165 PART II: LEVEL K-6 Eran Arie and Assaf Nativ Remains of Level K-6 were unearthed during the seasons of 2000 and 2002, but mainly during the season of 2004. In the 2004 season the excavation of Area K was supervised by Eran Arie and Assaf Nativ, accompanied by registration coordinator Brooke Shelman and square supervisors Sarah Werren and Leigh Savage. The frst half of the season was aimed at concluding the exposure of Level K-6, and especially the removal of baulks. During the second part of the season, the frst remains of Levels K-7 and K-8 were exposed; they are dealt with above by Martin et al. Level K-6 (Figs. 3.12–3.13) comprises a well-preserved building that presents a clear layout in the eastern part of the area (Building 04/K/44), an open area (Courtyard 04/K/43a) with several installations to its west, and a single room of another building in the northwest (Room 02/K/74). The stratigraphy in Area K is exceptionally dense – the difference in elevation between walls of Levels K-6 and K-5 in Square O/10 is less than 10 cm (Wall 02/K/4 of Level K-5 on top of Wall 04/K/7 of Level K-6). Furthermore, due to the poor preservation of Level K-5 (Gadot et al. 2006: Fig. 7.6), in two cases, walls of Level K-4 were built immediately on top of walls of Level K-6 (Wall 00/K/1 on Wall 02/K/7; Wall 98/K/9 on Wall 02/K/8 – Figs. 3.14–3.15). BUILDING 04/K/44 Building 04/K/44 (Fig. 3.16) covers an area of at least 130 m 2 , its main part constituting three units (04/K/42, 04/K/44 and 02/K/84). Walls 04/K/8 (Square P/11), 04/K/2 (Square O/9) and the southern continuation of Wall 02/K/7 (Square P/9) indicate that the building had at least two additional units – to the east and south. CENTRAL COURTYARD 04/K/44 The foor of Courtyard 04/K/44 (Fig. 3.17) was made of beaten earth and was raised in the course of the life of the building by 35 cm (elevations 164.60 m to 164.95 m). The fact that the northern walls of the courtyard (Walls 00/K/17 and 02/K/8) do not join, raises a question about their reconstruction. Since Wall 02/K/8 probably made a corner with Wall 04/K/30 in the northern section of Square 0/11, it is possible that the continuation of the latter abutted Wall 00/K/17 and thereby closed Building 04/K/44 in the north. Two installations were located in Courtyard 04/K/44: Tabun 04/K/20, 50 cm in diameter, was found in the corner of Walls 02/K/7 and 02/K/8, with its wall resting on small fat stones; it contained small bones and smashed pottery. A worked limestone Bowl 04/K/84/AR1 was found in the southern part of the courtyard. It had a deep circular cavity in the centre, surrounded by four cup-like oval shallow depressions; it probably served for crushing and grinding. Somewhat similar stone bowls were found in the courtyard of Building 00/K/10 of Level K-4 (Gadot et al. 2006: Fig. 7.7) and in the courtyard of Building 08/H/38 of Level H-9 (Chapter 5). This unit was interpreted as a courtyard for three reasons: it is the biggest unit in Building 04/K/44; it is surrounded by rooms; and it contained two installations that would better be explained as being located AREA K, PART II: LEVEL K-6 Eran Arie and Assaf Nativ