DOI article:
Żurawski, Bogdan: Old Dongola: the Mosaic Church (Kom E) 1993/94
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26424#0102
spandrels on both sides of the foundation wall were consolidated
with brick fragments, stones and gravel.
The narthex was apparently built later than the main body
of the church. Its flooring is higher than the nrKxs* pavement. It is
paved with irregular half-bricks, brick fragments and bricks of
smaller size apparently considered as the mosaic underlay. At least
part of its interior was embellished with black and white pebbles.
The tripartite space enclosed within an elevated border along its
western wall was filled with a mosaic set in lime mortar. The
design resembles the patterns of early phase pebble mosaics in the
eastern part of the Church.
The narthex was entered by means of two openings in the
western wall. The huge ferrocrete slab found in the southwestern
corner suggests an entrance parallel to the doorway in the still
existing part of the western wall.
The narthex roof was laid on wooden beams. Perhaps at
some time it was repaired or covered with thin slabs of ferrocrete,
which are commonly found in the desert. A great number of such
slabs set in mud mortar were found in the course of the
excavations.
The preserved part of the western wail of the narthex
borders the only existing entrance to the Church located in the
northern part of the western wall of the narthex. It is a most
unusual place since the light of the entrance is blocked by the
northernmost narthex column. The entrance was considerably
reduced in width at a later period.
The four narthex column bases were founded on top of a
bench-like foundation of big well-fired bricks set in lime mortar
mixed with caolin clay known localy as
During the 1994 season the whole interior of the Church
was cleared. Its layout reveals traces of curious architectural
modifications which constitute a reversal of the general trends
observable in Nubian church planning. Firstof all, the narthex,
100
9.B.HEiDEL8SRe
with brick fragments, stones and gravel.
The narthex was apparently built later than the main body
of the church. Its flooring is higher than the nrKxs* pavement. It is
paved with irregular half-bricks, brick fragments and bricks of
smaller size apparently considered as the mosaic underlay. At least
part of its interior was embellished with black and white pebbles.
The tripartite space enclosed within an elevated border along its
western wall was filled with a mosaic set in lime mortar. The
design resembles the patterns of early phase pebble mosaics in the
eastern part of the Church.
The narthex was entered by means of two openings in the
western wall. The huge ferrocrete slab found in the southwestern
corner suggests an entrance parallel to the doorway in the still
existing part of the western wall.
The narthex roof was laid on wooden beams. Perhaps at
some time it was repaired or covered with thin slabs of ferrocrete,
which are commonly found in the desert. A great number of such
slabs set in mud mortar were found in the course of the
excavations.
The preserved part of the western wail of the narthex
borders the only existing entrance to the Church located in the
northern part of the western wall of the narthex. It is a most
unusual place since the light of the entrance is blocked by the
northernmost narthex column. The entrance was considerably
reduced in width at a later period.
The four narthex column bases were founded on top of a
bench-like foundation of big well-fired bricks set in lime mortar
mixed with caolin clay known localy as
During the 1994 season the whole interior of the Church
was cleared. Its layout reveals traces of curious architectural
modifications which constitute a reversal of the general trends
observable in Nubian church planning. Firstof all, the narthex,
100
9.B.HEiDEL8SRe