Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

Both excavated auditoria were built in
the same manner, taking advantage of
existing construction. Large buttresses
supporting the Portico back wall were
extended eastwards with walls (1.25 m
thick), built of large masonry in isodomic
bondwork. The long east walls were
structured differently, however. Although
again formed of isodomic courses of large
dressed stones (some reaching 0.60-0.70 m
in length), they had only one face, the one
on the inside. The outer (eastern) face was
left rough, with stones set haphazardly,
some protruding from the wall. It is quite
obvious that the structure was designed as
a retaining wall counteracting the heavy
load of the adjacent mound which had
started to accumulate beginning in the 6th
century in the vast abandoned area
between the Theatre and Bath complex.
The mound composed mostly of thick
deposits of rubble, urban refuse and ashes
from the bath furnaces stood well above
the surrounding area. Its heavy load caused
a dangerous inward bulging of the walls,
a feature particularly well visible in
auditorium L.
Quite unexpectedly, explorations
revealed a substantial section of toppled
masonry, obviously originating from the
top parts of the east wall. It was apparently
built in the pillar technique, with smaller
dressed stones filling the intervals. The
dimensions of the fallen fragment
combined with the height of extant walls
gave an estimated original height of the
halls K and L at close to 6 m.
While it is still unclear when these
structures were built (available conjectural
evidence points to the late 5 th century),
the date of their last occupation can be
established more securely. A group of
broken pottery vessels found in the
northeastern corner of auditorium K,
including imported Late Roman

Amphorae 1 and 4, as well as some
Egyptian containers, suggests the mid-late
7th century AD as the most plausible time
for their abandonment. A chronological
assessment of these structures is underway
and conclusive evidence is expected from
the exploration of under-floor layers.
AREA AS
A new trench was also opened in area AS
situated at the northern confines of the
site, the intent being to verify the stra-
tigraphy and to assess the archaeological
potential of this area. A group of graves of
the Upper Moslem Necropolis (AS 100-
122), found virtually at present topsoil
level (c. 11 m above sea level), was first
cleared. All the graves fell within the same
typological groups already described
above.
Yet another large hall (P), seemingly
also used as an auditorium, was excavated
immediately below the burial level. It was
most unusual, however, for it appeared to
follow in orientation as well as layout,
a typical church design featuring
a rectangular plan complete with apse
(Fig. 6). Unlike the structures excavated in
the southern end of the site, this building
had more bulky proportions (10 by 7 m)
and followed an E-W axis. A small apse
(3.5 m in depth) was added to the eastern
wall, creating thus a peculiar design. Three
rows of stepped seats, apparently imitating
a synthronos, were found partly preserved in
the apse. The benches in the main aisle
were much higher, featuring as many as
five rows of stepped seats, as evidenced by
those preserved along the northern wall.
Most of the seats, however, were damaged,
some dismantled and others destroyed by
the burials of the medieval necropolis. All
the benches had been coated with plaster,
which was found still adhering to the
surface in places. The fill contained much

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