Sudan in Swansea

In just under two weeks (Saturday 25 May), the Sudan Archaeological Research Society’s annual colloquium will take place at Swansea University. The W.Y. Adams Colloquium: Sudan Past & Present will see colleagues from across the globe present on topics such as giraffe hairs and beer filters to Byzantium in Nubia. For the first time, the event will take place both in-person and online (via Zoom), thus allowing a wider audience to participate. Tickets for the event are now available via the Society’s Eventbrite page:

In-person or online.

 

Programme:

9.30-10.00: Introductions

10.00-10.25: Sudan in Swansea, Ken Griffin & Christian Knoblauch (Swansea University)

10.25-10.50: God, King, and Church; the driving powers behind Nubian society, Karel Innemée (University of Warsaw)

10.50-11.15: Dirt and deep histories of South Sudan, Nicki Kindersley (University of Cardiff)

11.15-11.30: Coffee break and handling session.

11.30-11.55: Survey of the Meroitic site of el-Hassa: Understanding the links of the Amun temple of Amanakhareqerama with the settlement, Marie Millet and Tomasz Herbich (Musée du Louvre; Polish Academy of Sciences)

11.55-12.20: A window into the Nubian diet: food crops and agricultural production at Old Dongola (14^th–17th centuries AD), Mohammed Nasreldein Babiker (University of Tübingen)

12.20-12.45: Digitisation of Paul Wilson and Natalie Tobert’s photographic collections from Darfur (1979–1985) at the British Museum, Zoe Cormack (the British Museum)

12.45-1.45: Lunch (participants to make their own arrangements) and handling session.

1.45- 2.10: Conflict or Climate? The decisive factor for change in Sudan’s history, Zainab Osman Madjub Jafar, Michael Mallinson & Helen Mallinson (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Mallinson Architects)

2.10-2.35: Life and death at the town of Kawa: Osteological analysis of the Kushite cemetery assemblage, Anna Davies-Barrett & Rebecca Whiting (University of Leicester; the British Museum)

2.35-3.00: Giraffe Hairs and Beer Filters. Investigating a unique craft of the Kerma period, Theophile Burnat, Elsa Yvanez & Matthieu Honegger (Université de Neuchâtel; University of Copenhagen; Université de Neuchâtel)

3.00-3.25: Chains of supply and local practices in the colony: kohl and gold in New Kingdom colonial Nubia, Rennan Lemos and Caterina Zaggia (University of Cambridge)

3.25-4.00: Coffee break and handling session

4.00-5.00. Keynote Lecture. Footsteps of Byzantium in Nubia. One more attempt. Dobrochna Zielińska (University of Warsaw)

5.00: Drinks reception (at the Egypt Centre)

EC2: Offering table from tomb 307 at Meroe

Dr. Christian Knoblauch and I will also be presenting on the Nubian collection in the Egypt Centre. This includes objects from the sites of Meroe and Sanam, which were excavated by John Garstang and Francis Llewellyn Griffith. Those who are joining us in-person will also have an opportunity to handle items from the collection, including pottery, archer’s rings, tiles, and offering tables. Ahead of the colloquium, I have been creating 3D models of these objects with our Artec scanner. This will allow those who are not able to attend in-person to interact with the collection in fun ways. A selection of some of the objects can be found in the links below.

Archer’s thumb ring (W933)

Architectural fragment (EC1295)

Meroitic bow (W742)

Offering table (EC2)

Pottery tile inlay (EC403)

Other objects are available on our Sketchfab page.

 

We look forward to welcoming all those who are joining us!