DOI Heft:
Sudan
DOI Artikel:Tayeb, Mahmoud el: Early Makuria research project excavations at el-Zuma preliminary report
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42090#0395
MtoM - ZUMA
SUDAN
corner of the shaft, was built of six rows of
bricks and was found untouched as well.
Mud bricks were also found covering the
entire area of the shaft at the bottom (to
a height of about 0.30 m).
Two of the three chambers appeared to be
devoted to holding grave goods. Both were
found intact. The northwestern chamber
(no. 3, cf. plan in Fig. 2), which is the smal-
lest of all, is of a rare type. It was hewn into
the northwestern corner of the shaft and
accessed through an opening about 1.10-
1.50 m wide and about 0.70 m high. The
grave offerings appeared to be arranged in
a specific order, presumably reflecting a
local rite so far unknown in the region.
Two large animal bones (identified as
camel)10 were found at the far eastern side
of the chamber, followed by three beer-jars
(two of which were large-sized with cups
covering their mouths). Some seven small
red bowls and fragments of small and large
animal bones were placed together next to
the beer-jars. The last group comprised one
small red bowl and fragments of large
animal bones. This specific arrangement
has never been observed in graves of the
period elsewhere in Nubia.11
The other chamber containing grave
goods, Chamber 2, was hewn into the lon-
gest, west side of the shaft. Its maximum
length was about 2.60 m and it was 1.20 m
wide and up to 0.70 m high. The entrance
measured 2.17 m in length, the height at-
taining between 0.55 and 0.65 m. A cer-
tain order in the deposition of the grave
goods appears to have been followed here
as well. Two large beer jars were placed as
one group in the northern part of the
chamber. Then came nine small red bowls,
another two beer jars next to them, a medi-
um-sized table amphora, and a group of 13
small red bowls, which occupied the area at
the southern end of the chamber. Animal
bones from both large and small animals
(identified as camel and goat/sheep) were
found near the first group of bowls in the
middle of the chamber, and they were also
Fig. 3 ■ Tumulus 2. Mud-brick blockage of chamber 1, looking south
(Photo M. El-Tayeb)
10 Cf. contribution by M. Osypinska in this volume, p. 404-408
11 The pottery assemblage from the el-Zuma graves will be the object of a separate study by the author (in preparation).
393
SUDAN
corner of the shaft, was built of six rows of
bricks and was found untouched as well.
Mud bricks were also found covering the
entire area of the shaft at the bottom (to
a height of about 0.30 m).
Two of the three chambers appeared to be
devoted to holding grave goods. Both were
found intact. The northwestern chamber
(no. 3, cf. plan in Fig. 2), which is the smal-
lest of all, is of a rare type. It was hewn into
the northwestern corner of the shaft and
accessed through an opening about 1.10-
1.50 m wide and about 0.70 m high. The
grave offerings appeared to be arranged in
a specific order, presumably reflecting a
local rite so far unknown in the region.
Two large animal bones (identified as
camel)10 were found at the far eastern side
of the chamber, followed by three beer-jars
(two of which were large-sized with cups
covering their mouths). Some seven small
red bowls and fragments of small and large
animal bones were placed together next to
the beer-jars. The last group comprised one
small red bowl and fragments of large
animal bones. This specific arrangement
has never been observed in graves of the
period elsewhere in Nubia.11
The other chamber containing grave
goods, Chamber 2, was hewn into the lon-
gest, west side of the shaft. Its maximum
length was about 2.60 m and it was 1.20 m
wide and up to 0.70 m high. The entrance
measured 2.17 m in length, the height at-
taining between 0.55 and 0.65 m. A cer-
tain order in the deposition of the grave
goods appears to have been followed here
as well. Two large beer jars were placed as
one group in the northern part of the
chamber. Then came nine small red bowls,
another two beer jars next to them, a medi-
um-sized table amphora, and a group of 13
small red bowls, which occupied the area at
the southern end of the chamber. Animal
bones from both large and small animals
(identified as camel and goat/sheep) were
found near the first group of bowls in the
middle of the chamber, and they were also
Fig. 3 ■ Tumulus 2. Mud-brick blockage of chamber 1, looking south
(Photo M. El-Tayeb)
10 Cf. contribution by M. Osypinska in this volume, p. 404-408
11 The pottery assemblage from the el-Zuma graves will be the object of a separate study by the author (in preparation).
393