Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (13.2001(2002))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

as geometric patterns on the upper part of
the body. On one there was even a relief
rendering of a human face {Fig. 5). There is
hardly any doubt that they were not meant
originally to be sunk into a floor and must
have been used, at least at first, in their
primary function as storage vessels. The
massive pillar supporting the ceiling
should also be attributed to this stage.
The hall was remodeled another two
times to fit the needs of the developing
compound. New passages were created
leading to the outer rooms on the north
and south sides.
At the time of the final conflagration
the only doorways opening from the hall
were onto the staircase and to an abutting
room on the north (AA.20.2). The ceiling
was additionally supported on a beam of

palm wood, set up on a damaged, upside-
down capital standing to the east of the
pillar.
The detritus filling the room consisted
of burnt bricks from the upper parts of the
walls, mixed with ashes from burnt reeds
that had presumably been stored inside the
room. The debris included two capitals
{Fig. 6), a column base and a stone basin
(mentioned above) that had fallen from an
upper floor. The stone water-vessel stand
that was found by the outer face of the
western wall must have also been originally
part of the upper-storey furnishing. Two
fragmentarily preserved funerary steles
were also discovered. One of these
(Nd.01180), of limestone, is a good-quality
depiction of a figure in prayer, set in a niche
constructed of stone blocks {Fig. 7). The


Fig. 5. Storage jar with painted decoration and relief rendering of a human face (Nd. 01219)
(Photo W. Godlewski)

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