Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

NAQLUN


NAQLUN
EXCAVATIONS, 2002
Wiodzimierz Godlewski

The 2002 field campaign of the Polish Center of Archaeology at the site ofNaqlun (Deir
el Malak Gabriel) in the Payum was carried out between September 21 and October 30. r>
The chief objective of the mission was to clear the eastern part of a Christian cemetery dating
from the Fatimid period, situated on site A in the central section of the kom. The western
part of this cemetery had been cleared in 2000 and before. The conservation of two wall
paintings from the Church of the Archangel Gabriel (C. Calaforra-Rzepka), completed this
season,2'1 marks the end of restoration work on the murals discovered a few years ago inside
the church. Textiles from burials were protected on a day-to-day basis and a full conservation
was carried out of a textile with Arabic inscription, Nd.93.035 (cf Fig. 8), from earlier
excavations (B. Czaja-Szewczak). Study work during the season included a final review
prior to publication of the Arabic documents from the archive ofBanu Bifam (Ch. Gaubert)
and continued documentation and analysis of a deposit of painted pottery from chamber E.9
(T. Gorecki). The anthropological material from two seasons — 2001 and the current one —
was examined (K. Piasecki assisted by R. Mahler).

1) The Mission was directed by Prof. Dr. Wiodzimierz Godlewski and included: Ms Dobieslawa Baginska, Mr. Tomasz
Gorecki, Mrs. Anetta Lyzwa-Piber, Mrs. Maria Mossakowska-Gaubert, Ms Dobrochna Zielinska, Dr. Magdalena Zurek,
archaeologists; Dr. Christian Gaubert (Arabist, IFAO), Mrs. Barbara Czaja-Szewczak, textile restorer; Mr. Cristobal
Calaforra-Rzepka, wall painting restorer; Prof. Dr. Karol Piasecki and Mr. Robert Mahler, anthropologists; Mr. Szymon
Maslak and Mr. Grzegorz Ochala, students of archaeology. The Supreme Council of Antiquities was represented by
Mr. Ibrahim Ragab.
The work of the Mission proceeded efficiently and according to plan thanks to all-encompassing assistance from the
Authorities of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo and the Department staff in Fayum, especially Mr. Ibrahim
Ragab, the Inspector attached to the expedition, to whom we are immensely indebted. The generous hospitality of the
monks from the Naqlun monastery is acknowledged with equal gratitude.
2) For a report on the conservation project, see contribution by C. Calaforra-Rzepka in this volume.

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