Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (10.1998(1999))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

Buildings NW-N and NW-S were changed
considerably. Even if we are to assume
hypothetically that from the times of
Georgios they had served as a Xenon (com-
bination of hospice and hospital),12) their
primary function (at least in the case of the
South Building) remains an open question.
In consequence of the first rebuilding, the
South Building was enlarged, receiving
new Rooms 23, 29 and 31 and incorporat-
ing Room 13- The upper story over this
room, as well as over the entire South

Fig. 8. Western Annex. Wooden plaque with
representation of a warrior saint. 12 th
cent. (Photo W. Chmiel)


Building (which originally had no stair-
case) must have been built at this time.
The two structures had to have been joined
on the upper story level as neither the
Northern Building nor the Staircase (40)
ever had any direct ground-floor connec-
tion with Room 13 (which, judging from
the decoration, became the main chapel at
this point). In the North Building
(NW-N), the biggest changes of function
and communication system were intro-
duced after the death of the Archbishop
Georgios, once a crypt for him had been
arranged underneath Room 5. A commem-
orative complex was then created in the
NW-NW section of the Annex, where
Room 3 (newly built, combined with
Room 1), and Room 5 (now joined with
Room 2) were turned into funerary
chapels. The main outer entrance to the
Building from the north in Room 4 ceased
to function and the only possibility to
access this part of the building was from
the southern entrance of Building NW-S
(Room 19). Doorways in the passage to the
Staircase through Rooms 7 and 37 were
blocked at this time. From this moment in
all probability the whole Annex, integrat-
ed into a single building, was used as a
Xenon, in which direct contact with the
burial places of the Holy Men played no
mean a role in the therapy. Thus, most of
the small rooms of the former keep located
in the vicinity of the tombs could have
been used as places for meditation.
Patients were able to find spiritual conso-
lation, receiving Holy Communion in
Rooms 7 and 27 on weekdays (as proved by
liturgical texts found on the walls)]-5) and
taking part in liturgical services held in
the numerous chapels (Rooms 3, 5, 29 and
possibly 13).

12) Cf. Zurawski, Faith-healing, op. cit. (n. 5).
Cf. Jakobielski, PAAf IX, Reports 1997 (1998), p. 166; for the texts see Lajtar, op. cit. (n. 10), pp. 56-61.

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