Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

SAQQARA

EGYPT

cf. Mysliwiec 2005a: 6-7, 2007a: 160-
168; 2005b: 152; Welc 2007: 176-181;
Rzeuska 2007: 186-189).
The ground on the eastern side of the
corridor containing the entrance ramp to
the hypogeum was cleared all the way to
the face of the stone foundations of the
step pyramid's enclosure wall (eastern
part of square 2002, cf. above, Figs 7-8 on
162-163). Also explored was the area
immediately to the south of the hypo-
geum (square 2102).
A full stratigraphic record of layers,
both natural and resulting from man's
activity, is now available for this part of

the site.1 The following structures and
layers have been distinguished:2
— depression hewn in bedrock just south
of the rock-cut hypogeum (Square 2102)
[Figs 1, 2};
— mud floor (no. 1), east of the rock-cut
hypogeum (Square 2002) [Figs 1,3}',
— whitewashed mud floor (no. 2) on
brick bedding, east of the rock-cut
hypogeum (Square 2002) [Figs 1,3}',
— whitewashed mud floor (no. 3) to the
south and southeast of Shafts 95 and 97
(Square 2102) [cf. Fig. 1};
— stone and brick casing of rock-cut
hypogeum (Square 2002) [cf. Fig. 1}.

ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES UNDER THE
NETJERYKHET ENCLOSURE WALL

The first strata above bedrock is the so-
called lower "red layer" composed of pebbles
of varied size and singular chips of local
limestone. The filler is fine sand of reddish
color bonded with lime carbonate (no. 2 in
Fig 4). Next stratigraphic unit (no. 5 in

Fig. 4) include a lower layer, composed of
crushed local limestone mixed with
insignificant amounts of grayish sand, and
the one above it, consisting of conglome-
rated crushed mud brick, sand, grits of
limestone and small stones with a characte-


Fig. 2. Depression hewn in bedrock just south of
the rock-cut hypogeum, view from
the west (Photo F. Welc)


Fig. 3. Floors 1 (no.l) and 2 (no. 2) revealed
east of the Shaft 101, view from
the east (Photo F. Welc)

1 Reaching bedrock, identified here as a local Eocene limestone designated as the Saqqara Member of the Maadi
Formation (cf. Said 1962: 99, 322; Handbook 2003: 192).
2 Cf. above, report by K. Mysliwiec, in this volume

175