Front cover photo: The Hajjar al-Hibla megalith (right) and the newly discovered megalith (left) in the southern quarry of Baalbek, Lebanon.

‘Marea’ is situated on the south-western shore of Lake Mareotis, some 40 km south-west of Alexandria and 4 km south of the Mediterranean coast, in a region that enjoyed considerable economic significance in the Graeco-Roman Period due to wine production. In 2011, a Polish expedition from the Archaeological Museum of Kraków, on behalf of the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, initiated excavations at House H1 and focused their research in the structure’s southern reaches. Then, in both 2014 and 2016, the excavations continued under the direction of a Polish team from the University of Warsaw. Based on this archaeological research as well as a stratigraphic analysis, it was possible to conclude that over the years the character of House H1 underwent substantial changes attested to by various kinds of alterations (wall demolition, introducing new partition structures and installations inside of rooms, constant rise of occupation levels). Our research enabled us to distinguish four main phases of habitation in this part of the archaeological site, beginning from the second century until its demise before the ninth century.

Marea/Northern Hawwariya is one of the largest and most important archaeological sites dating between the 3rd century BC and the 8th century AD located at Lake Mareotis in northern Egypt. Even though excavations have been carried out since the end of the 1970s, the settlement is still largely unexplored. To rectify this situation, non-invasive research has been carried out on 21.5 ha of the site using a precise positioning system and magnetometer measurements. Exact topographic and magnetic maps were prepared based on the data that were obtained.Simultaneously, verification research were carried out, including archaeological excavations, registering surface findings and satellite image analysis. In the southeastern part of the site, electrical resistivity measurements were taken as well. This approach allowed for the identification of the densely built areas of the Byzantine and Early Islamic town. On the south-western side, some magnetic anomalies were registered, following regular patterns with clear linear borders and surrounded by wetlands without clear signs of habitation. On the northern side, the settlement was limited by an artificial coastline, forming straight waterfronts made of stone blocks. As for the town itself, a 260-m street with adjacent regular built-up areas was discovered. This regularity points to an order of planning, at least for the Byzantine part of the settlement. Recording of large amplitude magnetic anomalies proves the presence of heavily burnt objects. They may be interpreted as remains of kilns, perhaps used to manufacture amphorae, glass vessels and lime. Electrical resistivity measurements in the south-eastern part of the site localized cavities in the natural limestone rock uplift. These may have been rock-cut tombs. Multidisciplinary, non-invasive research in Marea/Northern Hawwariya allowed for the quick generation of new knowledge on the topography of the site, significantly enriching information on its form and the functions of its various parts.

Hellenistic steles and Roman cippi and sarcophagi discovered in the course of salvage excavations in Jiyeh (ancient Porphyreon) opened the way to the discussion of the artictic culture of Sidon and the northern part of its hinterland. The form and decoration of these grave monuments find no parallels outside the Sidonian cemeteries, pointing to very strong artistic ties between the metropolis and the villages in its chora. Compared to the output of other Syro-Palestinian sculptural centers, the products from Sidonian territory demonstrate exceptional originality, foremost in the choice of decorative motifs, but also concerning the stone material: local sandstone conglomerate and limestone. The steles, cippi and sarcophagi from Jiyeh enable us to date more precisely the locality's northern necropolis that functioned, in the light of the presented evidence, from the Hellenistic to the early Byzantine period. Moreover; the dating of the monuments leads to the assumption that the early phase of the cemetery coincided with the operation of nearby pottery workshops.

Seven rooms were unearthed completely and another four in part during the second season of excavations in House H1 in Marea. Thanks to a stratigraphic test pit the approximate date of construction of this part of the ancient town was established tentatively as the 6th century AD; it remained in use until at least the 8th century AD. The building techniques and the plan of House H1 follow the Mediterranean tradition of domestic architecture.