DOI article:
Daszewski, Wiktor Andrzej: Marina el-Alamein 1994
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26424#0037
Further cleaning has also been carried out inside the open court,
revealing that each side of the court was different. On the south
there were two square pillars tapering slightly towards the top. On
the east, a screen wall with a large central opening and two
windows on the sides took the place of pillars, separating the
funerary chamber from the court. On the west, there were two
square pillars provided with low square bases, projecting only to
the front. On the south and north, two corner pillars were provided
with small stands or shelves cut out of the rock some 60 cm above
floor level. The centre of the court was occupied by a large altar,
square in shape, 1.23 m high, cut out of bedrock. Inside the main
funerary chamber most of the /ocM/i were empty. Only a few
contained scanty remains of skeletons in poor condition, identified
in a few cases as belonging to two men, three women and a child.
East of T 11 two large hypogea - T 13 and T 14, oriented
north south, were localized this season. Only parts of them have
been excavated.
T 13 - A staircase, some 10 m long, partly hewn in bedrock and
partly built of masonry blocks, was excavated entirely only in its
northern section. On the south, the tops of side walls and a ceiling
made of 2 m-long slabs of limestone were uncovered. Also the tops
of the walls protecting the court against sand were cleared, and
measured, indicating that the court to had 5.50 m long and 5.80 m
wide. A number of pottery sherds of Cypriot Sigillata found next
to the entrance of the staircase provide a date in the
1^ century A.D.
T 14 - The northern part of the staircase was uncovered, 1.40 m
wide, along with the tops of walls of the court (5.66 m x 5.87 m).
While clearing the rear wall of the court, at a depth of 3.5 m
below the present level, the upper part of the entrance to the
funerary chamber was discovered. The chamber, which was left
unexplored, contained multiple /ocM/i set in two superimposed rows
along the rear and side walls.
35
revealing that each side of the court was different. On the south
there were two square pillars tapering slightly towards the top. On
the east, a screen wall with a large central opening and two
windows on the sides took the place of pillars, separating the
funerary chamber from the court. On the west, there were two
square pillars provided with low square bases, projecting only to
the front. On the south and north, two corner pillars were provided
with small stands or shelves cut out of the rock some 60 cm above
floor level. The centre of the court was occupied by a large altar,
square in shape, 1.23 m high, cut out of bedrock. Inside the main
funerary chamber most of the /ocM/i were empty. Only a few
contained scanty remains of skeletons in poor condition, identified
in a few cases as belonging to two men, three women and a child.
East of T 11 two large hypogea - T 13 and T 14, oriented
north south, were localized this season. Only parts of them have
been excavated.
T 13 - A staircase, some 10 m long, partly hewn in bedrock and
partly built of masonry blocks, was excavated entirely only in its
northern section. On the south, the tops of side walls and a ceiling
made of 2 m-long slabs of limestone were uncovered. Also the tops
of the walls protecting the court against sand were cleared, and
measured, indicating that the court to had 5.50 m long and 5.80 m
wide. A number of pottery sherds of Cypriot Sigillata found next
to the entrance of the staircase provide a date in the
1^ century A.D.
T 14 - The northern part of the staircase was uncovered, 1.40 m
wide, along with the tops of walls of the court (5.66 m x 5.87 m).
While clearing the rear wall of the court, at a depth of 3.5 m
below the present level, the upper part of the entrance to the
funerary chamber was discovered. The chamber, which was left
unexplored, contained multiple /ocM/i set in two superimposed rows
along the rear and side walls.
35