DOI article:
Myśliwiec, Karol: Polish-Egyptian excavations at Tell Atrib in 1991
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26426#0028
ca. 300 coins enabled us to date quite precisely the following three
strata which can be clearly distinguished all over the Ptolemaic
quarter:
a) from the beginning of the Ptolemaic Period (possibly also the
second half of the 4 th century B.C.) till the first decades of the 2 nd
century B.C. The coins of Ptolemy IV are the latest ones found in
this stratum;
b) the reign of Ptolemy VI;
c) the second half of the Ptolemaic Period till the beginning of
the 1 st century A.D.
Strata a) and b) are separated by a layer of ashes and debris
revealing the total destruction of this quarter at a time which must
be close to the reign of Ptolemy V. Coins of Ptolemy VI, the most
ffequent ones in our numismatic material, prevail in the stratum
lying immediately above the ashes. The mudbrick and red brick
walls preserved in this stratum bear evidence to a reconstruction of
the city during this reign.
This chronological frame facilitates the dating of the
numerous objects found in these strata. Ceramic materials
including pottery, lamps (Fig. 1), terracotta figurines, weights and
other small objects predominate in this material. The pottery
comprises products of local workshops as well as a rich imported
material including stamped amphorae handles with Greek and Latin
inscriptions and other wares. There are two unique miniature
vesseis among the imported objects: one phial with a surprisingly
thick body and narrow cylindrical interior, and one thin-walled
dram. The first bears a rectangular stamp with a Greek inscription
on the body and the other one has a stamp on its fooL Several
small vessels originating from local workshops are decorated with
painted or stamped pattems. Among the latter there are floral and
figural subjects. Some seals of circular shape with floral pattems
modelled in sunk relief on their flat surface - doubtless moulds
used for stamping either bread, cakes or the bottom of ceramic
26
strata which can be clearly distinguished all over the Ptolemaic
quarter:
a) from the beginning of the Ptolemaic Period (possibly also the
second half of the 4 th century B.C.) till the first decades of the 2 nd
century B.C. The coins of Ptolemy IV are the latest ones found in
this stratum;
b) the reign of Ptolemy VI;
c) the second half of the Ptolemaic Period till the beginning of
the 1 st century A.D.
Strata a) and b) are separated by a layer of ashes and debris
revealing the total destruction of this quarter at a time which must
be close to the reign of Ptolemy V. Coins of Ptolemy VI, the most
ffequent ones in our numismatic material, prevail in the stratum
lying immediately above the ashes. The mudbrick and red brick
walls preserved in this stratum bear evidence to a reconstruction of
the city during this reign.
This chronological frame facilitates the dating of the
numerous objects found in these strata. Ceramic materials
including pottery, lamps (Fig. 1), terracotta figurines, weights and
other small objects predominate in this material. The pottery
comprises products of local workshops as well as a rich imported
material including stamped amphorae handles with Greek and Latin
inscriptions and other wares. There are two unique miniature
vesseis among the imported objects: one phial with a surprisingly
thick body and narrow cylindrical interior, and one thin-walled
dram. The first bears a rectangular stamp with a Greek inscription
on the body and the other one has a stamp on its fooL Several
small vessels originating from local workshops are decorated with
painted or stamped pattems. Among the latter there are floral and
figural subjects. Some seals of circular shape with floral pattems
modelled in sunk relief on their flat surface - doubtless moulds
used for stamping either bread, cakes or the bottom of ceramic
26