Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

OLD DONGOLA

SUDAN

OLD DONGOLA
KOM A (ACROPOLIS), 2005
Wlodzimierz Godlewski

Excavations of site SWN on the citadel of Old Dongola were continued in the winter season
of2003 (January 21 -March 3) by a PCAIA expedition headed by Prof Dr. Wlodzimierz
Godlewski.1 The mam objectives of work in the southwestern part of the citadel {Fig. 1 }2 3
included establishing the extent of Palace B.I, especially to the northeast, and determining
the nature of the occupation of the ground-floor rooms in the southwestern part of the complex.
The trench of2003 was extended to the south and east of Building B.III. In the eyid effect,
three main stages of development were distinguished for palace B.I and the post-Makurian
phase of architecture in the eastern part of the palace was examined more thoroughly.
Investigations inside B.III were also completed. To the south of the structure, the northwestern
corner of yet another monumental building was uncovered (B.V). The southern part of B. II,
a fortified enclosure erected to protect B.I and B.III on the river side, was further explored.
The pottery deposit discovered in room B.I. 13 in the previous two seasons was documented
and a study was completed of the amphorae, both local and imported from Egypt and
Palestine, excavated on the citadel.4
The conservation effort included repairs on the roof shelter constructed over Building B.III
in 20034 and damaged during recent high winds (cf Fig. 7). Inside Building B.V, the
wall tops were protected.

1 The team included: Ms Dobieslawa Baginska, Mr. Artur Obluski, Ms Dobrochna Zielinska, archaeologists; Mr. Bartosz
Wojciechowski, student of archaeology from Warsaw University. The NCAM was represented by Ms Habab Idris and
Mr. El Montaser Dafalla. Words of thanks are due Dr. Hasan Hussein Idris, Director General, as well as all the NCAM
staff, in Khartum and in the field, for their efficiency and continuous efforts to facilitate the mission's work.
2 For an extended report of the previous season, see PAM XV. Reports 2003 (2004), 193-230. See also W. Godlewski,
Old Dongola, in: Sudan. Ancient Treasures. An Exhibition of Recent Discoveries from the Sudan National Museum,
eds D.A. Welsby & J.R. Anderson (The British Museum Press 2004), 209-213.
3 PhD dissertation by D. Baginska, submitted to Warsaw University in 2006.
4 Cf. PAM XV, op. cit., 206, Fig. 12.

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