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Oxyrhynchus: the theatre

The theatre was for a long time used as a stone quarry, and therefore only fragments survived. Petrie excavated parts of it only to gain an idea of the plan. However, many architectural elements, such as granite columns were still on site. The stage seems to have been decorated with columns and maybe statues of Muses. The theatre (click here for information on theatre in Egypt) combines Greek and Roman elements. Petrie regards it as mainly Greek with the seating in a semicircle. Roman features include the tunnels under the seats (Petrie 1925: 14-16, pls. XXXVI, XXXVII, 3-5).

(click on the plan to see the 3D models)

theatre of Oxyrhynchus

example of sculpture found
(click on the image for a larger picture)



 

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