Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (11.1999(2000))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

FORTIFICATIONS

In an effort to trace the course of the
defenses east and south of Kom A, the
tops of towers E.l and E.2 in the northern
part of the eastern line of fortifications
were cleared. Also, the recording of post-
Christian houses lining the inside and
outside of the ruined defenses in the
southeastern part of the mound was
undertaken. A trial pit was dug in the
southwestern part of the kom, revealing
a section of the southern line of defenses.
In another trial pit (SW.N) the tops of
walls and an entrance gate to a big pala-
tial complex were uncovered.
Rising some 31m away from the NE
tower, the E.l tower did not differ sub-
stantially from the other known towers.
A mudbrick core was lined with rough
stone blocks forming a curtain 85 to
120 cm thick (Fig. 5). The tower projected

8.50 m from the face of the fortifications;
at the base it was 6.25 m wide, while the
projecting end was rounded on a semicir-
cular plan. It is relatively well preserved in
terms of height and was probably founded
on bedrock, like the other parts of the
defenses in the northwestern part of the
kom, although no investigation of the
foundations was undertaken at this date.
Instead, a floor of regular ceramic tiles
(each 25.2 x 14.5 x 4.0 cm) was cleared on
the surviving top of the tower (29-70 m
level), leaving no doubt that at some
point in the history of the tower there had
been a finely finished compartment inside
the stone curtains of the defense wall. The
condition of the relics precludes any clos-
er characteristic of the room and its fur-
nishing. Neither is there any evidence for
the dating of this floor, but it most cer-


Fig. 5. Tower E.l. Plan
(Drawing Z. Solarewicz)

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