Polish archaeologists have excavated a 4,000-year-old grave in Sudan’s Bayuda Desert. The burial dates to the Kerma period, when a Nubian kingdom ruled parts of the Nile Valley between 2500 and 1500 BCE. The find adds new evidence about funerary customs and daily life in this region.
The team works under Henryk Paner from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology at the University of Warsaw. For more than six years, researchers have carried out fieldwork in central Sudan. Earlier excavations in the Bayuda Desert were limited and sporadic during the mid-20th century. Systematic research began only in the 21st century. The results of this study appeared in Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa.
Osteological analysis shows that the man died between the ages of 30 and 40. He stood slightly over 164 centimeters tall. His bones indicate a strong build with well-developed muscles. Researchers identified signs of physical strain consistent with heavy labor. The evidence points to long hours of work in semi-desert conditions and a limited diet. Animal remains at the site suggest close contact with livestock.
The grave itself was shallow and roughly oval. Rocky ground shaped the pit. The body lay on its back, with the head facing east and slightly north. The legs were bent sharply and turned to the right, with the feet resting on the pelvic bones. This posture appears in earlier Kerma burials and follows established burial customs.
Archaeologists found two handmade ceramic vessels behind the body. One was a medium-sized jug with a spout placed close to ground level. The other was an inverted bowl. Near the neck, the team recovered 82 faience beads, likely part of a necklace worn at burial.
Inside the jug, researchers found charred plant remains, fragments of animal bone, coprolites, and beetle parts. The jug showed no traces of burning. This detail suggests that people placed the burned material into the vessel after removing it from a hearth. The animal bones may represent leftovers from a funeral meal. Participants likely threw these remains into a fire before placing part of the debris in the grave.
Pottery played a social role in Kerma burials. Vessels served as containers for food and drink offerings and as markers of identity. Placing a bowl upside down or damaging a vessel formed part of ritual practice. Such actions likely marked the end of the object’s use in daily life and its association with the deceased.
Environmental analysis of the cemetery hill provides further context. Today the area lies within open desert. Data from mapping and sediment studies indicate that around 2000 BCE the landscape was less arid. Grasses, low shrubs, and scattered trees likely covered the area, forming a savannah environment.
This single burial combines archaeological, biological, and environmental data. Together, these strands of evidence reconstruct aspects of work, diet, ritual practice, and climate in ancient Nubia.
More information: PAP
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