Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

the 7th century, most likely between AD
652 and 668, that is, after Abu Sarh's raid
on Nubia and before the death of Bishop
Joseph as recorded on his funerary stela. It
was built on a typical Nubian church plan
consisting of three parts: the eastern one
with pastophories and a passage behind the
apse, the central one comprising three
aisles, and the western one which was
tripartite with a staircase in the south-
western corner-room. In terms of typology,
it is close to Adams' Type 3b (Adams 1965:
87-125) and Gartkiewicz's Type B2 (Gar-
tkiewicz 1982: 74, 85-91). In similarity to
the monastery church at el-Ghazali, the
central module is slightly longer than in
other churches of the same type. This may
be a distinctive feature of monastery
churches.


Fig. 9. Tomb superstructure G6, view from the
west (Photo D. Gazda)

At least three construction phases have
been identified. In what is believed now to
be the first phase, the tripartite body of the
building was erected together with the apse
and piers in the nave. Already at this stage
a curious change in the design was im-
plemented, the body of the church being
shortened from the east. One reason for this
may have been the introduction, in place of
a flat roof, of a dome supported on the four
pillars in the nave. The church was paved
with ceramic tiles of light red color, sized
30x30x4 cm on average; regular bricks
were used for the flooring inside the
presbytery, which was separated from the
nave by a stone screen still observable under
the remains of a mud-brick wall from
a later construction phase. The aisles were
separated by stone arcades. Graves G1 and
G3 were already in existence in this first
phase. A passage around the church, paved
with similar tiles as inside the church,
appeared at least on the south side of the
structure. The HCE structure was built
onto the eastern end of the church at the
same time as the main building.
The second phase is difficult to date,
but it must have occurred sometime in the
Early Christian period. Both entrances to
the church were narrowed at this time and
a paving of ceramic tiles was laid on a bed-
ding of fine sand 4-7 cm thick. The new
tiles averaged 47x32x4 cm in size. In the
presbytery, another layer of bricks was laid
on the floor and covered with waterproof
plaster. The ambo was rebuilt and given
a new painted decoration and the masonry
structures appeared inside the northwestern
chamber. Graves G2 and G4 appeared,
although it is probable that the former
originated still in the Early Christian
period, while G4 dates to Classic Christian
times.
Finally, in the third phase mud-brick
partition walls (0.40 m thick) were intro-

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