Archaeologists from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw (PCMA UW), have made exciting discoveries in Old Dongola (Tungul), located in Sudan's Northern State. This year, the Polish team uncovered a complex of rooms made of sun-dried bricks, the interiors of which were covered with murals showing figural scenes of early Christian art.
The discoveries have shed new light on early Christian art in Africa, challenging the notion that African artists merely copied North African or European styles. The murals within the complex depicted the mother of Christ, Virgin Mary, in a dignified pose, holding a book and a cross in her hands, and dressed in a monochromatic dark robe. This representation of the Virgin Mary was previously unknown in Christian iconography.
The murals also depicted King David of Makuria in an intimate and dynamic scene with archangel Michael. The king bows to Christ, who is seated in the clouds and kisses his hands, probably seeking protection for Tungul, the capital of Makuria. These paintings reveal the creativity of African artists, who adapted world trends to their needs, rather than merely imitating the art of other regions.
Excavations in Old Dongola began in 1964, after the conclusion of the International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia. Over the next 50 years, the works conducted on the site resulted in the discovery of several monumental churches, a palace, and two monasteries. Two years ago, a community engagement project called Dialogue started in Old Dongola in order to connect archaeological missions with the local community and Sudanese archaeologists.
“In the history of archaeology in Sudan, it was often foreigners who excavate and research the Sudanese past, but archaeological sites are the heritage of Sudanese people, and often local communities have the knowledge about their sites through lived experiences, so it is very important to integrate scientific and local knowledge to better understand this wonderful heritage,” said Dr Tomomy Fushia, Assistant professor at PCMA UW. She further added that they are working together with the National Corporation for Antiquities & Museums (NCAM) in Sudan and the local communities to nominate Old Dongola to the UNESCO list of world heritage sites.
The recent discoveries of the Polish mission raise many questions, such as how the bricks of Gem-Aton discovered reached Old Dongola or what the historic relationship was between Old Dongola and Gem-Aton. Gem-Aton, currently Kawa, a site east of the Nile River, was a historic town that flourished 1500 BC, and its ancient name refers to the pharaoh Akhenaten. Old Dongola, originally named Tungul, was the capital of the Kingdom of Christian Makuria from the 5th to the 14th centuries and is located at the downstream end of the Nile.
In addition to these discoveries, the PCMA UW team also found stone blocks from walls and floors of a Napatan temple of Amun of Gem-Aton (Kawa). The director of the PCMA UW, Artur Obluski, stated in a tweet on Thursday that it seemed that the god of excavations favored them.
The discoveries made by the PCMA UW team highlight the importance of archaeology in preserving the cultural heritage of Sudan and the importance of integrating scientific and local knowledge to better understand this heritage. The findings also contribute to our understanding of early Christian art in Africa and challenge traditional assumptions about African artists merely copying the styles of other regions.
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