Soba II: Renewed excavations within the metropolis of the Kingdom

Descripció

The Christian kingdom of Alwa in medievel Nubia dominated the region around the confluence of the White and Blue Niles for at least 700 years. The most southerly of the three Nile Basin Nubian kingdoms, Alwa has shown much of the cultural sophistication of its time. The British Institute in Eastern Africa conducted its second campaign of excavations in the capital city, Soba East. The project produced details of artefacts both imported and locally made, and threw further light on buildings of the era. The campaign focused on a number of widely-spaced areas around the periphery, including a rescue excavation of a vaulted tomb containing multiple burials. Of special interest are the reports on human remains and animal bone; these represent the first studies of large assemblages of this date from Central Sudan. This volume contributes greatly to our knowledge of the inhabitants' material culture, and our understanding of Soba as a major religious and commercial centre.