Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

OLD DONGOLA
FIELDWORK IN 2004
Stefan Jakobielski

In 2004, two campaigns of excavation were carried out at the site of the monastery on Kom H
{called otherwise the Monastery of the Holy Trinity) in Old Dongola.1 During the thirty-
eighth season, which lasted from January 8 to February 22,2 work was undertaken in the
so-called Southwestern Annex of the Monastery, concurrently proceeding with the excavation
of the Monastery Church {started in 2002).3 4 The same sites were explored in the thirty-
ninth campaign lasting from November 29, 2004, until January 12, 2005f The present
interim report treats on the two campaigns jointly.
1 For previous work, see S. Jakobielski, PAM XIV, Reports 2002 (2003), 211-229; further reports, cf. especially ibid., 213
note 5. For earlier campaigns, see S. Jakobielski and P.O. Scholz (eds), Dongola-Studien, 35 Jahre der polnischen
Forschungen in Zentrum des makuritischen Reiches, Bibliotheca nubica et athiopica VII (=Dongola-Studien) (Warsaw 2001),
395-402 (bibliography). The most recent studies on the Monastery, cf. A. Lajtar, "Georgios, Archbishop of Dongola
(+1113) and his epitaph," in: EYEPrEZIAZ XAPIN, Studies Presented to Benedetto Bravo and Ewa Wipszycka by
their Disciples, JJP, Suppl. I (Warsaw 2002), 159-192; G. Chmiel, "Interim conservation measures taken to preserve wall
paintings on adobe substrates at Old Dongola", Gdansk Archaeological Museum African Reports (=GAMAR) 2 (2003), 71-
76; M. Martens-Czarnecka, "New wall paintings discovered at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Old Dongola (Sudan)
during the 2000 excavation campaign", GAMAR 2, 145-153.
2 The staff in the 38th season, directed by the present author, comprised: Dr. Malgorzata Martens-Czarnecka, archaeologist;
Dr. Marcin Wiewiora, archaeologist-architect; Mr. Wojciech Chmiel, restorer; Messrs Jaroslaw Swigcicki and Daniel
Gazda, archaeologists; Mrs. Elzbieta Wanot, geodesist-photogrammetrist; Mr. Maciej Kurcz, archaeologist-ethnographer,
Ms Anna Palczynska, documentalist, archaeology student. The National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums was
represented by Syd. Mustafa Ahmed al-Sherif.
Funds for both campaigns were provided by the Polish Centre of Archaeology of Warsaw University with some financial
assistance (in the 38th season) from the Research Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
and the Ureusz Foundation to promote archaeological investigations in the Nile Valley.
3 Daniel Gazda was in charge of this work, see his contribution in this volume.
4 In 2004/05, the team comprised: Dr. Stefan Jakobielski, Director; Dr. Malgorzata Martens-Czarnecka, archaeologist; Mr.
Wojciech Chmiel, restorer; Messrs Jaroslaw Swigcicki and Daniel Gazda, archaeologists; Mrs. Hanna Kozinska-Sowa and
Ms Anna Blaszczyk, documentalists. The NCAM was represented by Syd. El-Muntaser Dafaalla. We were glad to host
Prof. Witold Dobrowolski, Keeper of the Antiquities Department of the National Museum in Warsaw and Fr Henryk
Pietras, Church historian, who briefly took part in the expedition. Augmenting the staff was a volunteer, Ms Marta
Jakobielska, student of archaeology.

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