[Centre for Egyptological Studies of the RAS]
[CESRAS][about the centre][projects][archaeology][publications][personalia][links]

Archaeology

Memphis

Preliminary Report on the Third Season of Archaeological
and Geophysical Survey at Kom Tuman, Tell Aziziya and Kom Dafbaby

From December 3, 2003 till January 29, 2004 the Russian Institute of Egyptology in Cairo (RIEC) along with the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), the Supreme Council for Antiquities of the A.R.E. and SPC «Geotechnology» (Russia) conducted the third season of archaeological and geophysical works at the site Kom Tuman (Memphis).

Team members:

  • Dr. Galina Belova — Director of Expedition;
  • Dr., Prof. Claude Obsomer — Co-Director;
  • Dr. Nikolai Vinokurov — Field Director;
  • Mr. Abd el Gafar Muhammed Vagdi — Inspector of the SCA;
  • Dr. Andrey Gidaspov — Geomorphologist;
  • Ms. Marie Houyoux — Egyptologist;
  • Mr. Sergei Ivanov — Egyptologist, Field photographer;
  • Dr. Michail Katz — Geophysist;
  • Dr. Alexei Krol — Archaeologist;
  • Ms. Irina Kulikova — Ceramist;
  • Ms. Marie Lavrentieva — Ceramist;
  • Dr., Prof. Igor Modin — Geophysist;
  • Ms. Stephanie Nackers — Egyptologist;
  • Ms. Xenia Nikolskaya — field photographer;
  • Dr. Alexander Pelevine — Geologist;
  • Dr. Tatiana Sherkova — Archaeologist;
  • Dr. Sergei Sokolov — Geologist;
  • Mrs. Helena Tolmatcheva — Conservator;
  • Ms. Marie Verbeek — Archaeologist;
  • Mr. Victor Zanozin — Draughtsman, field photographer.

During the season four squares 10x10 m were opened in the middle part of Kom Tuman. They revealed the remains of four massive thick (about 2,5–3 m) mudbrick walls joining at right angles and composing a square room. It is obvious that this season only a part of a large building was unearthed since two of the walls having South-North orientation are extending to the Southern and Northern edges of the area. Uncovering whole construction will be one of the tasks of the next season.

General view of the excavation area

It is worth to note that the unearthed brickwork composes a foundation, representing pits filled with limestone chips, fired bricks and potsherds. Foundation pits were dug in the so-called leveling layers «A» and «B» consisting of mud mixed with fragments of fired bricks, mudbricks, and potsherds. It is reasonable to suggest that the walls of the building were erected on a spot, which was leveled after a big fire, which has destroyed a part of living quarter of the Memphis city.

The furnace. View from the north-western corner

To the East of the building the remains of a furnace were uncovered. It had four fire-chambers (three on its western and one on its northern sides). Numerous fragments of bronze slags and scoria found in the fire-chambers and around the furnace let us suggest that it was used for the bronze melting. The furnace was surrounded with contemporary walls, which composed a trapezoid room. However, when the main building was erected the furnace had already been abandoned. It can be proved by the fact that the foundation pit on the western wall of the later construction cut the walls, which surrounded the furnace. It is also obvious that the upper half of the furnace was demolished during the later building activity.

The furnace belong to the second building period of the excavated area. The first one is presented by the whitewashed floor discovered in the South-Western corner of the excavated area. The floor, based on rammed fragments of mudbricks and potsherds, can also be traced in the Western and Southern profiles of excavation square D-9.

Pit with two rimless and bottomless amphorae

This relative chronology will receive a strong chronological dating after a proper pottery analysis. Although the preliminary study of ceramics let us relate all building periods to the Late Hellenistic–Early Roman period. Another very important object is the pit found to the East of the latest construction. The western wall of the pit was made of loam and while the entire inner surface was decorated with potsherds pressed in the walls like tiles. Inside the pit two rimless and bottomless amphorae put one on another were discovered. The space around was filled with potsherds. The purpose of this object is needed to be thoroughly studied although it is obvious that it was a kind of hydrotechnical installation.

Cup with a hieratic inscription

Among the most important finds the following objects should be mentioned: 1) the eye of Horus made of lapis lazuli; 2) a pot decorated with a depiction of Bes; 3) fragment of a relief depicting a lady raising arms in adoration; 4) a cup with a hieratic inscription on body.

During the third season geological and geophysical research of the area was continued. The area 80 × 100 meters, adjusted to the territory investigated in 2001 was surveyed by magnetic prospecting and electric sounding. The results of the survey will be available after forthcoming interpretation of geophysical data.

The Centre for Egyptological Studies of RAS would like to thank Dr. Zahi Hawass, The Director General of the SCA, Dr. Sabri Abd El Aziz, Dr. Magdi El Gandour, Dr. Asef Abu Dahab; Dr. Adel Abd El Halid and Mr. Abd el Gafar Muhammed Vagdi, whose help was vital for organizing and conducting proper work of the expedition.

G. Belova, A. Krol

 

Previous seasons:

[Наверх]

© G. Belova, A. Krol, 2004
© Centre for Egyptological Studies of the RAS, 2004