Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

MAREA

EGYPT

ENTRANCE TO THE BASILICA

Another objective of this year's inves-
tigations was to locate the main entrance
to the basilica, believed to be in the west
wall of the building. Excavations in this
part of the church revealed at a depth of
about 1.20 m below the preserved top of
the walls, an entrance 6.40 m wide, clearly
divided by two pillars (evidence of one of
these pillars was preserved on the thres-
hold). Later the space between the two pil-
lars was blocked, thus forming two door-
ways of a width of c. 1.10 m each [Fig. 9].
Under the threshold, used as a support
under a slab, was a small, undamaged
marble Corinthian capital. The pavement

was laid 0.60 m below the threshold.
Leading to the entrance from both north
and south were three steps. Above the steps
on the north side traces of burned ground
were found — evidence of a Bedouin fire.
The layer of burning yielded over 50
marble tiles coming from the decoration of
the basilica, mostly square, hexagonal and
triangular pieces. The fill further yielded
two fragments of plaster giving an idea of
what the ceiling could have been like: one
with impressed bunches of reeds on the
reverse and the other from a corner with
impressed images in the negative of the
construction supporting the roof.


Fig. 9. Main entrance in the west wall of the basilica. View from the west
(Photo J.M. Kucy)

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