Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (15.2003(2004))

BANGANARTI

SUDAN

The Upper Church underwent at least
one major reconstruction, which did not
affect the general layout, but new walls,
abutments and dividers were introduced.
The general purpose was to narrow the
spaces spanned by the arches and vaults,
and was achieved by doubling the wall
thickness and extending the pillars. It was
on these new additions that most of the
graffiti were found.
The church was re-plastered as a result
of these modifications and repainted. The
last murals in Banganarti, painted in the
late 12th and 13th centuries, bear all the
characteristics of decadence in the Nubian
visual arts.
The vast majority of the pottery gath-
ered on the surface within the fortified en-

closure of Banganarti is of Early Dongola
date, although some sherds were Classic,
Later and even Terminal. A few Transition-
al/Early Dongola, Post-Classic Dongola and
Funj sherds also can be recognized. The
collection bears all the hallmarks of a hab-
itation site. Handmade fragments include
domestic tishts, large storage-pot rims and
numerous dokas. Many of the dokas are red-
washed and have the underlying her-
ringbone impressed-pattern on the exterior.
Included are several locally-made amphorae
of both Early Dongola Period and later
(Post-Classic to Late) Dongola Period forms,
qullas, qawadis, numerous bowls and vases,
and several closed forms. Painted fine wares
were numerous, but combed and impressed
designs also were recovered.

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION WORK14)

An important component of excavation
activity was restoration and preservation of
the murals, inscriptions and walls. Alto-
gether some 150 m2 of murals, inscriptions
and plaster fragments were examined,
treated, repaired and consolidated. Open
cracks and holes only were sealed and the
air pockets stabilized with local injections
of filler, as injecting larger amounts of the
filler could affect the stability of mural
surface layers. Injections were of a liquid
solution of 6% Primal AC-33 only when
necessary, mostly where swellings appeared
in the plaster. Lacunae and cracks were
filled with a paste composed of two units
of lightly colored soil, one unit of sand, one
unit of kaolin (djir), one unit of liquid
solution of 3% Klucel G with some
LlCHENClDE fungicide added.
The plaster surface was cleaned with
glass fiber brushes where a thick mud

incrustation covered it. Cleaned surfaces
were protected with a 3% solution of
PARALOID B-72 in toluene, sprayed in thin
layers over the treated surface.
A different procedure was applied to
lime plasters. Following initial consoli-
dation of the disintegrated wall with
a liquid solution of 10% PRIMAL AC-33,
mud and salt was removed usually with
clear desalinated water. The washed
surface was additionally consolidated with
a second layer of the same solution. Large
cracks were filled with a paste composed
of two units of ground lime plaster and
one unit of soil (both collected from the
debris heap), 1 unit of 10% Primal AC-33
liquid solution.
An attempt was made to remove the
latest layers of plaster containing some of
the latest inscriptions scratched by pilgrims
in the 14th century. These were on the latest

14) The following remarks are based on information provided by Gabriela Chmiel.

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