was exposed only--not excavated.
Portion excavated
Only portions within 2 x 2 102N 152 E and 2 x 2 104N 152E.
Horizontal location
South of roomblock 103; crosses the grid southeast corner of 104N 152E and occupies the middle of 102N 152E.
Vertical location
Rests on courtyard surface (Surface 1 of Nonstructure 3).
Construction
Wall constructed on courtyard surface of large sandstone blocks after some trash had accumulated on courtyard surface.
Remodeling/ modification
No
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
No
Sealed
No
Preservation
Good.
Degree of preservation
Unknown--upper portion collapsed.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  other.
Inferred:  other.
Shape comments
Linear.
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
400
No
1000
This was the length if the wall originally extended south to the Structure 103 retaining wall.
Width
82
Yes
Height
70
No
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
Pit: not further specified (Feature 3) Top of page
General description
Long, narrow, shallow trench in courtyard.
Use history
Use unknown; pit filled with refuse after original use ended.
Associated features
None.
Excavation procedure
North half excavated, profile drawn.
Portion excavated
North half.
Horizontal location
Most of feature is within 2 x 2 102N 150E; it is in front of the roomblock associated with Structure 103.
Vertical location
Associated with Surface 1 of this courtyard (Nonstructure 3).
Construction
Pit was excavated into red silt loam construction sediment. A curved alignment of rocks on grid- southwest end of pit appears to be part of feature construction.
Remodeling/ modification
Not Recorded
Thermal alteration
No
Sooting
Not Recorded
Sealed
No
Preservation
Good.
Degree of preservation
Pit boundary on grid-southwest end has been damaged by erosion.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  irregular.
Inferred:  irregular.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  irregular.
Inferred:  irregular.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
220
Yes
Northeast-southwest.
Width
85
Yes
Northwest-southeast.
Height
No
Depth
22
Yes
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
1
Secondary refuse, based on artifact content, mixture with red sediment, and absence of in situ burning
burned rocks, clumps of red silt loam, and abundant artifacts
none
dark gray
ashy
2
Intentional fill dumped into the trench
many small chunks of burned sandstone, charcoal, large clumps of pinkish-white clay
none
reddish gray
silt loam
Firepit (Feature 4) Top of page
General description
Very shallow basin.
Use history
Possible ash dump or ephemeral-use firepit.
Associated features
None.
Excavation procedure
Recorded in provenience data, which are available through the "Field Data: Provenience Data" query in the multisite research database.
Portion excavated
All.
Horizontal location
In southeast quadrant of 2 x 2; in courtyard between Structure 103 (kiva) and its associated roomblock.
Vertical location
Surface 2 of courtyard (Nonstructure 3).
Construction
Feature is a very shallow basin; it is possible that no prehistoric excavation was required to obtain this slight, basined effect. Floor of feature is uneven with no preparation of floor or walls. Floor of pit is partly Dewey Bridge bedrock and partly yellow mottled silt loam (undisturbed native sediment).
Remodeling/ modification
Not Recorded
Thermal alteration
Yes. A few bits of burned soil were observed along base of feature.
Sooting
Not Recorded
Sealed
No
Preservation
Poor.
Degree of preservation
Surface poorly preserved in this area of courtyard, and rodent burrows have disturbed north and south edges of pit and feature fill.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  basin-shaped.
Inferred:  basin-shaped.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  round.
Inferred:  round.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
56
Yes
Northeast-southwest.
Width
55
Yes
Northwest-southeast.
Height
No
Depth
5.5
Yes
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture
1
Use associated
bits of decomposing sandstone, small nodules of silt loam, tiny bits of charcoal
rodent burrows interrupt the feature fill
grayish brown
ash
Doorway (Feature 5) Top of page
General description
Doorway or passage through extramural wall.
Use history
Used for passage in and out of the courtyard area; sealed with masonry after some period of use.
Associated features
Excavation procedure
Removed fill "full cut."
Portion excavated
Only the portion within the excavation unit.
Horizontal location
South of Roomblock 103; along east edge of excavation unit.
Vertical location
Sill appears to be 23 cm above courtyard surface.
Construction
From plan map, it appears that a gap 55 cm wide was left in a minimum of three vertical courses of masonry in a retaining or enclosing wall (Feature 2). No record of degree of shaping of stones that form the sides of the doorway, but plan map shows the edges of these stones lined up pretty neatly vertically; no description of sill.
Remodeling/ modification
Not Recorded
Thermal alteration
Not Recorded
Sooting
Not Recorded
Sealed
Yes. Nonstructure 3, Feature 2 form says this doorway was "apparently filled with masonry."
Preservation
Good.
Degree of preservation
Unknown portion of upper feature not preserved.
Shape in plan view
Actual:  other.
Inferred:  other.
Shape in cross section
Actual:  rectangular.
Inferred:  rectangular.
Shape comments
Dimensions
 
Actual
Complete?
Inferred
Comments
Length
70
No
Incomplete.
Width
55
Yes
Height
23
No
Preserved height.
Depth
No
Stratigraphy
Stratum
Interpretation
Inclusions
Disturbance
Color
Texture