Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

APPENDIX 2
EXPLORATION OF KOM J
IN OLD DONGOLA (2002 AND 2006)

Daniel Gazda

Kom J neighbors with the North Church
(NC) and Christian cemetery (TSJ), situated
east of the modern track from el-Ghaddar
village to the ruins of the Throne Hall-
Mosque and Citadel on Kom A, about
450 m west of the monastery compound on
Kom H (for a general plan of the Polish
concession at Dongola site, cf. Jakobielski
2001: 4-5). It was first explored in
December 2002 (Jakobielski 2003: 224)
and again in January 2006, both times by
the present author.
It is on oval mound measuring c. 15 m
across and rising to a height of 3 m on the
west, north and south. Toward the east there
is a low ridge connecting it with Kom I.
The ground is strewn with red-brick rubble
and small pieces of broken stone.
A rectangular trench (c. 8.00 by 6.50 m)
was dug in the southeastern part of the
mound in order to determine the character
of the architecture located here (suggestions
have included a church, monumental
mausoleum or cemetery area, cf. Jakobielski
2001: 4). Testing in other parts of the kom
established the thickness of deposits, which
consist of sand and rubble on top of
bedrock: not exceeding 0.20 m in the
central part, not more than 0.40 m in the
western part and the area where the trench
was excavated.

Relics of two unidentified structures in
very poor state of preservation were cleared
under a layer of drifted sand and fine rubble,
one in the southeastern part of the mound
and the other situated more centrally
{Figs 2, 3}· One corner of the more easterly
of the two structures was made of sandstone
blocks reused from a Napatan or New
Kingdom temple, as suggested by a block
with two hieroglyphic signs in low relief, sps
(or similar, cf. Jakobielski 2003: 224 and
note 1 5 — Gardiner's signs A40, A42, A46,



Fig. 1. Block with hieroglyphic signs
(Photo D. Gazda)

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