DOI article:
Majcherek, Grzegorz: Excavations in Alexandria in 1991-92
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26425#0021
The large room H-3a, measuring originally 5 x 5 m was
almost entirely explored, save for a small portion of deposits left
in the northwestern comer for technical reasons.
The walls of the room are surprisingly well preserved,
attaining in places about 1.70 m above the level. The architectural
sequence observed on the walls of this room was corroborated by
stratigraphical evidence.
The Early Roman stratum explored within this room
consists of a series of floors made of tamped clay or lime mortar.
Their exact dating will be possible after the research on coins
found in accompanying accumulation is completed. The earliest
floor corresponding with finely preserved plasterwork covering
most of the existing walls was laid approximately on a level 5.90
m above sea level. Shallow incisions with dark blue paint mark
out panels (106 x 90 cm) in polished quality plaster. Close to the
eastern wall an unusual limestone column was found preserved
jiM. Its shaft was oval in section and was also plastered. Against
the southern wall, at the level of the column a shallow pilaster
was formed. It was covered with a plasterwork painted in red,
black and yellow patches in an apparent attempt to imitate marble
or granite inlays. The upper unpreserved sections of the wall were
also decorated with a painted plaster, numerous fragments of
which were found in subsequent layers sealed by the later floors.
Most of the recorded fragments were adorned with black, yellow
and red stripes. Several characteristically shaped pieces of
plastering evidently fallen from the ceiling, with clear impressions
of rounded wooden beams and reed matting, suggest a rather poor
form of roofing. The accompanying finds, consisting mostly of
sherds of wine amphorae produced in the nearby Mareotic region,
fragments of Eastern Sigillata A and B as well as typical forms of
19
almost entirely explored, save for a small portion of deposits left
in the northwestern comer for technical reasons.
The walls of the room are surprisingly well preserved,
attaining in places about 1.70 m above the level. The architectural
sequence observed on the walls of this room was corroborated by
stratigraphical evidence.
The Early Roman stratum explored within this room
consists of a series of floors made of tamped clay or lime mortar.
Their exact dating will be possible after the research on coins
found in accompanying accumulation is completed. The earliest
floor corresponding with finely preserved plasterwork covering
most of the existing walls was laid approximately on a level 5.90
m above sea level. Shallow incisions with dark blue paint mark
out panels (106 x 90 cm) in polished quality plaster. Close to the
eastern wall an unusual limestone column was found preserved
jiM. Its shaft was oval in section and was also plastered. Against
the southern wall, at the level of the column a shallow pilaster
was formed. It was covered with a plasterwork painted in red,
black and yellow patches in an apparent attempt to imitate marble
or granite inlays. The upper unpreserved sections of the wall were
also decorated with a painted plaster, numerous fragments of
which were found in subsequent layers sealed by the later floors.
Most of the recorded fragments were adorned with black, yellow
and red stripes. Several characteristically shaped pieces of
plastering evidently fallen from the ceiling, with clear impressions
of rounded wooden beams and reed matting, suggest a rather poor
form of roofing. The accompanying finds, consisting mostly of
sherds of wine amphorae produced in the nearby Mareotic region,
fragments of Eastern Sigillata A and B as well as typical forms of
19