Structure O75: 20x18 m amphitheatre building used for 800 years

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Key facts

• O75 is a large communal enclosure at the northern end of the WF16 settlement, semi-subterranean with pise surfaces over a boulder or stone foundation
• It measures 20 m by 18 m, with a mud plaster floor and a perimeter bench 50 cm high and 1 m deep
• The bench face is decorated with a wave pattern, with a second tier of similar dimensions in places, giving an amphitheatre-like form comparable to structure AD at Karahan Tepe
• The structure is roughly symmetrical, with radiating gullies and a central trough forming a herringbone pattern
• Two cup-hold mortars sit on slightly raised platforms; massive post holes at the centre of each gully and stake holes indicate a roofed superstructure
• O75 was constructed between 11,320 and 11,240 years ago and remained in use for about 800 years
• The central trough is 75 cm wide and 1.2 m deep, runs outside the structure, is mud-plaster lined, and contained water-laid charcoal and shell deposits, indicating it functioned as a drain
• The building underwent repeated repairs and remodelling: basins, hearths and post holes were cut into or sealed beneath the main floor, and the perimeter wall was remodelled more than once
• After decommissioning, the smaller structure O100 was built inside O75's footprint and remained the focal point of WF16

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