Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

NAQLUN

EGYPT

MEDIEVAL MONASTIC ARCHITECTURE


In 2005, a new sector (S) was opened in the
central part of the kom, where previous
excavations had uncovered monastic
architecture of the 10th-11th century,
believed to be the apogee of the Nekloni
monastery. The complex developed around
the Church of the Archangel Michael,
founded on the ruins of earlier 6th-century
architecture or directly on bedrock without
any leveling of the surface. It grew
gradually over the next few centuries.
The object of the present season was the
southern end of the sector opened last year
(Godlewski 2007a: 199-202). Four super-
imposed structures belonging to the
monastic complex, but of as yet un-
determined function, were uncovered in
this part of the sector (S.4) [Fig. 1}. The
only relic of the oldest structure is
a fragmentary pavement of limestone slabs,
made so finely that it must have been part
of one of the more important buildings of
the 6th-century monastery. Superimposed
on this pavement was the southeastern
corner of a room with walls built of baked
brick. Inside the room, a large limestone
basin (Nd.06.814) of indefinite function
was unearthed [Fig. 2}. The southern
structure (S), built of mud brick in two
phases, was excavated in the northern part.
The floor of room S.l incorporated in its
structure fragments of a marble table
(Nd.06.809) and an 11th-century Arabic
funerary stela (Nd.06.808) [Fig. 4}, as well
as a small, stamped, glass weight
(Nd.06.810) from the beginning of the
11th century [Fig. 3}.

Fig. 1. Plan of Sector S.4 on Site A (Drawing
W. Godlewski & Sz. Mas'lak)

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