Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (11.1999(2000))

MARINA EL-ALAMEIN

all along the eastern facade of the house, as
well as a stone fender protecting the south-
eastern corner of the house, evidently need-
ed to reduce damage caused by carts turn-
ing the street corner here. At this level the
eastern wall of the house shows clear evi-
dence of a major rebuilding, presumably
after the earthquake that caused the col-
lapse of most of the building. The stratig-
raphy in front of the main entrance indi-
cates that in the first two stages this
entrance was in line with corridor no. 8
that adjoined the staircase.
Clearing the street area opposite room
5c led to the discovery of painted plaster

fragments, depicting part of a woman's
figure and arm, and, in another case, a head.
The plaster was found on the last street
level and even slightly above it. This could
suggest that it had been deposited at a time
when the stone blocks from House H 10
were being plundered.
It took three steps to descend from the
threshold corresponding to the last phase
in the use of the street to the level of the
house courtyard. Here, too, many repairs
and rebuilding phases could be identified,
including a different arrangement of the
columns in the western portico, noted
already in earlier reports.7)

7) Cf. Medeksza, PAM X Reports 1998, op. cit., 61-62.