V O R T R A G – vor Ort (SE 12)
Di, 30. April 2024, 18 Uhr s. t.
Adam Łajtar (University of Warsaw)
In Nubia, a land in the Middle Nile Valley south of Egypt, local Christian kingdoms flourished during the period corresponding to European Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries). One of these kingdoms – Makuria – had its capital in Dongola, a city located approximately halfway between the third and fourth cataracts of the Nile. The spectacular ruins of Dongola have been the subject of research by the archaeological mission of the University of Warsaw since 1964. While relatively little-known outside of academic circles, the material remains of the city, and in particular its vibrant wall-paintings, are beginning to garner international fame. In 2023, the discovery of new paintings in Dongola was named one of the Top 10 discoveries of the year by Archaeology Magazine. This lecture will present some of the findings of the Polish team working at Dongola over the last sixty years. It will discuss the topography of the city, the most important residential and cult buildings, as well as the material and spiritual culture of its inhabitants.
