Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

Medieval times.17 Comparative material is
truly abundant. In Egypt, apart from
Alexandria, other stratified examples may
be cited from Marea, Medinet Madi and the
Sinai.ls
SOLID-STEMMED LAMPS
Numerous fragments of solid-stemmed
lamps, one of the most characteristic items

among finds from the Kom el-Dikka
assemblage, with rounded or elongated
depressions on the lower part of the stem,
have also been recovered [Fig. 2:6-8], They
were attested already in the Islamic levels of
the auditoria.19 Moreover, lamps with these
peculiar features are abundantly represented
at the nearby Marea site, leading one to
assume that they were a local product.20

FUNNEL-NECK BOTTLES

Funnel-neck bottles, which flourished in
Late Roman and Byzantine times, are
surprisingly represented by only a small
number of fragments [Fig. 3:1-6], It is in
direct contrast to the high proportion of
finds of this type from Marea where this
shape was amply represented and was
indeed the main output of the as-
semblage.21 Usually such bottles, also
those recorded from the auditoria, were
made of different shades of common
natural bluish-green and green glass.
They were left undecorated. Like most of
the Byzantine bottles, also our finds are
thin, in some cases extremely thin-

walled. They have fire-rounded rims,
globular bodies and high kicked up bases
[Fig. 3:1]. The lack of pontil scars is
characteristic. The glass is preserved
generally in good condition, although
some weathering, resulting in light
iridescence, has been observed. It con-
tains bubbles in varying amounts and
sizes.
Evidence for this very common and
geographically widespread type comes
from all over the eastern Mediterranean,
where they are broadly attributed to
a period ranging from the early 5th to the
early 7th century AD.22

17 G. Davidson Weinberg, "A medieval mystery: Byzantine glass production", JGS XVII (1975), 138, Fig. 25.
18 Marea: R. Kucharczyk, "Glass finds from the bath in Marea", forthcoming. Medinet Madi: F. Silvano, Vetri Bizantini
dall'Egitto. Medinet Madi. 1998 (Pisa 1999), 23-26, Nos. 11-16. El-Tur: M. Kawatoko, A Port City Site on the Sinai
Peninsula, Al-Tur: The 13tli Expedition in 1996 : Summary Report (Committee for Egyptian Islamic Archaeology,
Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan 1998), 68, PI. 40: 3. Raya: Y. Shindo, Islamic Glass finds from Raya, Southern
Sinai, AnnAIHV 15 (2001), 180-181, Fig. 2: 9.
19 Kucharczyk, Kom el-Dikka 2005, op. cit., 39-41, Fig. 6: 8.
20 Id., "Glass finds from the Basilica in Marea, 2003", PAAl XV Reports 2003 (2004), 63-64, Fig. 1, and id., "Glass finds
from the Basilica in Marea", PAM XVI, op. cit., 55-56, Fig. 1: 4-7.
21 Id., "Marea 2001: Windowpanes and other glass finds", PAM XIII, Reports 2001 (2002), 65-71, Fig. 1: 1-3.
Considerable quantities of fragments of bottles of the type have been recorded in the current excavations at the basilica
in Marea.
22 For parallels, cf. Sardis: A. von Saldern, Ancient and Byzantine Glass from Sardis (London 1980), 69-71, PI. 26: 478.
Khirbet al-Karak: P. Delougaz, "The Objects: Glass Vessels", in: P. Delougaz and R.C. Haines (eds), A Byzantine
Church at Khirbet al-Karak (Chicago I960), 49, PL 59: 2-3,5-6. Samaria: G.M. Crowfoot, "Glass", in: J.W. Crowfoot,
G.M. Crowfoot, K.M. Kenyon (eds), Samaria-Sebaste: The Objects from Samaria, III (London 1957), 410-412, Fig. 95:
4,7,9- lerash: P. V.C. Bauer, "Glassware", in: C.H. Kraeling (ed.), Gerasa: City of the Decapolis (New Haven 1938), 531,
534, Fig. 25:385.

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