The International Ez Zantur Project

Preliminary Report on the 1996 Swiss-Liechtenstein excavations at ez Zantur

by Bernhard Kolb (with contributions by Daniel Keller and Regine Fellmann Brogli)

VII. Ez Zantur III: The northeastern area

Work on the terrace EZ III focused on the northeastern area (PQ 113/I–J; 114–116/G) and soundings in PQ 115–116/K–L) [38] Campaign 1994: 305, fig. 9 shows a schematic groundplan of the structures on EZ III. . The peristyle in PQ 116/G, already partially exposed in 1994, was cleared completely (fig. 14).

Fig. 14: EZ III. Peristyl in PQ 116/G from the west (photo: R. Frank)

The almost square courtyard (5.3 x 5.6 m) is paved with flagstones. The colonnade along the northeastern side has completely disapeared; the only proof for its former existence is the stylobate still in situ. To the southeast of the peristyle a number of walls has been cleared which obviously belong to different building phases considering the different qualities of construction. Its not possible yet to draw any chronological conclusions, because we have not yet reached the respective floor levels. The finds from the destruction layers substantiate an occupation of the structures during the 2nd. and 3rd centuries AD, while the pottery finds from the pavement of the courtyard belong to the 1st century AD. Soundings in the big room in PQ 115/K–L supplied further indications for extensive use of water in the building complex of EZ III: A channel system, partially carved out of the bedrock enters the room from the southeast, crosses the room and the northern wall A and continues in the area with the arch of the building’s substructure still standing [39] Campaign 1994: 302, fig. 6; 305, fig. 9. . Still unresolved is the question conserning the function of the different water installations. The sounding in PQ 116/L exposed a plastered pillar structure of the up till now earliest building phase. According to the pottery finds it dates between the middle of the 2nd. and the middle of the 1st century BC.

Bernhard Kolb
Schweizerisch-Liechtensteinische Ausgrabungen in Petra der Universität Basel
Schönbeinstrasse 20
4056 Basel