The British Museum Expedition to Kom Firin 2007 Report to the Supreme Council of Antiquities by Neal Spencer

Transcription

1 The British Museum Expedition to Kom Firin 2007 Report to the Supreme Council of Antiquities by Neal Spencer In the sixth season of fieldwork at the settlement site of Kom Firin (Beheira), excavations took place in two areas. Around the north-eastern corner of the Ramesside enclosure, a complex series of building phases, associated with kiln, and possibly silo, emplacements, was uncovered. In the more elevated Citadel area to the west of the site, substantial brick architecture surrounding storage silos was revealed, seemingly part of a domestic district in use from the Late Period onwards. A programme of auger-coring, allied to research using old maps and satellite imagery, enabled one possible reconstruction of the ancient waterways around Kom Firin. Further preventative conservation work was undertaken on monuments housed outside the antiquities resthouse. As throughout all reports on Kom Firin, site levels are given relative to STN 12 = 12.00m (see pl.1). The Ramesside complex: trenches EC and EE Magnetometry survey in 2004 revealed the south-eastern temple of Ramses II is set within an extensive enclosure, encompassing an area of c.231m east-west, and c.200/218m north-south, with walls over 4m thick (pl.1). Parts of this enclosure were ground-truthed between 2004 and 2006 (trenches TI, TJ, TM, EA, EB), providing evidence of a Ramesside date for this enclosure, and details of its construction in mud brick. This year, two contiguous 10x10m trenches (EC, EE) were laid out within the corner of the enclosure, to investigate the nature of the buildings in this area (pl.2). Two rooms (0309, 0312) had been partly revealed in 2005 (trench EA), and the levels of floors in these rooms, over 2m above that of the base of the Ramesside enclosure wall, suggested that there was potential for preserved architecture of an earlier phase. This proved to be the case, although time constraints, and the extensive pitting encountered in the southern area of the excavation (EE, pl.13), meant that early phase architecture was only encountered in a small exposure (5.5x6m) within trench EC (pl.5). Pior to excavation, the area was covered in grass, and and a surface deposit rich in pottery, of mixed Third Intermediate and Late Period date. 2 There was a small amount of later pottery, and also many degraded mud bricks. Topsoil 0447 (EC) yielded the head from a cobra figurine (F361), a quartzite rubber/smoother (F362) and a limestone vessel/mortar fragment (F365); the deposit below (0449) included a limestone vessel fragment (F384), a limestone weight or socket (F395, pl.16), a granodiorite rubber/smoother (F385) and the upper part of a ceramic cobra figurine (F391, pl.15). Layer 0458 yielded a finely worked flint arrow-head (pl.17). To the south, topsoil 0671 featured notable ceramics: a sherd from a Late Helladic IIIC vessel and parts of a Mycenaean stirrup jar. Finds from 0671 included the lower and middle parts of ceramic cobra figurines (F446, F522). A layer beneath included a flint sickle blade (F559) and a ceramic disc (F560). The southern part of this year s excavation (EE) presented a slightly different character, as large pits had cut through the upper archaeological strata in the western part of the trench (0682, 0683, pls.13, 27) and in the centre of the eastern side (0629). The ceramics in these were mixed, but with a predominance of Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and some New Kingdom forms, consistent with the occupation date known from nearby trenches. 1 A debt of gratitude is due to the Supreme Council of Antiquities, for permitting the work to be undertaken, and for their support throughout. Thanks are due to the Secretary General, Dr. Zahi Hawass, and the General Director of Foreign and Egyptian Mission Affairs, Dr. Magdy el-ghandour. Ms. Naama, chief inspector in the Damanhur inspectorate, facilitated our work. Our site inspector was Karim Tolba, with the assistance of Ahmed Kamal for registration of objects. The sixth season of fieldwork took place between Thursday September 27 th and Monday October 29 th, The team consisted of Neal Spencer (director, archaeologist), Mat Dalton (illustrator), Elizabeth Frood (archaeologist), Eleanor Hughes (geomorphologist), John MacGinnis (archaeologist), Liam McNamara (archaeologist), Ashraf Sennusi (ceramicist), Mary Shepperson (archaeologist), Kveta Smoláriková (ceramicist), Tracey Sweek (conservator) and Charlotte Vallance (archaeologist). Thanks are due to the Thomas Mulvey Fund (University of Cambridge) for their support, and the logistical help of the Egypt Exploration Society in Cairo. Judith Bunbury (Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge) and Angus Graham provided guidance and support with the geomorphological investigations. 2 Amphorae sherds from Chios were encountered in 0449.

2 The earlier architecture will be considered below, following discussion of the more recent remains across trenches EC and EE. This later phase architecture does not represent a single architectural project; rather there is a complex series of modifications and renovations of the space, which seem to have occurred throughout the first half of the first millennium BC, and possibly somewhat later. As with our previous excavations in this area, there was a negligible amount of Hellenistic or Roman era pottery, unlike in other parts of Kom Firin. A series of walls defined contiguous narrow rooms (0309, 0573, 0574 and 0463) built against the inner face of the eastern enclosure wall (pls.21, 23). These seemed to open onto a space (4.65x7.1m, defined as room 0312 in 2005), though the massive pit (0572) that badly affected deposits in this area would have destroyed any walls that might have existed in this area. At the western edge of the trench, the eastern end of at least two further rooms were partly revealed, one of which contained an oven (0499). Room 0309 (3x1.5m) had been investigated in 2005, thus was not further studied. It contained ceramics of a Third Intermediate Period date, in particular wide-mouthed storage jars, and a western access door had been blocked up in one modification phase. Immediately to the south, room 0573 covered an area of 3x0.7m (pl.4). A deposit rich in organic debris and mud brick rubble was excavated from within (0549), revealing a floor Fragments of Third Intermediate Period cups, bowls and funnel jars 3 were identified in Further analysis of these ceramic assemblages is required: could there be a distinction between room 0309 as a deposit for large storage jars, and a narrow room 0573 used to keep smaller service vessels? The room adjacent to the south, 0574, was reduced to less than half of its original area by pit 0572; it is likely to have enclosed an area of c.2.5x0.85m. A series of shallow floor deposits were excavated in this room (0567), yielding small fragments of large shallow bowls, and a quartzite quern stone (F543). The southern limit of this room was defined by a mass of brickwork which provided evidence of a series of building phases (pls.4, 8). The earliest wall is 0773, now preserved to a thickness of 45cm. The room was then widened, with wall 0570 being constructed, and new floor layers running over the remains of Within wall 0570 a cluster of ceramics was revealed, carefully covered over with a large brick, labelled deposit These ceramics made it clear that the addition had occurred during the Third Intermediate Period, if not slightly later. Finally, brickwork 0462 was finally added over the top of these floor layers and parts of 0773 and 0570, while also over part of the eroded Ramesside enclosure wall (0306). Late Period ceramics recovered from within wall 0462 suggest this area, partly modified, was still in use during the second half of the first millennium BC. The fourth room exposed in this eastern area was 0463 (2.5x2m; pl.4). The western wall of this room, bonded to , also revealed a renovation, with the original wall (0550; 58cm thick) increased to a thickness of 105cm with the addition of 0772 to its western face. A shell bead (F481) was found in the deposit 0566 excavated inside this room. Returning to the central space in trench EC, a rectangular mass of brickwork (0561, pl.4) had been built against its northern wall, almost like a bench (2.5x0.6m); floor 0318 surrounded the feature, though to the south it had been cut through by pit Investigation of the floor revealed it had been built up with a 50cm thick layer of brick fragments, ash and sherds (0594), to a thickness of around 50cm. The ceramics in 0594 were of Third Intermediate Period date: globular jars with pointed bases, thick buff-slipped bowls with ball rims, and buff-slipped Egyptian amphorae. The character of this central area of trench EC was defined by the cutting of a large pit (0572, pl.4), which destroyed parts of the architecture to the east, but also cut through any accumulated deposits. It proved very difficult to properly define in plan, and was best seen in a west-facing section (pl.8); the pit was preserved to 125cm in depth. The deposits which accumulated within the pit included sandy layers but principally accumulations of silt and organic material, along with significant amounts of brickwork (0465, 0546, 0558, 0565, 0595, 0651). The ceramics were unsurprisingly rather mixed, with pottery of the Third Intermediate Period and Late Periods, one notable piece being an Egyptian amphora handle stamped with a dog motif, perhaps of Ptolemaic or later date (C802, pl.40). The presence of many fragments of worked limestone might suggest the original rooms were provided with door sockets in this material, and perhaps even other features in stone, such as column bases, doorjambs and lintels. Other finds from the deposits included a ceramic barrel bead (F441 from 0465), a votive foot figure (F438 from 0558, pl.29), the lower part of an amulet of a seated figure (F442, pl.30) and a pierced ceramic disc (F639 from 0595). The base of the pit featured a notable dump 3 D. Aston, Egyptian Pottery of the Late New Kingdom and Third Intermediate... Tentative Footsteps in a Forbidding Terrain. SAGA 13. Heidelberg (1996): 201, fig. 99/37-43; 195, fig. 93/5, 8, fig. 94/15; Redford, D.B. Excavations at Mendes, I: The Royal Necropolis. Culture & History of the Ancient Near East 20. Leiden and Boston (2004): pl. P/7.

3 of pottery at its western edge (0599), which yielded fragments of Late Period ceramics (storage jars with flared rims, bowls with plain rims, globular jars) and Third Intermediate Period material (jars with simple red bands on the surface, medium-sized jars, jars with everted rims, and bowls with rolled rims). The pit is likely to have been relatively recent, perhaps of the 19th century when the enclosure wall was being mined for sebakh. The first pre-pit deposit encountered in the central part of the trench was 0645; a ceramic quadruped figurine was found within this layer (F596, pl.34). A deposit 0646 proved to lie between the early phase architecture and the pit, and contained both Third Intermediate and Late Period pottery, a ceramic figurine (F646) and a finely decorated faience vessel rim (F627, pl.35); a similar range of ceramics was found in deposit 0644 to the west of, and earlier than, the pit Other than this sizeable pit, three other features in the centre of the trench deserve comment. At the eastern edge of the central area, south of the zone badly affected by the pit 0572, a large mass (1.62x1.3m) of compacted clay, containing some brickwork, was recorded (0578, pl.4). The interpretation of this feature remains problematic: it may echo now destroyed architecture. Immediately west of this was an area that seemed to have been subject to periodic episodes of standing water, as suggested by the laminations visible within the deposits (0560, 0575, 0576, 0577). These layers were notable for the more restricted date of the ceramics, from the very end of the New Kingdom and early Third Intermediate Period (particularly large storage jars, bowls with cord decoration, red-on-cream ware); the relative lack of Late Period material undoubtedly due to the lack of pitting evident to the north. In addition to more fragments of worked quartzite and limestone, these deposits yielded a quartzite quern stone (F537 from 0576), the upper part of a ceramic cobra figurine (F539 from 0576, pl.32), a granodiorite rubber/smoother/pounder (F549 from 0576) and another upper part of a ceramic cobra figurine (F554 from 0577, pl.33). An isolated patch of plaster (0579) at level 3.91 might provide evidence of one of the occupation floors in this area. Finally, a circular feature (0757), perhaps an oven or silo, was found once the earlier phases were revealed (pls.5, 24, 26). As this cut the earlier structure , it is not impossible that 0757 represents the lowest part of a structure lying at the centre of the large space created with the later phase walls (pl.2). This part of the trench was bounded to the south by wall 0684, which ran across much of the width of the excavated area, though its remains had been entirely destroyed at its western limit (pl.4). The strip excavated along the western edge of the trench EC was bounded by a north-south wall 0545, which was difficult to define as its eastern side had been badly affected by pitting (pls.4, 19), and to the south oven 0450 had been constructed over it. Wall 0545 was built using both sandy and crumbly grey bricks; it is only preserved to a width of 46cm wide and a height of 18-20cm. It is unknown what relationship wall 0545 had with the east-west wall 0684 further to the south. West of this wall, at least two, and maybe three, spaces were defined. Room 0777 lies against the Ramesside east-west enclosure wall, its southern limit being wall The northern limit of this room is formed by the westerly continuation of the wall 0302, built against the enclosure wall What is not clear with this space is the relationship between its southerly wall 0776 and the large sandy brick projecting to the north (0544, 85cm long). This is only preserved to a thickness of 2-3cm, but appears to cut wall 0776, so may be a very late feature in this area. A 20cm layer of the deposit (0559) was removed, clearly contaminated by recent activity, but the deposit below (0563), featured both Third Intermediate and Late Period pottery, including large storage jars with a fine white slip, 4 and fragments of Canaanite jars. In the next room to the south, a sizeable brick oven 0499 was discovered. The oven has an external diameter of 1.6m (pls.4, 10, 19), with yellow sand stained greenish lying around the exterior of the wall. Within, loose sandy soil with ashy lenses, charcoal and a large amount of bone (0546), large chunks of burnt clay (0548) and more soft grey ash (0564), were excavated, above a surface Ceramics included the usual range of dates, though with fragments of Hellenistic bowls with incurving rims. The deposit around the oven in this room (0547) yielded a faience disc bead (F519) and a hollow ceramic object (F520). A later oven may have been installed south of here (0498), though only a circular patch of burnt deposit and ceramic wall fragments remained. A further oven was located in the south-western corner of the trench, revealed directly beneath the topsoil layers 0447 and Only part of its wall survives (pls.4, 7), on its western side. It is possible, of course, that what remains was set in a brick casing (as with 0449), which no longer survives. The oven was sectioned, revealing ashy layers and burnt soil (0464) and a pale pink deposit (0654, pl.7). A limestone column base was found dumped within the oven, lying on level 4.31, broken in two fragments (F443, pl.31), again 4 A.J. Spencer, Excavations at Tell el-balamun London (1999): pl. 71/1.

4 attesting to the probably use of stone architectural elements in these buildings. As mentioned above, the 90cm thick wall 0684 effectively divides trenches EC and EE (pls.2, 4, 13). Unfortunately, due to the extensive pitting in EC, there is no direct relationship between 0684 and walls to the north. In contrast, it is bonded with parallel walls 0685 and 0686 to the south, creating room 0631 (dimensions 3.1x5.25m; pl.27). The construction method and bricks used for these walls is similar to those of the later phase walls to the north, as are their foundation levels (where visible). Room 0631 is bounded to the east by 0685, the brickwork of which was poorly preserved. However, wall 0685 did include some sections that were perhaps earlier in date, although this requires further investigation. Tiny fragments of white plaster in and around walls 0685 and 0686 suggested the walls were originally finished with this material. At least two phases were evident in room 0631, the latest being the large circular structure 0693, which clearly cuts through the eastern wall 0685 (and uses part of the wall as its north-eastern arc; pls.13). The structure has a diameter of 2.3m and walls formed from a single line of mud bricks. The exposed part is probably the lowest course of the original structure, perhaps a large oven like those found in EC (0739). Within the structure 0693, stratified layers of organic deposits (0694), white ash (0695), sand (0696) and floor surfaces ( ) were found, with brick rubble (0714), more sand (0710, pl.45) and a clay floor (0714) beneath these. Around the structure, layers of rubble (0704) and compacted clay (0697) were encountered, the latter yielding a ceramic disc (F561). Room 0631 clearly existed prior to the construction of the circular structure The discovery of several pieces of worked limestone, including a door socket (0681=F659) again reveals the use of stone architectural elements. The most intriguing feature was a ceramic installation (0707), set against the wall 0686 and upon a clay floor 0711 (pls.12, 13, 27, 44). Consisting of a Nile silt tray (70x112cm; 13cm deep), it featured three large buff-slipped pot stands (from north-south, preserved to 25+, 24 and 26cm in height), attached to the tray by means of a ring of Nile silt. Remarkably, the whole assemblage must have been fired in this form. No parallels to this installation are known to us; the associated pottery could all be attributed to the Libyan era, particularly the abundance of medium-sized cups. Another door socket (F660) was found amongst the associated pottery. In the northern part of the room east of room 0631, deposit 0709 yielded part of a spinning bowl 5 with self-slipped surface, and some of the sherds bear traces of burning. A small patch of plaster floor was found in this room (0692), but the space was badly affected by the large pit The relationship to the southern part of this eastern room is unclear, due to the pitting, and the presence of a one-brick thick wall (0718), possibly with a doorway emplacement, providing the western boundary here (pl.13). The pitting may well have destroyed phasing differences between the northern walls ( ) and those to the south ( ). The latter can of course be related to the south-eastern room, south of In the south-eastern corner of the trench, a room (0630) was defined by walls 0675 and 0689, although the western wall 0673 was very poorly preserved (pl.13). There seems to be at least two phases within the construction of 0675 (pl.43), as it is founded at a much deeper level south of the junction with 0689 (or simply an uneven starting level at this phase?). Indeed, to the north of 0689, the original plaster facing of the enclosure wall 0306 is visible, suggesting parts of it were in quite good condition. In contrast, the southern revealed part of 0675 has been built against the already eroded face of There may be chronological implications to this. Pottery in this space included both Third Intermediate and Late Period forms, and deposit 0699, which featured both brick rubble and plaster fragments, included the head of a cobra figurine (F574). Over a 2.0x1.8m area of this room, a 22cm whitish layer with uneven surface (0701) bore the impression of reeds, perhaps attesting to the original roofing of the structure. West of room 0630 lay another wall, only clearly defined in the southern baulk of the trench (0672). The gap between 0672 and 0673 is 100cm wide, and may have been a doorway, as a crude limestone door pivot (0698 = F658) was found lying against the western face of 0673 (pls.13 14). In summary, the exposed area of 200m² was intensively occupied in the Third Intermediate Period, reusing and building upon the remains of earlier architecture (pl.4). There is a domestic character to much of the activity, with cobra figurines, amulets and quern stones recovered, but the density of large storage jars found in certain areas, allied to the large kilns and/or silos may suggest that more organised activities were undertaken in the area. Late Period occupation is well represented with the ceramic assemblage, and may include the smaller ovens on the western side of trench EC, and perhaps the circular oven in EE. Some fragments in: Redford, Mendes I: pl. U/1-3.

5 The earlier phases were only exposed in the centre of trench EC (pl.5), as the significant later period walls were not removed. It is reasonable to assume that these date to the Ramesside era, on account of (1) the construction style of the brickwork, consistent with the enclosure wall , (2) and the walls lying above the phase of walls discussed above, which were in use during the Third Intermediate Period and perhaps somewhat later. The architecture of this early phase amounted to well-constructed walls, with bricks very distinctive to those used in later phases, forming an access into a northern space, at the heart of which lay a large circular structure ( ), perhaps a kiln or silo. Within structure , a series of shallow deposits were excavated ( ); the most notable find was a Myceanean painted vessel base (C819, pl.42), which is contemporary with the early 20 th dynasty. A pierced ceramic disc was found within this deposit (F665). A layer beneath did contain some Third Intermediate Period pottery, but these deposits are not necessarily related to the original use phase of the circular structure The deposits on either side of (pl.9) contained more Third Intermediate Period sherds, including storage jar fragments (0751, 0753). The eastern edge of the room is delimited by the north-south wall A fine bone applicator (F637, pl.38) was found in a compacted clay deposit (0769) south-west of the circular structure. Two surfaces were identified near the walls at the southern end of this space. A yellowish surface 0656 found just north of 0654 was revealed over a small area; to the west, north of 0768, a patch of white plaster was found 0655 (top surface 3.65). The other structure which dominates the exposed earlier phases is an east-west wall ( ), with a possible gap for a gateway (pls.5, 20, 22, 24). There are again several phases within this brickwork. The east-west wall, in its final phase with the northern thickening ( and ) was 1.05m thick. Walls running to the south were half that width (visible only in the western half, 0764). The passage between these walls was 1.65m wide, though possibly narrowed as one approached the cross wall. A floor level (0760) was identified between the walls. It is worth considering here that if we are dealing with a doorway, into a space to the north that seemed to be based around the large circular feature 0739, then the brickwork of 0768 extends across this doorway. Thus the doorway has either been blocked up at a later phase, or we are beneath the original threshold of the door (and note that floor patches were found north of the architecture (0656 and 0655). In the latter case, it is worth recalling that the preserved top of 0654 is 2.30m above the foundation level of the enclosure wall, so if this brickwork is Ramesside, then we are perhaps dealing with a secondary (or tertiary ) phase, prior to the construction of the later phase walls discussed in the first part of this report. In a compacted clay layer (0593) above the eastern side of this brick structure, a block with remains of an inscription was recovered (F573, pl.37). At this preliminary stage of analysis, and with further excavations to follow, it is prudent to be cautious in interpreting this earlier phase architecture, other than to note that there are several phases within it, and we may not have reached structures built at the time the complex was founded. The substantial architecture and large silo/kiln could have fulfilled an official role, though may also have been part of a domestic complex. 6 The Citadel: domestic architecture of the Late Period (trenches CA and CB) Following the completion of a topographic survey of the Citadel area (pl.49), an elevated zone of small-scale brick buildings partly exposed on the surface, in 2006, excavations were commenced in two adjacent trenches (CA and CB; pl.50). Petrie, who coined the term Citadel believed it to be a late foundation built upon an artificial mound of sand, 7 but examination of open sections revealed that its height is actually the result of the accumulation of occupational strata and construction phases, with intervening episodes of windblown sand deposits. Furthermore, the Naukratis Project undertook a small sondage north of building B (termed structure S by the Naukratis Project), 8 revealing six different phases of brick walls, associated with late Ptolemaic to 3 rd century AD ceramics. Our excavations focused on an area of open ground, at a relatively high elevation, between the remnants of three buildings: B, C and G. Building B is the best-preserved exposed There would have been an overlap between domestic and official buildings, particularly with houses of the elite officials stationed at Ramesside complexes such as Kom Firin. It is notable that the governor s residence at Amara West, provided with decorated stone jambs and columned rooms, featured a circular brick corn-bin which was 2.3m in diameter, located in a narrow room near the back of the building (Spencer, P. Amara West, I: The architectural report. Excavation Memoir 63. London (1997): building E13.2, pl.115. Many of the brick bins and ovens found at Amara West were much smaller, being 50-90cm in diameter. W.M.F..F. Petrie, Naukratis I. London (1886): W. Coulson and A. Leonard, Results of the 1981 Excavations and Survey at Naukratis, NARCE 117 (1982): 14 15, 20 1, figs.5 6.

6 structure, consisting of three contiguous rooms, perhaps cleared by Shafiq Farid between 1949 and The trenches preserved significant parts of sizeable mudbrick architecture, beneath layers of windblown sand and spoil from the earlier excavation of Building B. Trench CA (8x5m) was located immediately south of building B, to the east of building C (with wall 1016) and the more eroded building G to the south (1057, pl.51). The topsoil (1042) was relatively sandy, with a small amount of halfa-grass, but fragments of mudbrick and limestone chips were subsequently noted. A significant amount of pottery was already present in this layer, which also included a faience udjat-eye (F356, pl.59). Layers of brick rubble (1051) amongst compacted silts (1044) were removed beneath the topsoil (pls.53 5), yielding a faience bead (F401), an ivory applicator/pin (F402, pl.65), a copper alloy bracelet fragment (F414), two faience shabtis (F358 [pl.61], F386), a faience udjat-eye (F369, pl.64), a faience magical figure of Bes (F389, pl.62), ceramic discs (F374, F375, F403, F404), faience vessel fragments (F355, F359, F378, F379, F380, F381, F409) including one inscribed for Sekhmet, lady of (F382, pl.60), an obsidian disc or counter (F388) and a limestone mortar fragment. The recovery of many small fragments of eroded faience vessels was a feature of the deposits throughout trenches CA and CB. The western half of this trench was excavated separately; finds from the equivalent layers were as follows. From (=1044), faience rings (F500, F534) and vessel fragments (F505, F517, F542, F551), limestone vessel fragments (F530, F552), a granodiorite pendant/fitting (F518, pl.70) and a flint tool (F516). Further deposits (1053, 1054) were also compacted layers of silt with bone, limestone chips and a number of finds: a limestone mortar fragment (F436), ceramic figure of a man (F440, pl.66), limestone vessel rim (F451), faience vessel fragment (F454, F456, F476), a faience amulet? (F455) and a faience ring (F498). Building B was not excavated during our season; rather its south-facing elevation of the building s southern extent was exposed (pls.46, 55). The doorway near the eastern end of the trench was thus well defined. It consisted of an opening 86cm in width, and lay at level 5.89, 84cm above the foundation level of the building. The brickwork was preserved to level 7.08 (wall 1012), and extended to a foundation level of The threshold of the doorway was defined as 1059, which was notable for its dark coloured bricks, in contrast to the structure itself, itself built of sandy bricks. Beneath lie courses of brickwork with light brown-coloured bricks, and diagonally laid bricks of a pale sandy-grey colour (1060). Underneath the wall 1060 lies a very dense brown clay deposit ( ; pls.52, 57). This yielded a ceramic quadruped figure (F556, pl.71) and bone tools (F569, F572; pls.67, 69) but also three near-complete vessels (including C2514, pl.75). Beneath lay another deposit (1080) that clearly predated building B, as it ran under wall 1060/1012 (pl.55). This deposit yielded more faience vessel fragments (F536, F548, F601, F606) including one with decoration featuring a duck or geese head (F550, pl.72), a ceramic quadruped figurine (F545). a ceramic barrel bead (F547), ceramic disc with hole (F595, F599) and a plain ceramic disc (F607). Between partly exposed buildings B and C lay a 92cm gap, exposed in section (pl.54). This could be viewed as a passageway, between two adjacent, and at least partly contemporary structures. It is notable that building C (still evident at level 4.71) was founded at a lower level than either B (5.05) or G (5.31). Wall 1016 was preserved to a depth of 2.15m (17 courses; pl.55), and exposed across a width of 1.3m, its northerly extension running into the corner of the trench. Bricks vary widely in size (length 15-25cm; thickness 6-8cm), being of dark crumbly clay with occasional sandy bricks (these of length 27cm, thickness 7cm). Building G had obviously been badly affected by earlier excavations and/or pitting, as parts were preserved to a significant height, and others almost entirely destroyed. It is very likely that wall segment 1069, partly preserved on top of wall 1072, is part of building G as well, as its alignment suggests it joined 1057 to form a space (pls.51, 53). Building G was itself built upon the remains of an earlier phase building, which formed the central architectural feature in this trench (pl.53). This building consisted of a beehive shaped silo (1096), set within a room bounded by walls 1072, 1073 and 1105 (pls.46 7, 51, 53). The construction of 1072 cut into the existing wall 1016 of building C. The central silo (1096) was only partly excavated, revealed to a height of 1.3m. Constructed of bricks of dark crumbly clay (35x10x6cm), the upper part had been damaged and become filled with a compacted grey-brown deposit containing charcoal and limestone flecks (1108), but also a faience figure (F640). Around the silo, several deposits were excavated, with a high proportion of brick debris (1071, 1078, 1088, and 1100). Deposit 1088 produced several finds, including a ceramic quadruped (F588, pl.73), a limestone disc (F589), a pierced ceramic disc (F664); within 1100 a faience bead (F624) and two ceramic discs (F645) were recovered. The northern boundary of this space was the east-west wall 1072 (pls.46, 51), up to 1.3m thick. Built

7 of black/dark brown bricks with occasional sandy-grey examples (23x10x7cm), it is bonded with the walls on the west and east sides of the room (1105 and 1073). The eastern wall 1073 was evidently thickened at some point, by some 40cm, on its eastern face. This thickening is less well constructed than with the original wall, with bricks at various angles. The south-western corner of this building was just exposed in trench CB (1119 equivalent to 1105). While wall 1072 clearly continued into the east baulk of the trench, defining a further room to the east of that containing silo 1096, the situation to the north is less clear. A north-south wall (1106) seems to create a division of the spaces to the north, that to the east containing a staircase (1075, pl.56). Constructed of sandy-yellow clay bricks (17x10?x6cm), it was exposed to a height of 2.19m, without the foundations being reached: its foundation level was clearly lower than that of the wall The space to the north of 1072, filled up with an accumulation of deposits prior to the building of B (from earliest to latest): 1114, 1113, 1098, and Finds included faience vessel fragments (F643 from 1114; F608 from 1098) and a spherical ceramic bead (F628 from 1098). A series of floors/occupation strata, difficult to distinguish and assigned one context (1115), were partly excavated in the space to the west of wall 1106 (pl.55). High in charcoal content, these clearly postdated wall 1106, and may represent occupation phases post-dating the abandonment of the original building with silo. More faience vessel fragments (1115) were found here (F641). Trench CB (10x10m) was sited to take advantage of an open area west of building G, with light grass cover (pl.48). After excavating considerable amounts of brick debris and wind-blown sand deposits, a structure (T) similar in form and function to that found in CA was revealed (pl.80): substantial mudbrick walls ( ) forming rooms housing silos (1065, 1093). The topsoil layers (1043, 1045) yielded a glass vessel fragment (F352), ceramic discs (F360, F610), a faience vessel fragment (F354), a limestone gaming piece/counter (F376) and a quartzite quern fragment (F611) and a concentration of worked purple quartzite fragments in the north-west corner. The deposit beneath topsoil (1049), in the western part of the trench, included a quartzite tool (F366), a quartzite rubber/smoother (F466), more faience vessel fragments (F373, F390), an udjat-eye mould (F383, pl.73), ceramic discs (F457, F459, F462, F463), a pierced ceramic disc (F467) and a calcite vessel fragment (F460). A thick deposit of windblown sand (1052, 1061, 1062) along the southern edge of the trench contained a similar range of objects: faience vessel fragments (F396, F398, F407), a limestone tool (F419), a ceramic figure (F490, pl.77), limestone vessel fragments (F495) and ceramic discs (F408, F489). The first structures revealed during the excavation were the four small kilns (1046, 1047, 1048 and 1120; pls.80, 81, 93), attesting to later occupation of this area at an elevated surface level, perhaps contemporary with the later structures in this area (buildings B and G?). The Nile silt fabric of these vessels was very degraded, with crumbly pink-orange fabric staining the surrounding deposits, and halfa-grass roots growing through the walls in several places. Each kiln was filled with a fine grey ashy deposit, a faience vessel fragment (F512) being found in Kiln 1047 was the best preserved, but no surfaces were found in association with these installations. South of the kilns, an extensive deposit, rich in ceramics, was excavated. Finds included a calcite vessel fragment (F431), faience vessel fragments (F432, F449), limestone vessel fragments (F437, F448, F474, F494), a limestone bead (F447), a rock crystal bead (F450), a firedog (F478), two enigmatic ceramic objects (F509, F513) and a significant number of pieces of worked limestone and quartzite. To the east, the deposit was defined as 1074, which contained a higher proportion of sand but also many fragments of stone. A faience ring (F507), a faience vessel fragment (F511) and a ceramic disc (F531) were found within 1074, while a similar deposit below (1104) yielded faience vessel fragments (F626, F642), limestone vessel/mortar fragments (F632, F650, F651, F652), quern stones (F634, F633), a ceramic disc (F648), a pierced ceramic disc (F648), a faience amulet (F663), ceramic figurines (F629, F653 [pl.109]) including the middle part of a cobra figurine (F654), and a limestone door-socket (F657). Once these deposits had been removed, a substantial rectangular building, measuring 6.1m east-west, and exposed to a length of 6.5m, was exposed, with beehive-shaped silos constructed within its rooms (pls.80, 83, 89 92, 96). The structure of the rectangular building is noteworthy for the careful construction of its walls, with a slight rise towards the corners (pl.85), as is typical in first millennium BC architecture in the Nile Delta. Recording individual bricks proved difficult, on account of the crumbly nature of the clay, though courses were visible once the wall faces had been revealed and dried out in the sun (pl.101). The preserved height of

8 the structure was clearly revealed in a sondage in the north-western corner of the trench (pls.80, 86). The wall 1064 was 125cm thick in some places, and appeared to have been built above the remnants of an earlier wall 1082, at least in its south-eastern corner (pl.85 6). From within the room, an orange sand layer (1110) could be seen as underlying the northern wall, within which was recovered a faience bead (F667). Was 1082 part of an earlier building, or a construction device to create the sloping of the coursing towards the corn Within the northern space of the building, the western edge of the room was filled with a mass of brick material (1109, pl.80), initially thought to perhaps represent the remains of a staircase or ramp which would have provided access to the base of the room containing the storage silo. However, a section through this mass failed to discern clear steps (as found in with 1075 in CA) but rather sandy bricks, some darker clay bricks and fragments thereof. Thus it may simply represent collapse, or a careless roughly constructed arrangement during a later phase of occupation. One well made brick, integrated with the brickwork of 1064, was cut with a carefully made cylindrical hole (diameter 13cm), as if to hold a beam of wood (pl.100). The silo (1065) itself is preserved to a height of 146cm, though the foundation level was not reached (pl.83). With a diameter of 2.5m, four pillars act as buttresses against its exterior, built of a stack of single bricks (34x16x5cm), which step in as they follow the curve of the main structure (pl.90). Parts of the southwestern pillar is clearly bonded with the brickwork of the silo proper, the others are joined to the silo proper with mortar. Within the silo lay a deposit of clean, fine, yellow sand (1066), with little pottery but a fair amount of finds: faience vessel fragments (F668), a ceramic quadruped (F644, pl.103), a ceramic disc (F671) and the tip of a bone tool (F669). A complete vessel (C2513) was found against the inner north face of silo (pl.102). The homogenous nature of this fill suggests a fairly rapid accumulation of material. The bottom of the silo was not reached during excavations, but it is clear that it was founded at a significantly lower level than the walls (pl.83). This does not necessarily indicate an earlier construction date: it is possible the silos were designed to be partly subterranean. The silo is not positioned symmetrically within the room; rather it is located in the south-eastern corner. Any access would have to have been from west, where there is more space, unless the top of silo was accessible from a higher floor level in the room. Unlike the silo 1096 in trench CA, there is almost no room around this silo. Between the exterior of the silo and the walls 1064 lies a loose deposit with brick fragments but also charcoal inclusions and a small amount of shell and large bone fragments ( ). In the southern space, a number of large coarse Nile silt tray fragments were revealed, and a number of finds came from this deposit: faience vessel fragments (F430, F453, F533, F504), an enigmatic sculpture in faience (F514, pl.104), a quartzite quern stone fragment (F483), fine bone tools (F499, F528; pls.78, 79)), a faience ring (F501), a ceramic disc (F508), a faience plaque (F523) and an iron tool (F524). A similar space was defined immediately to the south with an adjacent room (formed with walls 1087, 1129 and 1064) containing another circular silo (1093, pls.80, 91). Silo 1093 was only excavated to a depth sufficient to define its shape, thus its appearance as less well-built is misleading, as the exposed parts are higher than the preserved levels of A large ceramic basin was found upturned against the corners of walls 1087 and 1092 (pls.80, 95). Again, the silo was provided with external supports. The north-western one was well-defined, but to the north-east, two separate walls (1126 and 1127) bridged the gap between silo and wall 1129). The fill inside the silo, 1094, does seem more grey and ashy, though only around 10cm of this deposit was removed, including a decorated faience plaque (F591, pls.107 8). The deposit (1092) between the silo and the surrounding walls is similar to that in the room to the north, and yielded faience vessel fragments (F603, F604). That a third building of similar date existed west of trench CA is suggested by the exposure of a corner of brickwork (1084, pl.80). South of here, a later structure had been built over the remains of the silo building, represented by the mass of brickwork (1063, pl.87) in the south-western corner of the trench (a faience vessel fragment was found during cleaning, F585). The foundation level of this structure (4.92) is rather similar to structure B (5.05), and it may form part of a similar or near-contemporary phase, along with building G. North of wall 1063 was a deposit of very fine orange sand (1097), almost devoid of pottery, beneath which lay a rectangular mass of compacted brown mud (1102), extending from the eastern edge of 1064 and ending in a curved edge (pl.80). East of the silo building, excavations did not reach the same depth due to time constraints. The silo building s eastern edge proved very difficult to define. Layers of sand were removed from the south-eastern part of the trench (1095), yielding a large number of finds: faience vessel fragments (F575), a quartzite rubber-

9 smoother (F622), a limestone door pivot (F578) and door-socket (F616), a limestone mortar fragment (F580), a ceramic disc (F598) and ceramic disc with hole (F590), in addition to fragments of worked limestone, quartzite and calcite. A sizeable deposit of brick material was identified (1112/1134); likely to be brickwork collapsed on windblown sand 1135, much of this is fallen brickwork, though parts could also be interpreted as a brick floor founded on sand. Two spaces could be proposed, defined by walls 1121, 1130 and 1131 (pl.80), but these were not well defined due to time constraints, and the area should repay further investigation. A limestone vessel fragment (F672) was found in the deposit 1118 to the north of brickwork A 1.34m sondage was undertaken in the north-western corner of the trench, to clarify the construction method of building T (pls.80, 82, 84). Deposits termed 1077, 1081, 1083, with an intervening building/ foundation level 1103, were excavated (pl.86). The most significant feature was three upturned torpedo amphorae set in a matrix of very thick, sticky dark clay just north of wall 1064 (C2565, C , pls.94, ). The tops of the vessels lay at level 4.37, i.e. 80cm beneath the preserved top of the wall The top of another such vessel (C2566, pl.113) lay next to these three. It seemed very clear that these were intentional deposits, perhaps embedded and shrouded in clay near their upper parts (i.e. the original bases), and postdate the construction of 1064, as they lay upon deposit This deposit was notable for its green-stained hue, charcoal inclusions and relatively high degree of compaction, and yielded a limestone counter (F506), faience fragments (F510, F605), a ceramic pieced disc (F597) and an eroded fragment of a female figurine on a plaque (F538, pl.106). Deposit 1081 was noticeably pinker in hue, with little compaction and speckled with charcoal fragments. Further fragments of large torpedo jars were found to the west of those described above, along with faience vessel fragments (F567, F570). A thick brown clay deposit (1136, pl.84), 34cm wide, was topped with large fragments of Nile silt trays laid on a line, perhaps used as a foundation level for a light structure? The pottery from these deposits has only been subjected to a preliminary analysis. Though material ranging in date from New Kingdom to the Ottoman Period has been recovered, 9 but the vast majority of the assemblage fell within the range of late Third Intermediate Period to early Ptolemaic. In particular, the 4 th century BC date which can be assigned to the torpedo jars, points to Late Period date for building T, and the ceramics suggest such a date for nearby building U would be reasonable. A small amount of imported pottery was also encountered (pl.74), particularly amphorae from Chios and Gaza. What were these buildings for? The size of the granaries does not approach the massive institutional granaries known from ancient Egypt, and compare better to the granaries of elite private houses, such as the Hellenistic examples found at Tebtynis. 10 While the footprint of building U is not inconsistent with large houses, that of T is rather narrow, unless we are looking only at a northerly extension to a building south of trench CB (pl.50). Of course, it is likely some of these building consisted of several storeys. The finds from within these structures could be characterised as domestic, with a profusion of stone and faience vessels, but also bone tools, amulets. The presence of shabtis does not imply there were burials here: these could have been transported from elsewhere, or there may have been shabti workshops nearby. This season has also made it abundantly clear that structures of very different date can be found at different levels in the Citadel, as the rate of accumulation of occupation deposits and abandoned/modified buildings varies considerablywithin the area. Regional geomorphology The discovery of a sizeable Ramesside complex, partly defensive in character (pracyically and/or symbolically), prompts questions as to why this location was chosen for a strategic foundation. In collaboration with the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, a one-year project to seek evidence for the ancient waterways in and around at the site was instigated, conducted by Eleanor Hughes, and supervised by Judith Bunbury. 11 Following a detailed assessment of early maps and satellite imagery, in particular looking A glazed Islamic cup sherd was recovered from CA 1044, and is the first material later than the 7 th century AD to have been identified at Kom Firin. We had assumed was abandoned in the 7 th century AD, possibly due to the drying up of the nearest Nile branches. Of course, a small number of stray sherds do not point to significant occupation of the site at this era. 10 E.g. G. Hadji-Minaglou, Tebtynis IV. Les habitations à l est du temple de Soknebtynis. FIFAO 56. Cairo (2007): , esp. 137 [CC] and 231 [101]. 11 This project was presented as an M.Sc. dissertation: E. Hughes, Charting Ancient Waterways with the British Museum Mission to Kom Firin (University of Cambridge, 2008).

10 at field boundaries, clusters of lakes and levee patterns, it is possible to propose the presence of a significant waterway running near Kom Firin (pl.118). However, the courses of waterways in the Nile Delta were constantly shifting, and many may only have been seasonal. Many of the known settlement mounds in the region flank this waterway, notably the other significant Ramesside site of Tell Abqa in. This reconstruction suggests Kom Firin was served by a waterway which ran south of the settlement, with the Canopic branch, now defunct, running some 10km east of Kom Firin, at Naukratis. It is noteworthy that the Ramesside complex opens to the north, away from this suggested waterway. In an attempt to obtain data relating to suggested waterways in and around Kom Firin, but also to test the assumption that the site was founded on a Pleistocene turtleback, auger cores were undertaken this season, combined with logging of a nearby exposed sandbank and field walking to study features of potential interest identified upon maps and in satellite imagery. An Eijkelkamp Hand Auger was used for the borehole survey (pls.120 1). Material from the core was analysed in terms of grain size, colour, paleontological content and archaeological material. Eleven cores were sited in and around the site, to test for possible waterways, and to assess the depth of archaeological deposits (pl.1). The results suggest consideration of the cores in three groups. Firstly, AS01, AS04, AS07 and A10 (pl.116), can be considered as lying within the boundaries of former river channels. In each case, the base of the core featured a layer of sand which can be identified as the Qena Formation of mid-pleistocene sands. In all likelihood, Kom Firin was founded upon one of the sand turtlebacks favoured for settlement in the Nile Delta. Above this sand lay between 2 and 5m of silt which can be interpreted as river channel deposits; this waterway was probably up to 5m in depth in its initial phase. The second group (AS03, AS05, AS06, AS08; pl.117) featured sand deposits of the Qena Formation, with little pottery. AS06, located within trench TD (excavated in 2004) in the temple, clearly shows that the temple, to our knowledge one of the earliest structures at Kom Firin, was built directly on the Pleistocene sand. Core AS03 yielded a relatively high density of pottery in the upper levels, and perhaps represents a levee of a water channel, located very close to the settlement area. The third group (AS02, AS09, AS11; 117) feature abundant cultural material, unsurprising as these lie within the confines of the settlement. However, AS11 is particularly intriguing, as it suggests the presence of mudbrick material, whether in situ or redeposited, between site level 0.00 and The temple walls, by comparison, are founded at around AS11 is located in an area with sparse vegetation cover. As this material is between 4 and 7m below the present ground level, it would be difficult to investigate through excavation, and too deep for magnetometry to be effective. In summary, it seems that a major channel abutted the south of the settlement (AS04, AS10), incised through the Qena Formation, and it is likely that a (lesser?) channel flowed around the north of the site (pl.119). It is quite possible that the centre of the site, around AS09, was subjected to occasional flooding, and thus would have been unsuitable for permanent or important structures. If Kom Firin was located upon an island, this would have had clear stratigraphic advantages. The low level of anthropogenic deposits in the west of the site (AS11) could prove intriguing once the ceramics are dated. It is worth recalling that pre-ramesside occupation levels are unknown at Kom Firin, though the cemetery has material dating to the late Middle Kingdom onwards. 13 Study of the ceramics recovered from the cores has yet to be completed, which might provide some date limits on some of the water channels identified. Conservation and re-display of antiquities adjacent to resthouse In 2006, the doorjamb from the Ramesside temple was conserved, cleaned and rejoined, before being re-erected adjacent to the antiquities resthouse. As a logical continuation of this project, discussions with the Chief Inspector of Beheira allowed the formulation of a plan to re-site the sarcophagi on supports which eliminate contact with the groundwater. These sarcophagi were excavated at Silvagou, the cemetery of Kom Firin, by the EAO/SCA. Tracey Sweek, senior stone conservator in the Department of Conservation and Science at the British Museum, oversaw the lifting and re-installation of the sarcophagi. Four limestone sarcophagi and one lid are now arranged immediately north-west of the resthouse, upon breezeblocks atop 12 Significant areas of sand are shown on the 1909 Survey of Egypt Map, 1:50,000 series (1909), sheet V-III NW Hosh Isa. Furthermore, excavations in the Ramesside temple and enclosure had shown the earliest phases of buildings were built upon apparently sterile sand. 13 M. Basta, Excavations West of Kôm Firin ( ), CdE 54 (1979):

11 concrete foundations (pls.97 8). A protective plastic barrier between monument and support halts potential salt migration and groundwater damage. In addition, a finely carved quartzite relief, from Kom Firin, was installed on a display plinth (pl.122). This relief offers a close parallel to the 26 th dynasty reliefs found in the temple of Apries by Flinders Petrie, 14 and is thus likely to come from the Saite temple, probably located in the central area of the kom. Study An imposing open section in the south-eastern part of the site was cleaned, studied and recorded (pls.99, 123), as it represents an important element of the latest enclosure wall known to have been built at Kom Firin. The wall 0623 (location on pl.1), seen in section, is covered with accumulated deposits, including areas of brick collapse. The future study of the ceramics recovered from these deposits should help narrow the dating of this wall, presently thought to be of the Late Period. Evidence for continuing illegal excavations was found north of the Ramesside temple, where two square trenches had been cut into the site. One of these had partly revealed a 45cm tall limestone mortar, which we extracted from the ground and recorded (F445). The expedition continued to study the ceramics and finds from excavations in the Ramesside enclosure between 2004 and 2007, in advance of publication. The first volume of excavation reports, Kom Firin I: The Ramesside temple and the site survey (British Museum Research Publication 170, London, 2008) will appear shortly. It is hoped that the Supreme Council of Antiquities will continue to permit further research at Kom Firin. Dr. Neal Spencer nspencer@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk List of registered finds At the end of the season, inspectors Ahmed Kamal entered the following finds into the SCA Register of Antiquities (Beheira): F356 (SCA 97), pl.59. Udjat-eye. Faience. Width: 3.0cm, height: 1.7cm; thickness: 0.5cm. CA Only the eye and part of the eyebrow remain. Light grey-blue faience, with black paint used to highlight pupil and brow (more black at right side of eye on one side - from burning?). Identical on both sides. Pierced horizontally. Fine workmanship, with eyelashes modelled in sunk relief striations. Stub of tear duct partly preserved. F438 (SCA 98), pl.29. Votive foot figure. Ceramic. Length 9.2cm; thickness 2.0cm; width 5.7cm. EC Nile silt fired to red-orange, with small burnt-out casts on the surface. Hand modelled into a sub-rectangular form to intimate a human foot, as clear from five depressions at the wider end, representing toes. At heel end (but on upper side), there is a thumb sized depression. Similar in modelling to the many cobra figurines found at the site. F568 (SCA 99), pl.68. Horse and rider figurine. Ceramic Length 8.6cm; height (at rear) 4.5cm; diameter of body 2.7cm. CA Hand-modelled from Nile silt, well fired to a pale orange with a grey-orange core. The front legs are largely lost, and the head is lost beneath a slender neck. The body is schematically modelled. The tail is pinched out as a separate entity, and falls behind the legs. The two legs and the lowest part of a rider s body are preserved. 14 W.M.F. Petrie, The Palace of Apries (Memphis II), London (1909): pl.6. 11

12 Plate 1: Topographical map of Kom Firin, showing location of auger cores (AS01-AS11) and layout of enclosures. 12

13 Plate 2: Composite plan of trenches EA (2005), EB (2006), EC and EE (2007), around the north-east corner of the Ramesside enclosure ( ). 13

14 Plate 3: EC. Plan of later phase architecture. 14

15 Plate 4: EC. Plan of later phase architecture with brickwork

16 Plate 5. EC. Plan of early phase architecture. 16

17 Plate 6: EC, Composite plan of early and late phase architecture. Plate 6: EC. Composite plan of early and late phase architecture. Plate 7: EC. Plan of oven

18 Plate 8: EC. West-facing section AB, including pit Plate 9: EC. South-facing section CD, of sub-floor layers in room

19 Plate 10: EC. East-facing section EF, or western trench baulk. Plate 11: EC. South-east facing section GH through oven Plate 12: EE. Profile of pottery installation

20 Plate 13: EE. Plan of later phase architecture. 20

21 Plate 14: EE. North-facing section NM of southern trench baulk. Plate 15: Upper part of fired clay cobra figurine. EC Plate 16: F395. Limestone weight or socket. EC Plate 17: F397. Flint arrowhead. EC Plate 18: F413. Lower part of fired clay cobra figurine. EC Plate 19: EC. North-south wall 0545, with oven Plate 20: EC. View west over walls (foreground) and , cut by circular structure

22 Plate 21: EC-EE. General view south over excavated areas. Plate 22: EC-EE. View south across central part of both trenches. Plate 23: EC. View south across three rooms (0309, 0573, 0574). Plate 24: EC. Circular structure 0757 and wall 0654, looking north. 22

23 Plate 25: EC. View east along Ramesside wall 0654 and circular feature Fig 26: EC. View east over structures ; rooms 0309, 0573, Plate 27: EE. view west over trench, with installation 0707, walls 0684, 0685, Plate 28: EE. Circular feature 0693 with interior View west. 23

24 Plate 29: F438 (SCA 98). Votive figure of a foot. EC Plate 30: F442. Faience amulet fragment. EC Plate 31: F443. Limestone column base found in oven EC Plate 32: F539. Upper part of fired clay cobra figurine. EC Plate 33: F554. Upper part of fired clay cobra figurine. EC Plate 34: F596. Fired clay figurine of a quadruped. EC Plate 35: F627. Faience vessel fragment. EC Plate 36: F631. Limestone weight. Diameter: 7.4cm. EC Plate 38: F637. Bone applicator. EC Plate 39: C771. Sherd from a red-on-cream bowl. 20th dynasty. EC Plate 37: F573. Limestone fragment with decorated surface. EC Plate 40: C802. Stamp upon an a Ptolemaic/Roman amphora. EC Plate 41: F522. Middle part of fired clay cobra figurine. EE

25 Plate 42: C819. Mycenaean LH IIIC 1b vessel. EC Plate 43: EE. View south along the line of the Ramesside enclosure wall (0306), with wall 0675 built against it. Plate 44: Pottery installation 0707 (part of wall 0686 removed for access). View west. 25

26 Plate 45: EE. Circular structure 0693, with deposit View east. Plate 46: CA. General view of trench: wall 1072, silo 1096, and building B in background. Plate 47: CA. Brick silo 1096, and interior fill View west. Plate 48: View north across trench CB during excavation. Building C visible right-centre. 26

27 Plate 49: Map of Citadel area, with location of trenches CA and CB. 27

28 Plate 50: Composite plan of trenches CA and CB. 28

29 Plate 51: CA. Plan.. Plate 52: CA. Plan with context

30 Plate 53: CA. North-facing section EF. 30

31 Plate 54: CA. West-facing section CD. 31

32 Plate 55: CA. South-facing section GH. 32

33 Plate 56: CA. Detail of western elevation of staircase Plate 57: CA. Pots lying north of wall 1072, in context , including C2514 (see pl.75). Plate 58: F559. Flint sickle blade. EE Plate 59: F356 (SCA 97). Faience udjat-eye. CA Plate 60: F382. Faience vessel fragment. CA Plate 61: F358. Faience shabti. CA Plate 62: F389. Faience Besfigure. CA Plate 63: F368. Glass bead. CA Plate 64: F369. Faience udjat-eye. CA Plate 65: F402. Ivory applicator. Length: 5.4cm. CA

34 Plate 66: F440. Fired clay male figurine. CA Plate 67: F569. Bone tool. CA Plate 68: F568 (SCA 99). Fired clay figurine of a horse and rider. CA Plate 69: F572. Bone tool. CA Plate 70: F518. Granodiorite pendant/fitting. CA Plate 71: F556. Fired clay figurine of a quadruped. CA Plate 72: F550. Faience vessel fragment. CA Plate 73: F588. Fired clay figurine of a quadruped. CA Plate 74: C2013. Imported amphora with stamped handle. CA Plate 75: C2514. Bowl with everted rim from CA Plate 76. F383. Ceramic mould for udjat-eye. CB Plate 77: F490. Fired clay figure. CB Plate 78: F499. Bone tool. CB Plate 79: F528. Bone tool. Lngth: 4.6cm. CB

35 Plate 80: CB. Plan. Plate 81: CB. South-west facing section AB through kiln

36 Plate 82: CB. Plan with torpedo jars in Plate 83: CB. South-west facing section CD through silo 1065 and structure

37 Plate 84: CB. Plan with feature Plate 85: CB. North-west facing elevation IJ of wall

38 Plate 86: CB. East-facing section KL of sondage. 38

39 Plate 87: CB. North-facing section MN of brickwork Plate 88: CB. West-facing section OP of brickwork

40 Plate 89: CB. View south-west across building T, with silos 1065 and Plate 90: CB. View east to silo 1065, with brick support pillars. Wall 1064 in foreground. Plate 91: CB. View east over silo 1093, set within walls 1064, 1087 and

41 Plate 92: CB. View east over building T, with silos 1065 and Wall 1064 in foreground. Plate 93: CB. Kilns after excavation, looking east. From left to right, 1046, 1047, Plate 95: CB. Large basin found upturned against corner of walls 1087 and Fig 94: CB. Torpedo jars as found, north of wall 1064, in deposit

42 Fig 96: CB. Silo 1065 with sandy fill View west. Fig 98: Limestone sarcophagus and lid from Silvagou, re-installed on concrete foundation. Fig 97: General view of new display area for sarcophagi and Ramesside doorjamb. Fig 99: View of wall 0623 with deposits built up against it. 42

43 Fig 100: CB. Detail of cylindrical hole in brickwork 1064 of building T. Fig 101: CB. Detail of brick supports for exterior of silo 1065; face of wall 1064 in background. View north-east. Plate 102: C2513. Miniature vessel from CB Plate 103: F644. Fired clay figurine of a quadruped. CB Plate 104: F514. Faience object. CB Plate 105: F523. Faience plaque. Dimensions: 1.5x1.4cm. CB Plate 106: F538. Faience plaque. CB Plate 107: F591. Decorated faience plaque. CB Plate 108: F591. Decorated faience plaque (reverse). CB Plate 109: F653. Fired clay figurine of a quadruped. CB

44 Plate 110: C2565. Torpedo jar from CB Plate 111: C2568. Torpedo jar from CB Plate 113: C2566. Torpedo jar from CB Plate 112: C2567. Torpedo jar from CB Plate 114: F672. Limestone vessel fragment. CB

45 Plate 115: Log of auger cores AS08, AS05, AS03 and AS06. Drawing by Eleanor Hughes. All heights relative to STN 2 = 12.00m. Key: Dark yellow - sand; light yellow - silty sand; light brown - sandy silt; dark brown - silt and clays. 45

46 Plate 116: Log of auger cores AS01, AS04, AS07 and AS10. Drawing by Eleanor Hughes. All heights relative to STN 2 = 12.00m. Key: Dark yellow - sand; light yellow - silty sand; light brown - sandy silt; dark brown - silt and clays. 46

47 Plate 117: Log of auger cores AS11, AS09, AS03, AS06, AS02 and AS10. Drawing by Eleanor Hughes. All heights relative to STN 2 = 12.00m. Key: Dark yellow - sand; light yellow - silty sand; light brown - sandy silt; dark brown - silt and clays. 47

48 Plate 118: Map of the region around Kom Firin. The location and extent of archaeological sites is taken from Survey of Egypt/EGSA maps; the position of the modern road, the Rosetta branch of the Nile, canals and settlements is from satellite imagery. The course of the other two branches (the Canopic and Western Nile branches) is indicative only, being based on satellite imagery, survey maps cited and previous studies. These channels will have meandered over time, and further bifurcations are likely to have occurred at different periods. This does not include implications from augering at Kom Firin in

49 Plate 119: Suggested ancient waterways around Kom Firin, with location of auger core indicated. 49

50 Plate 120: Auger coring in the Ramesside temple (AS06). Plate 121: Auger coring in the central part of Kom Firin (AS03). Plate 122: Quartzite block reinstalled on pedestal. 50

51 Plate 123: Elevation of wall 0623 (see pl.99). 51