Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

MAREA

EGYPT

BASILICA

Work commenced last year in the north
wing of the basilica transept was now
continued with more limestone blocks
from the collapsed walls being cleared
from further sections of the building
[Figs. 1,2}. The stylobate, which was re-
vealed in the north transept, was made of
blocks of nummulithic limestone aver-
aging 1.00 by 0.75 m. Of the marble
columns that had stood on the stylobate,
three shafts of 0.35 m diameter were found
on the floor of the transept in this area.

One complete shaft was 2.21 m long; the
other two were fragmentary. Furthermore,
Grossmann's presumed intercolumnar space
of c. 2.40 m has now been confirmed.4
Consequently, the number of columns in
the transept should be reconstructed as
twelve. Four of these columns were later
incorporated into the wall of the northern
pastophorium (prothesis?) during a re-
building of the church, as indicated by the
negative impressions in lime mortar of
three of these columns, recorded during


Fig. 2. North wing of the transept with stylobate under the columns, view from the west. Note
the circle of stones protecting a late fireplace (Photo J. Kucy)

4 P. Grossmann ("Die Querschiffbasilika von Hauwariya und die iibrigen Bauten dieses Typus1 in Agypten als
Reprasentanten der Verlorenen friihchristlichen Architektur Alexandras", in: Memonam Daoud Abdu Daoud, BSAA
45 (1993), 110) takes note of the small diameter of these columns to justify the presumed small distance between them.

45