Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

SHEMKHIYA

SUDAN

APPENDIX
ANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCH
IN THE FOURTH CATARACT REGION, 2006

Karol Piasecki*

The program of the PCMA Fourth Cataract
expedition, directed by Marek Chiodnicki
(Archaeological Museum in Poznah) and
Bogdan T. Zurawski (Research Center for
Mediterranean Archaeology PAS) in
January-March 2006 included examination
of human skeletal remains excavated in the
course of the season. The material
originated from Post-Meroitic tumuli fields
in the area of Es-Sadda, Hagar el-Beida and
Shemkhiya, and a Christian burial ground
near Shemkhiya [Fig. 1]. Altogether, 65
individuals were examined (23 skeletons


Fig. 1. Schematic localization of sites under
exploration in 2006

from Es-Sadda, 36 from Hagar el-Beida and
six from Shemkhiya). With the exception of
two skeletons from the Christian cemetery
(SH9), all of the remains came from
tumulus burials.
The condition of most of the skeletons
was good or very good. Some material,
especially the postcranial one, had either
been crushed by the weight of overlying fill
or had suffered from partial biochemical
destruction. The bones were subjected to
morphological examination and measure-
ments, especially craniological (craniometry
and cranioscopy) [Tables 1-6]. Beside a case
of double trepanation of the skull [Fig. 2],
evidence of trauma or pathology has been
observed, particularly of the mastication
organs, and will be the object of a separate
study. The state of the dentition overall can
be evaluated as average, although variable
by individual; cases of enamel hypoplasia
and caries were rare. Cribria orbitalis were
also seldom seen. Frequent alveolar ab-
scesses, occasionally extensive, and changes
due to periodontitis, as well as cases of
mandibular head hypoplasia [Fig. 3], are an
indication of numerous pathologies of the
dental apparatus.

University of Szczecin, Chair of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology

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