Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (16.2004(2005))

MtoM - ZUMA

SUDAN

a simple vertical shaft which was quite
common in the Dongola Reach; it was rec-
tangular in plan and oriented north-south,
measuring c. 2.00 x 1.00 m and 2.30 m
deep, and equipped with only one chamber
hewn into the west wall of the shaft. It was
found plundered as expected. The rough
stone blockage had been dismantled and
piled up against the east wall at the
bottom of the shaft. The body must have
been pulled out of the chamber while some
of the long limbs were still articulated

Some, if not all of the questions concerning
the date and cultural horizon of the cemetery
appear to have found an answer during this
first season of excavations. Even in the face
of the limited evidence, it can be safely said
that the local community was apparently
class-oriented and well-organized. There is
also much to confirm the homogeneity of
early Makurian culture in the Dongola Reach.
The rectangular vertical shaft with side
niche, which is a standard in burials in the
region between the third and fourth cata-
racts, is represented by Tumulus 22. The
general rule for shafts of this type is an E-W
orientation with burial niche hewn into
the south wall.12 Nonetheless, different shaft
orientation and niche location were also
noted in other cemeteries.13 Tumuli 2 and
23 belong to a rare type of burial that
originated from a simple rectangular shaft.
So far the only parallel to be noted are the

[Fig. 7}. Six pottery vessels were recovered
from the tomb. Two beer jars of medium
size and two red cups were found in situ in
the chamber, while another two cups, one
broken, were found at the bottom of the
shaft. The body appears to have been
deposited originally in the southern part of
the burial chamber, on its right side in
contracted position with the head to the
south. Thus, the grave goods would have
been located at the feet in the northern end
of the chamber.
jREMARKS
tumuli T1 and T4 from the cemetery of
Hammur-Abbassyia, located about 150 km
downstream from el-Zuma.14
The mysterious tunnels in the Hammur
and el-Zuma burials are still a moot point.
Although in three cases the burials were
entered through them either for plunder or
reuse, their original function remains ob-
scure. Tomb plundering through tunnels
was a common practice in northern Nubia,
e.g. Gammai and Qustul,15 but the size of
the tunnels in Hammur and el-Zuma,
totally different from those at the above-
mentioned sites, leaves no room for doubt
that they were not dug by robbers. It has
been assumed in recent research that these
tunnels were constructed intentionally for
some ritual purpose connected with the
main burial. Further excavations at el-Zuma
and Hammur may throw more light on
some of these unresolved questions.

12 M. El-Tayeb, "Excavation in El-Ghaddar, Old Dongola", in: ed. Ch. Bonnet, Etudes Nubiennes II (Geneva 1994), 65-82;
id., "Burial customs of Post-Meroitic Makuria", in: British Museum Occasional Paper No. 131, Recent Research in Kushite
History and Archaeology, Proceedings of the 8th International Conference for Meroitic Studies (London 1998), 219-
222.
13 H. Paner, "The Hamdab Dam Project. Preliminary report of results from work in the Fourth Cataract region, 1996-
1997", in: GAMAR 1 (1998), 116-129.
14 El-Tayeb, Excavation at Hammur Abbassyia, op. cit., 130-139-
15 O. Bates, D. Dunham, "Excavation at Gammai", in Harvard African Studies 8 (1927), 30-32; Emery & Kirwan, op. cit.,
Figs. 46 tomb 13, 47 tomb 14.

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