Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (3.1991(1992))

REPORT ON THE CONSERVATION ACTIYITIES AT
KOM EL-DIKKA IN ALEXANDRIA IN THE SPRING
SEASON OF 1991

by Wojciech Kotgtaj

In 1991 the Polish-Egyptian Mission at Kom el-Dikka in
Alexandria was obliged to limit the spring season to just the period
from March 11 to June 30, 1991. 1 Conservation activities were
carried out only in the cistems and the bath.

In the cistems the original foundation of the northeastem
comer of the stmcture was uncovered and work began on the
reconstruction of its eastern fagade, following the conservation
program presented in an earlier report. 2 New limestone blocks
introduced into the stmcture were comparable in size and visual
characteristics to blocks used in antiquity. They were laid in layers,
using a cement-lime mortar and preserving all the joints, bonds and
footings of the original stmcture. Every few layers stainless steel
braces 0 10mm, ca. 1 m. long, were used to anchor the fagade to
the undamaged core of the wall. In the upper layers (similarly to
preserved parts) a lime mortar with cmshed bricks was used.
Regardless of the deformation of the preserved upper part of this
comer of the cistems fagade, the reconstmcted layers are
horizontal. The difference between the last reconstmcted layer of
the fagade and the preserved original parts which are not horizontal
presently, was filled in with cement. The cracking of original

1 The mission included: Dr. eng. Wojciech Kol?taj - director, Dr. eng. Jan
Borkowski, eng. Stanisiaw Szpakowski and Mr. Grzegorz Majcherek. The egyptian
side was represented by Mr. Ala’a ed-Din Mahrous and Mrs. Mona Shaban Hafez,
inspectors of the EAO.

2 Cf. Conservation Woik on Kom el-Dikka in Alexandria in the 1989 season.
PAM n, 1989-90 (1991),p. 17.

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