DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18130#0042
28
EHNASYA.
third, and N in the fourth, probably €YHHN
(OC); this is of the style of the late IVth or
early Vth century. As against putting it too
late there is a pagan female head in terra cotta,
and a crocodile head in limestone. The brim
and twisted handle of a thin bronze jug also
remained. The only pottery was a little jug
(No. SI), which is moulded in two halves and
joined together, a very unusual form.
House L was a large and important mansion,
with many pilasters and capitals of stone.
These date it to about 500 a.d., as they closely
resemble the work of Theodoric. No pottery
(except a few lamps), and no small objects, were
found here.
41. Seventh Century a.d. House A is dated
by the small Alexandrian coins of Heraclius ;
and it is evidently much later than the preceding
houses from the very rude terracotta figures
whitened and painted (pi. lii, 132-7). There were
some tine scraps of yellow and blue glass, and
a bronze dipper. Of the pottery No. 3 may be
a piece of an older plate surviving; and No. 37
looks also to be rather of the IVth century
style. The large amphoras (Nos. 1 37, 138) seem
scarcely later than the Vth century, judging
by the very much worse forms used before
Arab times. But the bulk of the pottery is
distinctly of the late forms, as Nos. 28, 54, 70,
107, 110. No. 17 is of hard yellow salmon-
coloured facing, with brown lines. The three-
handled vase (No. 109) is unusual. Some
things therefore agree well to the dating by
coins; of the others several may be later than
we should suppose, and one or two may be
survivals in use. There does not seem enough
evidence to prove a general mixture of periods.
House E. A great mass of copper coins
were found together in a skin on the floor; a
large part were of Anastasius, Justin, and
J ustinian, but all much worn; and the date of
deposit was well fixed by a great quantity of
Alexandrian coins of Heraclius. The house was
a line mansion, having a large atrium Avith
stone columns; but this had suffered changes
long before the burning of the place. The
pottery (Nos. 23, 52, 61, 98, 108, 113 — 117, 120,
121, 122, 124) all agrees to the late date; but
the amphora (136) seems to be of the IVth
century, to judge by No. 134, and the general
style. No. 23 is a curious pan with four cups
on the brim of it, united at the top by cross
handles. Of bone there is a piece of rude late
work, and some cvlindrical draughtsmen. Of
glass a piece of mosaic pavement, of irregular
pieces of sheet glass; and a very large coarse
bead of red glass. Of bronze there is an
upright vase of late form, some castanets, and a
small cylindrical cup on six legs, perhaps an
incense burner.
Eighth Century a.d. Latest of all are two
of the most rudely simplified forms of lamps
(G 98, 99), a piece of bone with foliage carving
in relief, and some small early Arabic copper
coins, which jDoint to about the VHIth century.
42. One general result from these houses is
the late use of pagan terracottas. Not only are
they abundant in the Illrd century, but they
last to the middle of the IVth, and even into
the Vth century. This shows that there was a
large amount of paganism continuing till long
after Constantine; although we hear of the
early dominance of Christianity in Egypt. It
would be hard to suggest that the burnt houses
all belonged to the unpopular pagan minority ;
but yet, so far as the objects go, we should
suppose that Christianity had solely made its
way during the century or two after Constan-
tine, and was unknown before. The evidence
of the temple of Hershefi shows an earlier decay
of paganism. Building in some temple—pre-
sumably this one—was going on under Anto-
ninus, as is shown by cartouches of his on a
stone re-used in house L. But the bulk of the
stone was removed in the third century; for
after that was taken, and the earth had accu-
mulated over the foundations, a fresh pit was
sunk to get out the deeper stone, and the
EHNASYA.
third, and N in the fourth, probably €YHHN
(OC); this is of the style of the late IVth or
early Vth century. As against putting it too
late there is a pagan female head in terra cotta,
and a crocodile head in limestone. The brim
and twisted handle of a thin bronze jug also
remained. The only pottery was a little jug
(No. SI), which is moulded in two halves and
joined together, a very unusual form.
House L was a large and important mansion,
with many pilasters and capitals of stone.
These date it to about 500 a.d., as they closely
resemble the work of Theodoric. No pottery
(except a few lamps), and no small objects, were
found here.
41. Seventh Century a.d. House A is dated
by the small Alexandrian coins of Heraclius ;
and it is evidently much later than the preceding
houses from the very rude terracotta figures
whitened and painted (pi. lii, 132-7). There were
some tine scraps of yellow and blue glass, and
a bronze dipper. Of the pottery No. 3 may be
a piece of an older plate surviving; and No. 37
looks also to be rather of the IVth century
style. The large amphoras (Nos. 1 37, 138) seem
scarcely later than the Vth century, judging
by the very much worse forms used before
Arab times. But the bulk of the pottery is
distinctly of the late forms, as Nos. 28, 54, 70,
107, 110. No. 17 is of hard yellow salmon-
coloured facing, with brown lines. The three-
handled vase (No. 109) is unusual. Some
things therefore agree well to the dating by
coins; of the others several may be later than
we should suppose, and one or two may be
survivals in use. There does not seem enough
evidence to prove a general mixture of periods.
House E. A great mass of copper coins
were found together in a skin on the floor; a
large part were of Anastasius, Justin, and
J ustinian, but all much worn; and the date of
deposit was well fixed by a great quantity of
Alexandrian coins of Heraclius. The house was
a line mansion, having a large atrium Avith
stone columns; but this had suffered changes
long before the burning of the place. The
pottery (Nos. 23, 52, 61, 98, 108, 113 — 117, 120,
121, 122, 124) all agrees to the late date; but
the amphora (136) seems to be of the IVth
century, to judge by No. 134, and the general
style. No. 23 is a curious pan with four cups
on the brim of it, united at the top by cross
handles. Of bone there is a piece of rude late
work, and some cvlindrical draughtsmen. Of
glass a piece of mosaic pavement, of irregular
pieces of sheet glass; and a very large coarse
bead of red glass. Of bronze there is an
upright vase of late form, some castanets, and a
small cylindrical cup on six legs, perhaps an
incense burner.
Eighth Century a.d. Latest of all are two
of the most rudely simplified forms of lamps
(G 98, 99), a piece of bone with foliage carving
in relief, and some small early Arabic copper
coins, which jDoint to about the VHIth century.
42. One general result from these houses is
the late use of pagan terracottas. Not only are
they abundant in the Illrd century, but they
last to the middle of the IVth, and even into
the Vth century. This shows that there was a
large amount of paganism continuing till long
after Constantine; although we hear of the
early dominance of Christianity in Egypt. It
would be hard to suggest that the burnt houses
all belonged to the unpopular pagan minority ;
but yet, so far as the objects go, we should
suppose that Christianity had solely made its
way during the century or two after Constan-
tine, and was unknown before. The evidence
of the temple of Hershefi shows an earlier decay
of paganism. Building in some temple—pre-
sumably this one—was going on under Anto-
ninus, as is shown by cartouches of his on a
stone re-used in house L. But the bulk of the
stone was removed in the third century; for
after that was taken, and the earth had accu-
mulated over the foundations, a fresh pit was
sunk to get out the deeper stone, and the