DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Zych, Iwona: Wooden and leaden coffins from the graeco-roman Burial ground of Marina el-Alamein
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41370#0085
MARINA EL-ALAMEIN
EGYPT
other coffin. In the latter case soldering of
the joints is also in evidence. A discoloration
along the top edge of the coffin body (1.5m
wide) may be evidence of the lid being
secured with some sort of fixing substance.
The bottom of this coffin was turned up
gently at the sides and a layer of mineral
filling (possibly lime) was in evidence at the
bottom.13) The lid in the case of the coffin
from Tomb 23 has not survived.
The other lead coffin from Tomb 23
(loculus 7) represented a generally oblong
shape. It was about 195 to 200 cm long,
about 54-55 cm wide, the sides from 28 to
33 cm high. The thickness of the sheet
used for the sides was 4-5 mm, while the
bottom appeared to be thicker (even
10 mm). At either end the long sides were
bent inwards and soldered together to form
the coffin ends. There was a single joint
with 2 cm overlap at either end. Squeezed
between the lead container and the walls of
the loculus on either long side were pieces
of wood, which must have belonged to the
outer coffin (Fig. 10). Such wooden casings,
while rare in the Eastern Mediterranean,
appear to have been quite common in
Britain.l4) An interesting feature of this
burial, apart from the tight fit, is what
appears to be a small pit sunk into the rock
floor of the loculus near the back of it.
Unfortunately, it could not be explored
under the present conditions. No such pit
has ever been found yet in any of the loculi
investigated to date in the necropolis of
Marina el-Alamein.15)
13) A mineral filling, either lime or gypsum, has been noted in some lead coffins from the British Isles, cf. Toller, op. cit.,
14, 16. This substance remains to be interpreted convincingly.
14) Rahmani, op. cit., 12; Toller, op. cit., 1-2, 6.
15) Some of the research for this report was done during a stay in London in 2002 under a grant from the Lanckoronski
Foundation in Cracow, for which I am very grateful.
83
EGYPT
other coffin. In the latter case soldering of
the joints is also in evidence. A discoloration
along the top edge of the coffin body (1.5m
wide) may be evidence of the lid being
secured with some sort of fixing substance.
The bottom of this coffin was turned up
gently at the sides and a layer of mineral
filling (possibly lime) was in evidence at the
bottom.13) The lid in the case of the coffin
from Tomb 23 has not survived.
The other lead coffin from Tomb 23
(loculus 7) represented a generally oblong
shape. It was about 195 to 200 cm long,
about 54-55 cm wide, the sides from 28 to
33 cm high. The thickness of the sheet
used for the sides was 4-5 mm, while the
bottom appeared to be thicker (even
10 mm). At either end the long sides were
bent inwards and soldered together to form
the coffin ends. There was a single joint
with 2 cm overlap at either end. Squeezed
between the lead container and the walls of
the loculus on either long side were pieces
of wood, which must have belonged to the
outer coffin (Fig. 10). Such wooden casings,
while rare in the Eastern Mediterranean,
appear to have been quite common in
Britain.l4) An interesting feature of this
burial, apart from the tight fit, is what
appears to be a small pit sunk into the rock
floor of the loculus near the back of it.
Unfortunately, it could not be explored
under the present conditions. No such pit
has ever been found yet in any of the loculi
investigated to date in the necropolis of
Marina el-Alamein.15)
13) A mineral filling, either lime or gypsum, has been noted in some lead coffins from the British Isles, cf. Toller, op. cit.,
14, 16. This substance remains to be interpreted convincingly.
14) Rahmani, op. cit., 12; Toller, op. cit., 1-2, 6.
15) Some of the research for this report was done during a stay in London in 2002 under a grant from the Lanckoronski
Foundation in Cracow, for which I am very grateful.
83