Road Archaeology in the Middle Nile: Volume 2: Excavations from Meroe to Atbara 1994 (Sudan Archaeological Research Society Publication)

The first season of survey work in 1993 was undertaken in advance of the construction of the North Challenge Road initially between Geili and Atbara. This work was carried out in the SARS concession area from BM98, opposite the Pyramids of Meroe, to Atbara. A total of 170 sites were recorded and this was published in the first volume of Road Archaeology in the Middle Nile (Mallinson et al. 96). In addition, a report was prepared advising the Sudan National Committee for Roads and Bridges of areas which were likely to be damaged by the road construction. The following year it was indicated that due to the advanced development of the road design no rerouting would be possible. In response to this a rescue season was proposed to excavate the sites clearly at risk in the remaining few months before construction and grading began. A limited amount of funds was provided by the Haycock Fund and within this resource a project was assembled with SARS directed by Laurence Smith and Michael Mallinson. As a total of eight sites with 30 archaeological structures appeared directly on the road line a methodology was needed that would permit these to be properly excavated and recorded in the available time of three weeks that the funds would accommodate.

Table of Contents

Preface (Michael Mallinson)

Site List

1. Introduction and Summary of the Test Excavations (Michael Mallinson)

2. Site Descriptions (Fathi Abdel Hamid Salih Khidr, Salima Ikram, John MacGinnis, Joyce Filer and Francis Thornton)

3. Small Finds from the Surface Survey and from Test Excavations excluding Gabati Cemetery (Laurence Smith)

4. Report on the Pottery from the Test Excavations: Sites 101.4, 112.3, 112.4, 118FS2, 153.8, 155.4, 165BM, 166.2 and 170.1 (Laurence Smith)

5. Gabati Basketry and Cordage (Willemina Wendrich)

6. The Leather Samples from Test Excavations at Gabati (site 159.2) (Barbara Wills)

7. Analysis of tanning agents from the excavated leather samples (David Thickett)

8. Gabati grave goods from the Test Excavations and the consideration of funerary practices (Laurence Smith)

9. Bioarchaeological Report from the Excavations from Meroe to Atbara 1994 (Rebecca Whiting)

10. The Animal Remains (Jane Sanford Gaastra with a contribution by Salima Ikram)

11. Environmental Material from the Begrawiya-Atbara Survey 1994 (Chris Stevens and Dorian Q Fuller)

Bibliography

Arabic summary