Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

TELL EL-LARKHA

EGYPT

was removed. These features consisted of
pits and postholes, and a series of furrows
ranging in width from 20 to nearly 50 cm,
demarcating a number of rooms. These
linear features covered virtually the whole
surface of the trench. The largest of the
rooms measured c. 3 by 4 m, the smallest
was barely over 1 m2. Like structures found
in other parts of the trench, these features
could be linked to Lower Egyptian culture.
Once excavation of section E93-94 had
been completed, work began on the neigh-
boring trench section, E83-84, covering an
area of some 200 m2. This saw the joining
of the north and south trenches. Sebakhin
digging had badly damaged the surface
here and cultural deposits had survived
undisturbed only in the east end of E84.
Pottery evidence provided a dating of the
uppermost layers to the beginning of the
Old Kingdom. However, no clearly defined
structural remains have survived to bear

Fig. 5. Eastern Kom. Quartz hammer
(Photo R. Stabonski)

witness to the architecture of this period.
The first intelligible feature was dis-
covered 0.50 m below the ground surface
and comprised a rectangular room with
a semicircular apse extending it to the west,
the walls surviving to a height of 0.80 m.
Beneath and adjacent to this a series of
bricks were noted in various formations,
some more regular than others (probably
delineating rooms dating from different
settlement periods), pits and silos. In one
of them a very large storage vessel was
discovered in situ. It represents the largest
vessel found on the site to date and is
almost complete with only the rim section
missing. A surprise came in the discovery
amongst the building remains of a grave
with no burial goods (grave 33). This
burial represents the known northernmost
extent of the cemetery on the Eastern Kom.
Other than pottery vessels, numerous clay
plugs and clay seals [Fig. 6], some covered
in hieroglyphs, were also found, as well as
a complete flint knives.
The excavation of trench section E83
began at a level of about 2 m below that of
neighboring E84 (the topmost 1 m of fill
at the tell edge being removed previously
by the sebakhin). The most recent layers to
survive in this area date from the begin-
ning of the Early Dynastic period. These
correlate to the level on which a round
building was discovered in E93- The upper
layers yielded the remains of buildings
with thick, solid walls, whilst further
down numerous kilns, often with vessels or
pot stands inside them, were recorded.
SOUTH TRENCH
Work carried out in 2001-2003 con-
centrated primarily on square 54, the
southeastern quarter of which was ex-
cavated in full during this period. In 2004,
the trench was extended to include the
squares immediately to the north and west


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