Archaeologists have discovered a hidden complex of rooms covered in Christian paintings in Old Dongola, a desert town in Sudan that was once the capital of medieval Makuria.
A team from the Polish Center for Mediterranean Archeology had been exploring houses dating from the late Funj period, from the 16th to the 19th century, when they came across an opening into a small chamber painted with depictions of the Mother of God, Christ, a Nubian ruler, and the Archangel Michael.
Preliminary research suggests the paintings were created at a time of extreme hardship for Dongola, which was an important trading town on the Nile that prospered for hundreds of years thanks to peaceful relations between Egypt’s Muslims and Christians. from Nubia.
Close-up of King David inside the vaults discovered at Old Dongola. Photo: Magdalena Skarżyńska Skarżyńska/Polish Center of the University of Mediterranean Archeology in Warsaw.
The paintings show a Nubian ruler, believed to be King David, being protected by the Archangel Michael and are accompanied by inscriptions calling on God to protect the city – figurative scenes that archaeologists consider “unique for Christian art.”
David’s reign marked the beginning of the end of the kingdom and his actions led to the sacking of the city by the Mamluk Sultanate in 1276. Archaeologists on site believe the paintings could have been made as the Mamluk army approached or besieged the city. The inscriptions accompanying the paintings, according to a preliminary reading, include appeals for God’s protection.
A representation of Mary, Mother of God in Dongola. Photo: Magdalena Skarżyńska/Polish Center of the University of Mediterranean Archeology in Warsaw.
Close-up of a scene with King David. Photo: Magdalena Skarżyńska/Polish Center of the University of Mediterranean Archeology in Warsaw.
The chambers of Old Dongola are covered in vaults and domes constructed of seasoned bricks and are more than 20 feet above medieval ground level, a fact that has baffled archaeologists. The complex is adjacent to the Great Church of Jesus, which was the most important church in the kingdom of Makuria.
“I believe that these structures were built exactly in this place due to the presence of the Great Church of Jesus, which was the largest and most important church in Nubia according to written sources,” said Artur Obłuski, director of the project, at Artnet News. “We have funding for three new projects and one is focused on the Great Church of Jesus excavations.”
Interior of the Discovery Chamber at Old Dongola. Photo: Magdalena Skarżyńska/Polish Center of the University of Mediterranean Archeology in Warsaw.
Before returning to Old Dongola in the fall, when the temperatures in Sudan are cooler, the team secured and protected the murals. Polish archaeologists have been excavating the city since the 1960s, the latest work funded by the European Research Council.
“Despite all the new and fanciful methods,” Obłuski said, “archeology still offers surprises like this.”
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