DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Herbich, Tomasz: Qasr el-Saga: magnetic survey, 1999
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41368#0186
QASR EL-SAGA
EGYPT
of the settlement plan. However, only the
northern/central part of the settlement has
been recorded, both the NS and the EW
walls. The anomalies reflect streets,
courtyards and walls of the housing units.
The space between walls a and b
corresponds to the street; the space between
b and c to the courtyards. Walls / and g
correspond to the perimeter walls of the
housing units. Anomaly e is the outer
(northern) wall of the housing unit; d seems
to correspond to the archaeological trench
(which is still visible). The anomalies
correspond to the structures that were not
excavated; their interpretation became
possible thanks to the results of Sliwa's
excavations. Irregular anomalies (like h)
could correspond to a concentration of
pottery (visible on the surface).
Anomalies were recorded only in the
unexcavated area. Their absence in the
eastern part raises no doubts, since
everything there has been eroded away.
The enclosure wall on the west is not
visible and neither are the traces of
architecture inside the wall, even though,
judging by the excavation results, this part
of the site should be well preserved.
Therefore, it is to be concluded that the
mudbrick at Qasr el-Sagha is non-
magnetic and that everything that has
been recorded on the magnetic map is due
to the presence of strongly magnetic
material (presumably ashes), deposited
alongside the walls of the courts and inside
the rooms. The presence of ashes in houses
in the central part of the site, when
considered in the light of their absence in
the western section, may also be of
importance in putting forward hypotheses
about the function of these homesteads (or
their destruction possibly by fire).
CONCLUSION
The magnetic survey failed to register the
borders of the settlement; therefore it
neither supported nor disproved the extent
of the site as reconstructed by Sliwa. The
results confirm, however, the symmetry
and regularity of the settlement plan as
proposed by the excavators. Consequently,
had the geophysical prospection preceded
excavations, the survey results would have
been very useful both in planning the
excavation and in reconstructing the
settlement plan.
184
EGYPT
of the settlement plan. However, only the
northern/central part of the settlement has
been recorded, both the NS and the EW
walls. The anomalies reflect streets,
courtyards and walls of the housing units.
The space between walls a and b
corresponds to the street; the space between
b and c to the courtyards. Walls / and g
correspond to the perimeter walls of the
housing units. Anomaly e is the outer
(northern) wall of the housing unit; d seems
to correspond to the archaeological trench
(which is still visible). The anomalies
correspond to the structures that were not
excavated; their interpretation became
possible thanks to the results of Sliwa's
excavations. Irregular anomalies (like h)
could correspond to a concentration of
pottery (visible on the surface).
Anomalies were recorded only in the
unexcavated area. Their absence in the
eastern part raises no doubts, since
everything there has been eroded away.
The enclosure wall on the west is not
visible and neither are the traces of
architecture inside the wall, even though,
judging by the excavation results, this part
of the site should be well preserved.
Therefore, it is to be concluded that the
mudbrick at Qasr el-Sagha is non-
magnetic and that everything that has
been recorded on the magnetic map is due
to the presence of strongly magnetic
material (presumably ashes), deposited
alongside the walls of the courts and inside
the rooms. The presence of ashes in houses
in the central part of the site, when
considered in the light of their absence in
the western section, may also be of
importance in putting forward hypotheses
about the function of these homesteads (or
their destruction possibly by fire).
CONCLUSION
The magnetic survey failed to register the
borders of the settlement; therefore it
neither supported nor disproved the extent
of the site as reconstructed by Sliwa. The
results confirm, however, the symmetry
and regularity of the settlement plan as
proposed by the excavators. Consequently,
had the geophysical prospection preceded
excavations, the survey results would have
been very useful both in planning the
excavation and in reconstructing the
settlement plan.
184