Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

MARINA EL-ALAMEIN

EGYPT

ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONTROL
AND GEOARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH4

All clearing work in architectural features
where building conservation work was
planned was done under archaeological
control. This included Houses HI and H2.
HOUSE HI
Clearance of the southern, eastern and
western sections of the perimeter wall
prepared them for reconstruction. In Room
6, cartridge shells and fragments of metal
containers indicated that the blocks of the
west wall had been pulled out during
World War II for reuse in army defenses
constructed in this part of the site. Further

cleaning of the wall foundation (c. 1.50 m
below the floor of Room 6) revealed
virtually whole amphorae, faience bowls
and terra sigillata jugs from the 2nd
century AD, a small mortarium, fragments
of an unguentarium and small glass bottle,
four bronze coins and an ostracon. This
earlier room (no. 26) with walls of broken
stone (0.70-0.75 m wide) proved to
measure 6.06 by 3.00 m. The door could
have been in the middle of the west wall,
where instead of stones a layer of soil with
burning was discovered, mixed with small
potsherds and shells. On the east side, the


Fig. 10. Room 26 of House HI, deposit of amphorae from the 1st—3rd century AD
(Photo S. Medeksza)

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Contribution by G. B^kowska. Sections on geoarchaeological research contributed by M. Mrozek-Wysocka. All pottery
identifications and dating plus remarks on the amphorae dump provided kindly by Dr. G. Majcherek.

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