Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

AREA H
The upper strata in the area of planned work
corresponded to a vast Moslem cemetery,
which is known to cover virtually the
entire site. Some twenty or so graves of the
so-called Upper Necropolis (nos. H 10-17
and H 41-48) were cleared within the
trench confines (8 x 20 m) [Fig. 2], They
were, however, largely damaged by later
robbing activities. In some cases, the super-
structures were utterly destroyed, exposing
burial chambers underneath. In the south-
ern part of the trench, an extension of the
perimeter wall surrounding a group of pre-
viously excavated graves was cleared. The
accompanying strata yielded the usual
assortment of artifacts: medieval glazed
pottery both Egyptian and imported, some
lamps and glass finds, all dated to the
10th-12th century AD 7 Two fragmentar-

3 Cf. below, communication on glass finds by R. Kucharczyk.

ily preserved funerary stelae inscribed in
Kufic script were found reused in the
construction of some of the tombs. Higher
standing segments of Late Roman walls
came to light once a thick underlying layer,
consisting mostly of rubble, urban refuse
and ashes from the bath, was cleared. Con-
tinued exploration revealed several graves of
the Lower Necropolis (H 110-117), dug at
random among the existing walls. All were
apparently introduced relatively not long
after the ultimate abandonment of the
auditoria, the deposits overlying the
original floors not exceeding 0.50-0.60 m
in thickness.
The recently excavated auditoria
folllowed the same internal arrangement,
although their state of preservation varied
considerably. Hall J (5.20 x 9-80 m) has
lost almost all of the original benches save


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