Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (19.2007(2010))

FOURTH CATARACT

SUDAN

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS ON THE
TUMULUS CEMETERIES AT EL-AR 7 AND 29
(SHEMKHIYA)
Marek Chlodnicki

The El-Ar 7 and El-Ar 29 sites were
discovered during the November survey in
2007. The graves were of two types — semi-
domed, which are connected with the
Napatan Horizon as a rule, and small flat

tumuli from the Kerma period — but neither
could be dated for lack of surface
archaeological material. Excavations of
chosen features were undertaken to verify the
dating of these two small cemeteries.

EL-AR 7

The El-Ar 7 site is situated on the edge of
the highland, on the left bank of the old Nile
river bed (N 19°27’07.8”; E 32°55’09.8”).
The site is divided into three parts (northern,
central and southern) by a small wadi leading
to the old river bed. The survey identified
a group of small tumuli, each 3-4 m in
diameter and no more than 0.30 m high,
some stone circles, and a group of semi-
domed graves. Two of the latter located in
the rocks in the central part and a small
tumulus in the northern part were selected
for testing.
The two graves in the central part (nos 1
and 2) lie next to a large rock formation
which is up to 1 m in diameter. It rises
approximately 0.60 m above the ground, thus
serving as a natural wall. Originally, there
seem to have been at least four such graves
around this particular formation, but they
were plundered and the stones of the
mounds scattered. The construction and
preservation are identical to that from the

Kirbekan 208 cemetery, which is dated to
the Napatan period (Budka 2007: 78-81),
and match type Il.g in Paner and Borcowski’s
classification (2005: 112-113), which
is dated to the Old Kush III through
Napatan periods.
Excavations of the first grave indicated
that the original rock mound, which had
been disturbed by the plunderers, was about
2 m in diameter. The burial chamber
contained scattered human bones, but
sufficiently in position to suggest that the
skeleton had lain on its right side. A piece of
skull lying in a niche in the rock suggested
where the head could have been. No
offerings were found in the grave.
The other tomb that was tested had
a superstructure consisting of a mound 2 m
in diameter, formed of stones which were
10-20 cm in diameter [Fig. 1\. It filled
a niche between the stone blocks of the rock
formation and covered the skeleton comple-
tely. The load of the stones caused massive

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Polish Archaeology in che Mediterranean 19, Reports 2007