The unit proved to be a finely stratified series of deposits without in situ architecture. These strata contain relatively few ceramics, though the density of faunal remains is moderately high.

The surface of Strata I is typical UPL. The vegetation was sparse and the density of decomposed sherds relatively high. Below the UPL the sediments appear to have been deposited as several episodes of sheet flow of sand on mud. Most of Stratum Ia is a very sticky and plastic mixture of clay and silt, quite uniform in appearance and containing a few small fragments of abraded sherds. Mud bricks in an alignment (Figure??) strongly suggestive of in situ architecture were found toward the bottom of Stratum I. The association of the bricks with what appeared to be mortar, and other characteristics of this level, also seemed obviously part of an intact architectural feature. But the association of these bricks with a floor was very ambiguous, and it is at least possible that they represent brickfall. [Ed. I did not see these aligned bricks in any drawings or text anywhere. Buck mentions them but the only bricks are seen higher up in the South profile]

Stratum Ib is a layer of silty sand – or perhaps just sand – with some internal convoluted laminations that are probably indicative of deposition by rapidly flowing water. It also contains small pockets of interbedded coarser sand, abraded and possibly water-rolled sherds, and pebbles up to 2.0cm in diameter. The direction of water flow appears to have been more north-south than east-west.

Stratum Ic is a layer of sand or silty sand with few sherds and no evident charcoal, and it conforms to strata above and below it. Stratum Id is a sandy silt with some fragments of mud bricks.

Summary of 1204/1060 This unit presents several problems of interpretation. There seems no doubt the most of these strata were deposited as a result of flowing water, to a depth of at least a meter. Yet there are mud brick buildings just 10m east and at about the same levels as these water-laid deposits. It is possible that the area of 1204S-1060E was part of an open gutter or drainage ditch running in front of the building complex illustrated in Figure xxx. Winter rainfalls in the Kom el-Hisn area is substantial enough to account for the fairly rapid movement of water evident in Stratum Ib. An alternative possibility is that 1204S-1060E was a large depression that was gradually filled with small amounts of rubbish that were mixed with water-borne silts, sands, and clays deposited in many short annual events by runoff from rain water. There are strong indications that the water was moving fairly rapidly in some of these strata, however, and this seems more in accord with the idea of a gutter or drain.

The faunal contents of this unit do not seem significantly different from those of other excavation units, either in species represented or density.