DOI article:
Daszewski, Wiktor Andrzej: Marina 1990
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26389#0037
lead coffins are known from the Hellenistic necropolis of Hadra in Alexandria. The gifts
that accompanied the man buried in the coffin included two terracotta unguentaria and
a glass bottle of excellent quality set next to the head. The glass receptacle still
contained the dried remnants of some substance, presumably fragrant oils. At head and
hip level large holes had been ripped out of the coffin cover; apparently the tomb
robbers expected to find jewelry on the head or neck and fingers of the buried man.
This violation must have occurred relatively shortly after the burial itself. Evidence
supplied by the finds from particular loculi - sherds, glass vessels and a terracotta oil
lamp (Fig. 2) - indicated that the tomb was in use from the second half (or end) of the
1st century B.C. till the middle of the l8^ century A.D.. After that it was filled completely
with sand and remained untouched till the present day. A definitely more monumental
burial structure was discovered in the western part of the necropolis, at some distance
from the settlement. Its aboveground part was excavated in the course of previous
seasons (Fig. 3). Built on a rectangular plan (17.6 x 10.8 m), the building had an Ionian
column portico decorating its northern seaward fac,ade and a large reception hall in the
centre, furnished with two banquet couches of masonry. The rest of the building
contained storerooms, lodgings and rooms for preparing banquets. This superstructure
was connected integrally with an underground part. A monumental entrance framed by
half columns and topped with an arch led from the southern end of the banquet hall to
a small vestibule and a monumental staircase 17 m long descending 7 m into the rock. At
the end of the steps there was a vertical shaft (6 x 5.5 m) which functioned as a sort of
inner open court. On the surface the shaft was surrounded by a wall of limestone blocks
which served as a protection against sand. A rectangular opening in the southern side
of the shaft led to an underground chamber measuring 7.25 x 6 m. Inside, the chamber
had benches running along three sides and an altar set in the middle. It would appear
that the chamber was never completed. Only one loculus was found, cut in the
southwestern upper corner of the chamber. Tracing lines preserved on the ceiling of
the chamber indicate where other loculi were to be cut. Two burials were found in the
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that accompanied the man buried in the coffin included two terracotta unguentaria and
a glass bottle of excellent quality set next to the head. The glass receptacle still
contained the dried remnants of some substance, presumably fragrant oils. At head and
hip level large holes had been ripped out of the coffin cover; apparently the tomb
robbers expected to find jewelry on the head or neck and fingers of the buried man.
This violation must have occurred relatively shortly after the burial itself. Evidence
supplied by the finds from particular loculi - sherds, glass vessels and a terracotta oil
lamp (Fig. 2) - indicated that the tomb was in use from the second half (or end) of the
1st century B.C. till the middle of the l8^ century A.D.. After that it was filled completely
with sand and remained untouched till the present day. A definitely more monumental
burial structure was discovered in the western part of the necropolis, at some distance
from the settlement. Its aboveground part was excavated in the course of previous
seasons (Fig. 3). Built on a rectangular plan (17.6 x 10.8 m), the building had an Ionian
column portico decorating its northern seaward fac,ade and a large reception hall in the
centre, furnished with two banquet couches of masonry. The rest of the building
contained storerooms, lodgings and rooms for preparing banquets. This superstructure
was connected integrally with an underground part. A monumental entrance framed by
half columns and topped with an arch led from the southern end of the banquet hall to
a small vestibule and a monumental staircase 17 m long descending 7 m into the rock. At
the end of the steps there was a vertical shaft (6 x 5.5 m) which functioned as a sort of
inner open court. On the surface the shaft was surrounded by a wall of limestone blocks
which served as a protection against sand. A rectangular opening in the southern side
of the shaft led to an underground chamber measuring 7.25 x 6 m. Inside, the chamber
had benches running along three sides and an altar set in the middle. It would appear
that the chamber was never completed. Only one loculus was found, cut in the
southwestern upper corner of the chamber. Tracing lines preserved on the ceiling of
the chamber indicate where other loculi were to be cut. Two burials were found in the
35