Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (5.1993(1994))

TELL A TRIB 1993
by Karol Mysliwiec
The Polish-Egyptian mission continued rescue excavations
at Tell Atrib (suburb of Benha, lower Egypt) between April 4 and
June 17, 1993.1 The work was sponsored jointly by the Polish
Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology of Warsaw University in
Cairo and by the Egyptian Antiquities Organization.
Excavations focused on uncovering the western part of the
area south of Kom Sidi Yusuf. Consecutive strata in four squares
(10 x 10 m), located along the western edge of the previously
explored quarter of artisan and artistic workshops and excavated
down to a depth of ca. 3 m under the present surface, contained
remains of the Ptolemaic period. In terms of stratigraphy, the
newly excavated area can be divided into an undisturbed eastern
part where Ptolemaic strata occured at ca. 40 cm below the present
surface, under a relatively shallow layer of mixed material, and a
western part where a deep layer of mixed materials, including
sherds of glazed medieval pottery, bears witness to intense digging
in search of treasures (hypothesis justified in the light of our

1 The mission included: Prof. Karol Mysliwiec, Dr. Barbara Ruszczyc, Dr.
Aleksandra Krzyzanowska, Dr. Hanna Szymariska, Dr. Tomasz Scholl, Ms.
Anna Pohidnikiewicz, Ms. Kamila Baturo, Mr. Piotr Mieliwodzki, Mr.
Krzysztof Domzalski, Mr. Andrzej Cwiek - archaeologists, Dr. Wojciech
Kolataj and Mrs. Agnieszka Dobrowolska - architects and Mr. Waldemar Jerke -
photographer. The Egyptian Antiquities Organization was represented by Mr.
Muhammad Abdel-Haq Rageb and Ms. Somaya Abu Senna.
We should like to express herewith our gratitude to the authorities of
the E.A.O. in Cairo, Zagazig and Benha for their friendly and efficient help in
the fulfilment of our tasks.

40