Alexandrie, Césaréum. Les fouilles du cinéma Majestic

In 1992 the CEAlex launched a long series of salvage excavations in the heart of Alexandria with an exploration of a parcel of land once occupied by the Majestic Cinema. This site is located some 60 m south of where two obelisks had once marked the entrance to the Caesareum. Parallel to the alignment of the obelisks, a dozen-metre-long wall was uncovered at the level of the groundwater. To the north of this wall, a thick backfill full of ceramics was excavated in two stratigraphic units, US 117 and 119. Fine, common and cooking ware, as well as amphorae date the installation of the future temple to the imperial cult and characterise the urban features at the end of the Hellenistic period and the beginning of the Augustan era. This ensemble provides precious information regarding local productions (local alluvial, local limestone and imported) and regarding the city’s supply of imports (45% of fine and common wares; almost 80% of amphorae). This stands as evidence of the particularity of Alexandria’s urban consumption in comparison with the rest of Egypt."