Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

TELL FARAMA

EGYPT

PAINTED PLASTER
Pieces of decorated plaster were found in the
whole area subject to excavations, mostly in
the vicinity of the stage building. Despite
their poor preservation, they show that the
theater had had two or three different layers
of painted decoration. The first coating was
of a beige sandy color; other shades were
added at a later date. Red, black, brown,
and green paint can be distinguished. Green
was probably used along with the beige as a
background, while black and brown was
mainly for the contours. Generally, it seems
that the decoration was rather geometrical
than figurative, but some pieces do look like
fragments of a landscape.
FRAGMENTS OF TERRACOTTAS
AND OTHER SMALL FINDS
Small finds were expectedly limited. We
can mention two worked bone artifacts,
perhaps elements of furniture, a small bone

scapula, and a stone pawn with a cross
symbol engraved on two sides. Among
fragments of terracotta statuettes, there was
a head of Zeus-Sarapis, the lower part of
a Bes figurine, fragments of naked female
figures, and two fragments of horsemen.
A fine terracotta head possibly represents
a Ptolemaic queen, being similar to the
famous Cleopatra head in Berlin {Fig. 1).
Generally, the figurines can be dated to the
Late Ptolemaic (Zeus-Sarapis, the female
head) and Late Roman periods.
POTTERY FROM THE THEATER
It was impossible to obtain a clear pottery
sequence. The deposits of pottery are
mixed, being all secondary and brought
into the disused theater as refuse. The bulk
of the material from the excavations is Late
Roman of the 5 th century AD, but some
Ptolemaic potsherds have also been found.
The oldest sherd — most likely incidental


Fig. 2. Stamped sigillata bowl, 1st century AD
(Photo M. Gawlikowski)

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