Tomb (Martyr) church

Name of structure: Tomb (Martyr) church
Extended name of structure:
Type of structure: Church
Country or main area: Egypt
Region within country or main area: Mariut desert
City or area within region: Abu Mina, nr Alexandria
Date of structure: 4C-6C
Century of structure 1: 4 AD
Century of structure 2: 6 AD
Specific place of mosaic: Scattered tesserae on the ground below dome in crypt.
Gold mosaic of a figure now in Greco-Roman museum in Alexandria; gold mosaic recorded in junction of nave and transept.
Brief descriptive contents of mosaic:

n/a
Date of mosaic: 6C
Century of mosaic 1: 6 AD
Century of mosaic 2: 6 AD
Silver tessera at site: Unknown
Gold tessera at site: Yes
Colour tessera at site: Unknown
Were other materials found at site (i.e., glass cakes)? Unknown
Has analysis been done? No
Samples taken from where? n/a
Excavation and restoration campaigns:

1905-1907: team led by Carl Maria Kaufmann
1925-1929: team from the Graeco-Roman Museum of Alexandria
1942: team led by J.B. Ward Perkins
1959: team from the Coptic Museum of Cairo
1961-1998: team from the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut
Bibliography of mainly technical resources:

Mckenzie, J., The Architecture of Alexandria and Egypt 300 B.C.-A.D. 700 (Yale, 2007).


Bagnall, R. S., 'Archaeological Work on Hellenistic and Roman Egypt, 1995-2000', American Journal of Archaeology 105/2 (2001), 227–43.


Krause, M. (ed), Ägypten in spätantik-christlicher Zeit (Sprachen und Kulturen des christlichen Orients 4, 1998), 269-93.


Grossmann, P., Abu Mina I. Die Gruftkirche und die Gruft (Mainz, 1989).


Grossmann, P. et al, 'Abu Minas. Vorläufiger Bericht' Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäeologischen Instituts. Abteilung Kairo 38 (1982), 131-54.


Grossmann, P. & Jaritz, H., 'Abu Mina. Neunter vorläufiger Bericht. Kampagnen 1977, 1978 und 1979', Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archäeologischen Instituts. Abteilung Kairo 36 (1980), 203-27.


Armstrong, G. T., 'Constantine's churches', Gesta 6 (1967), 1–9.


Kaufmann, K.M., Die Menasstadt und das Nationalheiligtum der altchristlichen Aegypter. Ausgrabungen der Frankfurter Expedition am Karm Abu Mina 1905-1907, vol 1 (Leipzig 1910).


Ward Perkins, J.B., 'The shrine of St Menas in the Maryut', Papers of the British School at Rome 17 (1949), 26-74; referencing original excavator, C. M. Kaufmann, Le decovert, 1908.


 
URLs: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut: http://www.dainst.org/index_46bc81fcbb1f14a160290017f0000011_en.html
Comments:

Marbles mentioned in 'Acts of Menas', but mosaics not.

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