DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Majcherek, Grzegorz: Kom el-Dikka: excavations 1995-1996
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41241#0023
removed from the excavation, which had blocked further work,
the explored part of area F was extended well to the east.
The disturbed upper strata in this area, composed mostly of furnace
refuse and debris, produced the usual broad range of assorted
pottery, ranging from the Middle Roman to Islamic wares.
Immediately below, several structures of Late Roman date were
cleared, including two relatively well preserved basins. One of
them, located in the southern part of the trench, was built of rough
limestone blocks (1.70 x 1.40 m) lined with waterproof mortar.
It has been ascertained, however, that the basin was not found in
its original position. Below the floor we explored a large robbing
pit filled with Mamluk Pottery of the 13-14th century AD (Sgraff
and Slip Painted Wares). It is, therefore, quite possible that the
basin, although of earlier date, was moved or brought down during
the robbing operation.
The second basin, located further north (next to the outer
wall of the bath) was found in situ. It was fairly large, measuring
2.90 x 2.50 m, and built in a combined technique using small ashlar
stones interspersed with courses of baked bricks. It was again lined
with waterproof mortar. The basin was fairly deep (ca. 1.20 m) and
provided with three steps in the corner. Several marble slabs were
found in their original position on the floor. The basin was
apparently used for bathing purposes, although its relation to the
nearby baths remains unclear. It is quite possible that it served the
needs of the workers servicing the bath.
The date of the basin is difficult to specify-. The evidence
is very scarce and inconclusive. It must have been built somewhere
in the fifth century AD, but it definitely went out of use by the mid
6th century, when the whole area was gradually being filled with
a thick stratum of refuse and rubbish following the last rebuilding
of the baths, the resulting mound reaching as high as the reservoirs
of the nearby cisterns (i.e. some 3 - 4 m over the top of the basin).
21
the explored part of area F was extended well to the east.
The disturbed upper strata in this area, composed mostly of furnace
refuse and debris, produced the usual broad range of assorted
pottery, ranging from the Middle Roman to Islamic wares.
Immediately below, several structures of Late Roman date were
cleared, including two relatively well preserved basins. One of
them, located in the southern part of the trench, was built of rough
limestone blocks (1.70 x 1.40 m) lined with waterproof mortar.
It has been ascertained, however, that the basin was not found in
its original position. Below the floor we explored a large robbing
pit filled with Mamluk Pottery of the 13-14th century AD (Sgraff
and Slip Painted Wares). It is, therefore, quite possible that the
basin, although of earlier date, was moved or brought down during
the robbing operation.
The second basin, located further north (next to the outer
wall of the bath) was found in situ. It was fairly large, measuring
2.90 x 2.50 m, and built in a combined technique using small ashlar
stones interspersed with courses of baked bricks. It was again lined
with waterproof mortar. The basin was fairly deep (ca. 1.20 m) and
provided with three steps in the corner. Several marble slabs were
found in their original position on the floor. The basin was
apparently used for bathing purposes, although its relation to the
nearby baths remains unclear. It is quite possible that it served the
needs of the workers servicing the bath.
The date of the basin is difficult to specify-. The evidence
is very scarce and inconclusive. It must have been built somewhere
in the fifth century AD, but it definitely went out of use by the mid
6th century, when the whole area was gradually being filled with
a thick stratum of refuse and rubbish following the last rebuilding
of the baths, the resulting mound reaching as high as the reservoirs
of the nearby cisterns (i.e. some 3 - 4 m over the top of the basin).
21