DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Majcherek, Grzegorz: Kom el-Dikka: excavation and preservation work, 2005/2006
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42092#0035
ALEXANDRIA
EGYPT
Graves of the so-called Middle Ne-
cropolis phase were cleared directly below
the Upper Necropolis level. Despite serious
damages caused by the digging of later
internments, a few of the graves turned out
to be in surprisingly good condition. The
aboveground superstructures of these earlier
tombs were usually built of larger blocks,
forming rectangular structures {Fig. 31-
Floors were covered with a thin layer of
pebbles as a rule. Interestingly enough, in
several cases funerary stelae were found
where they had been immured.
Some graves of the Lower Necropolis,
scattered among the higher preserved walls
of Late Roman structures, were also
explored.
LATE ROMAN AUDITORIA
IN AREA CW
Fieldwork in recent seasons had brought the
discovery of a large and well-preserved
complex of lecture halls (auditoria) of Late
Roman date. So far, 17 auditoria situated
along the Theater Portico have been
identified and explored (Majcherek 2004:
27-32; 2005: 19-22; 2007: 25-28). Since
there was every reason to believe that
similar halls lined the entire length of the
portico, further structures of the kind were
anticipated in the yet unexplored Area CW.
This was indeed the case with three more
halls (RS, T and W) being cleared here this
year {Fig. 5].
Construction in this area appears to
have been determined by a single
architectural plan. Structures predating
the building of auditoria in the late 5th-
early 6th century were found to be mostly
dismantled down to the ground. The pre-
vailing technology for raising new walls,
from scratch as a rule, was the pillar
technique. The auditoria were also
generally larger, there being no imposed
constrictions of space.
Hall T (c. 9-00 by 4.70 m) featured
a standard arrangement with two rows of
benches running around three of the walls
{Fig. 6]. The southern section with the dais
has been preserved only as an imprint on
the ground. An upturned marble base
found close to the northern end of the
benches may have served as a small
pedestal, set in the middle of the room in
a manner similar to the pedestals
Fig. 5. Late Roman auditoria
(Plan A. Pisarzewski)
33
EGYPT
Graves of the so-called Middle Ne-
cropolis phase were cleared directly below
the Upper Necropolis level. Despite serious
damages caused by the digging of later
internments, a few of the graves turned out
to be in surprisingly good condition. The
aboveground superstructures of these earlier
tombs were usually built of larger blocks,
forming rectangular structures {Fig. 31-
Floors were covered with a thin layer of
pebbles as a rule. Interestingly enough, in
several cases funerary stelae were found
where they had been immured.
Some graves of the Lower Necropolis,
scattered among the higher preserved walls
of Late Roman structures, were also
explored.
LATE ROMAN AUDITORIA
IN AREA CW
Fieldwork in recent seasons had brought the
discovery of a large and well-preserved
complex of lecture halls (auditoria) of Late
Roman date. So far, 17 auditoria situated
along the Theater Portico have been
identified and explored (Majcherek 2004:
27-32; 2005: 19-22; 2007: 25-28). Since
there was every reason to believe that
similar halls lined the entire length of the
portico, further structures of the kind were
anticipated in the yet unexplored Area CW.
This was indeed the case with three more
halls (RS, T and W) being cleared here this
year {Fig. 5].
Construction in this area appears to
have been determined by a single
architectural plan. Structures predating
the building of auditoria in the late 5th-
early 6th century were found to be mostly
dismantled down to the ground. The pre-
vailing technology for raising new walls,
from scratch as a rule, was the pillar
technique. The auditoria were also
generally larger, there being no imposed
constrictions of space.
Hall T (c. 9-00 by 4.70 m) featured
a standard arrangement with two rows of
benches running around three of the walls
{Fig. 6]. The southern section with the dais
has been preserved only as an imprint on
the ground. An upturned marble base
found close to the northern end of the
benches may have served as a small
pedestal, set in the middle of the room in
a manner similar to the pedestals
Fig. 5. Late Roman auditoria
(Plan A. Pisarzewski)
33