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The prehistory of Jebel Moya, Sudan: results from the first three seasons of excavations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 October 2023

Isabelle Vella Gregory ,
Michael Brass ,
Ahmed Adam ,
Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin ,
Kevin MacDonald ,
Shadia Abdelwahabe ,
Abdelhai Fedlelmula ,
Ezzeldin Hajjaj ,
Dorian Q Fuller  and
Anna den Hollander
...Show all authors
Isabelle Vella Gregory*
Affiliation:
MacDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, United Kingdom
Michael Brass
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom
Ahmed Adam
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Iwona Kozieradzka-Ogunmakin
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology and History, University of Exeter, 319 Laver Building, North Park Road, Exeter, EX4 4QE, United Kingdom
Kevin MacDonald
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom
Shadia Abdelwahabe
Affiliation:
National Museum of Antiquities and Museums, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Abdelhai Fedlelmula
Affiliation:
National Museum of Antiquities and Museums, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Ezzeldin Hajjaj
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Dorian Q Fuller
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom
Anna den Hollander
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, 31–34 Gordon Square, London, WC1H 0PY, United Kingdom
Musaab Khalid
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Omer Elsir Ali
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Marsa Hashim Ibrahim
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
Hanaa Ibrahim
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Khartoum, Al-Nil Avenue, Khartoum, Sudan
*
Corresponding author: Isabelle Vella Gregory, email: iv219@cam.ac.uk
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Abstract

This paper outlines the ways in which the project is addressing the colonial legacy of Henry Wellcome as well as presenting the data from the first three field seasons at Jebel Moya, south-central Sudan. These data have substantially revised our chronological and socio-economic understanding of the site. Our excavations, initiated in 2017 and continued in 2019 and 2022, show a longer, more continuous occupation of the site than has been previously recognised. The faunal and botanical remains have implications for the spread of early domesticates in the eastern Sahel and for climate changes, and raise issues of resilience. There is confirmed human burial activity from at least the third millennium BC onwards, while the pottery continues to yield information about the variety of decoration and, for the final Assemblage 3, data on its usage. Overall, the continued importance of the site for the eastern Sahel is re-emphasised.

نتائج المواسم الثلاثة الأولى في جبل موية، السودان

إيزابيل فيلا جريجوري ، مايكل براس ، أحمد آدم ، إيونا كوزيرادزكا-أوغونماكين ، شادية عبد الوهاب ، عبد الحي فضلمولا ، آنا دن هولاندر ، دوريان كيو فولر ، كيفين ماكدونالد ، عز الدين حجاج ، مصعب خالد ، عمر علي و هناء إبراهيم .

توضح هذه الورقة الخطوط العريضة التي تعامل بها المشروع مع الإرث الاستعماري لهنري ويلكوم بالإضافة إلى عرض البيانات من مواسم العمل الميداني الثلاثة الأولى في جبل موية، جنوب وسط السودان. لقد قامت هذه البيانات بتنقيح جوهري لفهمنا الزمني والاجتماعي والاقتصادي للموقع . تُظهر أعمال التنقيب، التي بدأت في عام 2017 واستمرت في عامي 2019 و 2022، استيطان الموقع لفترة أطول وأكثر استمراراً مما تم التعرف عليه سابقاً. البقايا الحيوانية والنباتية لها دلالات على انتشار الدواجن المبكر في شرق الساحل و تغير المناخ، و تثير قضايا بخصوص قدرة التحمل. هناك نشاط دفن بشري مؤكد منذ الألفية الثالثة قبل الميلاد (على الأقل) فصاعداَ، بينما يستمر الفخار في تقديم معلومات عن مجموعة متنوعة من الزخارف، كذلك لنسبة للتجميع النهائي 3، حيث يقدم بيانات عن استخدامها. بشكل عام، تم إعادة التأكيد على الأهمية المستمرة للموقع لمنطقة شرق الساحل .

Keywords

excavationarchaeobotanyclimate changeburialpottery
Type
Articles
Information
Libyan Studies , Volume 54 , November 2023 , pp. 55 - 75
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the British Institute for Libyan & Northern African Studies

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The online version of this article has been updated since original publication. A notice detailing the change has also been published

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