Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

WEST SAQQARA

EGYPT

EXPLORATION OF THE LATE NECROPOLIS

With the purpose of extending the E-W
cross-section through the site running
from the enclosure wall of the step
pyramid in the east to the alleged “dry
moat” (a deep longitudinal depression in
bedrock) in the west, the mission started
work in what is square 1716 of the present
10-by-10 m site grid, hoping to trace the
western edge of the alleged “dry moat”.
Trial pit III containing an Old
Kingdom burial shaft had been excavated

during the first campaign in 1987.2) It lies
on the eastern slope of the hill extending
southwards from the tomb of Ptahhotep.
Originally, the idea was to excavate squares
1716 and 1715 extending from the hill in
the direction of the “moat”; archaeological
circumstances required the extension of the
trench further eastwards, that is, into the
western half of square 1714, covering in
effect an area 25 m (E-W) by 10 m (N-S)
(Figs. 1, 2).


Fig. 2. Site grid: 1) area excavated in the campaigns of 1996-2001; 2) area excavated in
2002 (squares 1714-1716) (Drawing M. Puszkarski after K. Kuraszkiewicz)

2) K. Mysliwiec and T. Herbich, with a contribution by A. Niwinski, “Polish Research at Saqqara in 1987”, EtTrav 17
(1995), 178-180 and 202-203 (Fig. 27).

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