Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

TELL LARAMA

EGYPT

the early 1st century AD. Obviously, the
theater was built in place of earlier struc-
tures, but it is still premature to decide
whether the choice of site under the theater
was determined by the fact that it lay
abandoned or whether the project was part
of more extensive urban planning activities.
A third area explored in 2004 was
located in the northern part of the theater,
where the purpose of opening excavations
was to see how the area between the scenae
frons and pulpitum had been organized.
The trench measured 9-50 by 10.50 m
[Fig. 4]. Quantities of bronze and iron nails
found here supported the idea of wooden
planks being used here. This year's exca-
vations concentrated on the foundation of
the scenae frons wall, revealing a similar

building technique as described above for
the parodos entrance. Installations present
at the foundation level between the
pulpitum and scenae frons were also re-
vealed, permitting a look at layers under-
lying the theater ruins. It was also dis-
covered that following the abandonment of
the theater, the ruins were reused for some
kind of industrial activity (lime proces-
sing?), as suggested by the remains of two
water-supply channels constructed with the
use of pieces of architectural decoration,
which could have been retrieved from the
decoration of the scenae frons [Figs. 5,6].
Relevant pottery finds from a layer con-
taining lime and crushed red bricks indica-
ted a date not earlier than the late 4th and
early 5th century for these late installations.


Fig. 3. Hellenistic or early Roman structure under the eastern parodos
(Photo K. Jakuhiak)

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