Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

DEIR EL-BAHARI

EGYPT

some rectangular constructions in crude
bricks, which at first sight looked like beds or
seats. They were graves; each of them
contained several Coptic mummies”.
The north-south alignment of structure
S.l/07 is incompatible with the usual
Christian practiced hence it is possible that it
belongs to the category of earlier “pagan”
tombs (Winlock and Crum 1926: 14, note
1), discovered by Naville (1896: 5) on the
Middle Terrace and can be dated to the Late
Roman period. A provisional study of the
assemblage from the structure also points to
the 6th century (possibly earlier), but it
should be kept in mind that the
archaeological context here was disturbed.
Traces of an inscription(?), painted in
red, were found on the east and south walls of
the Chapel, above the tomb and below the
dado decoration of the walls. One letter
painted in red, “...H(?)...”, was preserved in
the middle of what supposedly was a one-line
inscription on the north wall of Unit B. The
evidence is naturally insufficient, but the very
location of the tomb and the quality of its
execution suggests a burial place for two(?)
individuals, possibly monks, of some rank
and standing.
Π. 1.2.3. Shaft Tomb S.2/07
The rock-hewn mouth of Shaft S.2/07,
approx. 1.40 m to the side, was unearthed
approx. 0.30 m under the Chapel pavement,
close to the foundation edge of the South
Wall [cf. Fig. 4\. The shaft led to a burial
chamber oriented to the west and located
approx. 3.70 m under the wall foundation
[Fig. 6]. The chamber was almost
rectangular, approx. 2.80 m (E-W) by
2.40-2.70 m wide, less than 1.60 m in height.
A bench of sorts was hewn in the rock by the
south wall of the chamber; it was more than

2 m long (E-W), approx. 0.30 m wide and
less than 0.30 m high. The chamber may have
contained at least two coffins.
The shaft and chamber were both roughly
executed, uninscribed and undecorated. An
effort seems to have been made, however, to
make the walls as smooth as possible. Six big
limestone blocks with no decoration were
found at the bottom of the shaft.
Π. 1.2.4. Shaft Tomb S.3/07
Tomb S.3/07 was located in the southeastern
corner of the Chapel, beneath the
foundation of the south wall and below tomb
S.l/07 (see above) [cf. Fig. 4]. The shaft was
approx. 1.40 m to the side and almost 3 m
(2.78 m) deep. The mouth of the shaft was
destroyed when the burial structure S.l/07
was built above it in Late Roman or Coptic
times. The undecorated burial chamber,
located on the east side, was approximately
2.60 m (E-W) long and 1.20 m wide
(narrowing to about one meter at the eastern
end), and about 1.20 m high; the deepest
point in the chamber was 2.91 m below the
Chapel pavement [Fig. 6].
Both the shaft and chamber were roughly
executed, uninscribed and undecorated.
Remains of Third Intermediate Period
burials and Coptic material were found. The
tomb was disturbed during the Coptic
period and again in the 19th(?)-20th
century.
II.2. VESTIBULE AND COURTYARD
OF THE CHAPEL OF HATSHEPSUT
Π.2.Ι. Trial Trench S.05/07
Excavations by the east wall of the Complex
were executed in order to examine the
building history and present condition of
the wall foundation. A trial trench, 3.90 m
(N-S) by 2.40 m) was sunk in the section

5 I thank W. Godlewski for consultation and information concerning Coptic tombs.

259

Polish Archaeology in che Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007