Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

back wall were largely dismantled. Next to
the auditorium wall a small patch of the
portico pavement was cleared. As in the
southern section near the theater, it was
made of large limestone slabs set in ashy
mortar. The most interesting find, however,
was made while clearing the adjacent sec-

tion of the stylobate. Quite unexpectedly,
a marble base (column no. 35) came to light
in situ. The base had subsided substantially
due to severe robbing of foundations in
antiquity and is now some 0.60 m lower
with regard to the original level of the
stylobate in the Theater Portico.

PRESERVATION WORK

The minimum-intervention approach em-
ployed for the past few years is in keeping
with international preservation procedures
and regulations, and places emphasis on
preservation rather than reconstruction.
Limited rebuilding is undertaken only
when absolutely essential for structural or
integration reasons, e.g. reconstruction of
foundations or missing parts of walls. All
the materials used in preservation
(limestone blocks, bricks, lime-sand
mortars, etc.) are individually adapted to
the condition of particular structures. The
use of original stone material retrieved from
excavations is preferred.
THEATER PORTICO
In the first of three areas where work
continued this season, in the Theater
Portico, two more columns were raised.
The southern one (no. 10) in front of the
Theater (approximately a third of the
original height preserved) was mounted on
a marble base surviving here. A third of
this base had to be restored in artificial
stone made of ground marble mixed with
white cement and some sand (the volume
ratio: 13:6:1). The surface of the cast part
was worked with a tooth chisel to give it
a texture closely recalling the original
marble bases.

Another column (complete shaft of gray
granite) was raised at the very end of the
Portico, marking the far end of the struc-
ture within the limits of the site. The
column (no. 38) had lain exposed for a long
time and its upper surface had began to
flake as a result of high temperatures and
rainwater penetration. The column was
subjected to conservation treatment ap-
plied already in the 1992/93 season by
T. Kol^taj: PARALOID B-72 diluted in
toluene (10% solution) to fill the crevices
and PARALOlD-marble mixture putty (1:5)
to complete losses and larger crevices.9)
The column was raised by crane and top-
ped with a capital. The missing base was
replaced with a new one cut from a lime-
stone block.
Although the portico foundations in
the southern section were found to be
generally quite well preserved, some
limited restoration proved necessary. Spot
damages to the stylobate, resulting mostly
from medieval grave digging, were re-
paired. Two gaps, not exceeding 2 m each,
were completed with new stones bonded in
lime mortar.
The restoration of the massive portico
back wall, which was c. 1.55 m wide, was
one of the most important operations
undertaken this year. Two sections of the

9) Cf. W. Kokjtaj, PAM IV, Reports 1992 (1993), 7-10.