Kom El Deka is a neighborhood in Alexandria, Egypt. Archaeological Site in Alexandria, Kom Al Dikka was a well-off residential area in Graeco-Roman times, with lovely villas, bathhouses and a theatre. The area was known at the time as the Park of Pan, a pleasure garden where citizens of Alexandria could indulge in various lazy pursuits. Although the ruins aren't terribly impressive in scale, they remain a superbly preserved ode to the days of the centurion and include the 13 white-marble terraces of the only Roman amphitheatre found in Egypt. It contains a historical theater that dates back to the Roman era.
Current archaeological research
Archaeological research on Kom el Deka was initiated in 1960 by Prof. Kazimierz Michałowski. At present, the work is still conducted by a Polish-Egyptian archaeological and conservation expedition from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw and the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The current project director is Dr. Grzegorz Majcherek from the PCMA UW.
Archaeological discoveries
In the magnificent, richly-decorated residences, which dominated the site in its heyday, archaeologists found wall paintings with depictions of Alexander the Great, sculptures, and mosaics. An exceptional group of multicolored mosaics was discovered in the so-called Villa of the Birds, dated to the 1st century. They are beautifully decorated with images of birds as well as figural and geometrical motifs. In the later period, the residences were replaced by more modest houses which served several families; workshops were set up as well. The end of the 4th century saw the construction of imperial baths, a huge complex typical of the Eastern Mediterranean: compact and symmetrical with a rectangular floor plan. However, some of the rooms, e.g., the frigidarium and caldarium, resembled more those of North Africanthermae. The roofing, presumably made of wood, was not preserved. The complex was probably partly destroyed during an earthquake in 535 and then rebuilt. In 1964, excavations started in the Roman theater discovered during construction works. Restoration of the structure began two years later. The theater, like the baths, was built in the 4th century. In the 6th century, it was entirely remodeled and became an auditorium. Another remarkable feature of the site is a complex of auditoria dated to the 5th–7th century, the first ancient “university” to be discovered. It consisted of about 20 lecture halls, and the academy also reused the old theater for its purposes. Since 2017, tourists can visit the most important parts of the site. The archaeological park on Kom el-Deka was designed by architect Wojciech Kołątaj, who had directed the archaeological expedition for several years and had reconstructed many of the buildings. For these achievements, he received the Professor Jan Zachwatowicz Award, presented by the Polish Committee of ICOMOS.
