Bamboula, Area A Circuit Wall (extracted from McFadden's notebooks)

4

18-11-48Clear below the sloping paving to a consistent level of fallen brick. Digging through this find many building stones. Photo Bam '48 G 7 at fallen stones.

In the west the tumble is predominantly of stone, whereas it is largely brick in the east.

Remove the tumble, which contains many pieces of a pithos. Many frags were found scattered over an uneven gravelly level at which the tumble stops.

Photo Bam. '48 G 8-9.

19-11-48Below the tumble the area divides. A partially cleared semicircle of small stones is filled with very loose stony and sandy earth, looking like loose silt. There are many bricks in this. North of the semicircle is red-brown earth.

Photos Bam. '48 G 10-12.

Photo Bam. '48 H 1 with semicircle partly dug out.

The semi-circle seems to have been just tumble, though different from that above. Dig down through reddish brown gravelly earth to a firm burnt floor, covered with ash. A vase lies on it. (p.80, No.1).

Photo Bam '48 H2-3 of vase-in situ on floor.

20-11-48Start cleaning off the top of the brick structure, finding the walls and continuing down inside it.

The north and east walls are fairly regular rectangular brick structures. On the south is bedrock. East the bricks are recessed as they descend, and the fill runs under them. From top to bottom the structure is filled with earth containing a very high percentage of pebbly chavara. It is clear that this is original fill, put in bit by bit as the structure was built, and supporting the overhanging north side. The brick superstructure is square; the brick and stone substructure rounded.

Clearing outside and extending to the west we finally discover the purpose of the building: a broad flight of steps of brick, leading up on to the wall.

Below what appears to be the bottom step, some pottery frags. are found in situ.

Photo Bam. '48 H 4 of pottery. Photos Bam '48 F 12 cleared.