Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

DONGOLA REACH

SUDAN

light on the union of Makuria and Alodia,
which has been evidenced so far only in the
written sources. Significantly, the con-
struction of the first church at Banganarti
dated to the 10th century came at a time
when two separate sources (Ibn Hawqal and
Mas'udi) actually confirmed the union.
Fieldwork in 2002 revealed that the
Banganarti church was in fact a square
structure, rising around the central four
supports. The original stone foundations of
the church from phase one were reinforced
at vulnerable points (near the corners) with
mastabas made of stone and red brick.
These precautions were taken apparently to
counter a tendency for the alluvial ground
to subside. The risk was indeed consid-
erable, resulting at least once in serious
damage when the north wall of the church
collapsed, presumably in the late 10th
century. The rebuilding that followed
involved erecting thicker mud brick walls
that fitted the original plan. Another
catastrophe came in the next century, this
time resulting in a complete dismantling
of the church down to the foundations.
Only the piers supporting the central
dome were left in place (and they are the
only elements in the church where three
layers of plaster have been found).
The reconstructed church followed the
same general plan but with some modi-
fications. The porticoed outer section was
rebuilt in reinforced form with some of the
columns being doubled and pilasters being
erected to buttress the original double
columns. A new layer of murals embellished
this restored building, designated as the
Phase II church.

Test pits conducted in 2002 suggest the
presence of an Early Christian burial ground
at least beneath the eastern part of the
church building. The graves were probably
grouped around a bigger structure whose
shape and appropriation remains a mystery
for the moment (there are grounds to
believe that it could have been the church).
This earlier structure was desperately kept
in use against encroaching sand, as well as
accumulating debris and was overbuilt
ultimately with a memorial church that was
adroitly planned to provide each hypogeum
with an aboveground chapel. The strati-


Fig. 7. Two apostles flanking the king's
portrait on the left (Chapel 3)
(Photo B. Zurawski)

8) Ibn Hawqal, who visited Aiwa in the latter half of the 10th century, stated that the Kingdom of Dongola was under
the authority of the king of Aiwa (G. Vantini, Oriental Sources Concerning Nubia (Heidelberg and Warsaw 1975), 166;
Mas'udi, however, claimed (in the mid-lOth century) that the king reigning in Dongola controlled both Makuria and Alodia
(Vantini, op. cit., 130).

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