Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (9.1997(1998))

SAQQARA

EXCAVATIONS 1997
Karol Mysliwiec

The Polish-Egyptian archaeological mission continued its
work on the western side of the Djoser pyramid from Sep. 6 until
Oct. 16, 1997.1
The objective of this campaign was to continue work carried
out previously in Trial pit I, which had been opened in 1987 and
enlarged in 1996.2 This pit is located more or less in line with the
pyramid's E-W axis. The area excavated in the previous campaign
was now extended 10 m eastwards and 5 m northwards. On the
eastern edge of the present excavations (N-S axis), a row of large
white limestone blocks was found lying almost directly below the
surface. The blocks vary in shape and dimension. The biggest is
0.68 m long and 0.4 m high. They are set directly on a thick layer of
pure sand. An oblong stone ending this structure at the northeastern
comer of the excavation, cut in extremely soft yellowish limestone
unlike the rest, seems to be a reused architectural element.
Adjoining these blocks on the west are two parallel E-W
oriented walls, made of mudbrick. Together with a transversal wall

1 The Mission comprised: Prof. Dr. Karol Mysliwiec, Director; Dr. Zbigniew Szafranski,
egyptologist; Dr. Willemina Wendrich, Ms. Teodozja Rzeuska, archaeologists, Ms. Ewa
Parandowska, conservator; Mr Marek Puszkarski, artist; Mr Tomasz Herbich,
geophysicist. The SCA was represented by Mr Zaki Awad Hussein, inspector.
The Mission would like to express herewith its deepest gratitude to Dr. Zahi Hawas,
Director of Giza district, and Mr Mohamed Hagras, Director of Saqqara district, as well as
Mr Magdi el-Ghandur, Chief Inspector of Saqqara South, for their profound
understanding of our problems, and for their invaluable, friendly and efficient help,
without which our work would have been impossible to complete.
2 K. Mysliwiec, PAM VIII, 1996 (1997), pp. 103-109; K. Mysliwiec, T. Herbich, with
a contribution by A. Niwinski, ET XVII (1995), pp. 177-203.

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