eports continue to emerge of the alleged looting of tens of thousands of artefacts
from the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum. The museum, near the confluence
of the White and the Blue Niles, holds a history of the region, home to ancient civilisations,
temples and pyramids. But it has been caught in the crossfire in a war between the paramilitary
Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces that has left millions displaced and devastated
the built environment. Mohamed Albdri Sliman Bashir is an archaeology scholar who knows the museum intimately. The Conversation asks him what’s at stake.
When was the museum established and what is its importance?
The Sudan National Museum is a testament to the region’s rich historical and cultural
heritage and serves as an important repository for the country’s antiquities. It was founded in 1959, ahead of the construction of the
Aswan High Dam. Therefore,A Unesco-led salvage campaign was launched in 1960 to protect and preserve
the ancient monuments that would be flooded by the dam, which would alter the landscape of the Nubian region.
Archaeologists
Faced a daunting challenge: they had to document and relocate countless artefacts and structures from Egyptian and Sudanese Nubia before they were lost. The scale was immense. Entire temples were painstakingly dismantled and rebuilt in safer locations. While Egypt was home to important temples, Sudan’s archaeological treasures were smaller but just as valuable.
It was decided to bring three temples to Khartoum to be protected and preserved for future generations. Therefore,Originally the antiquities were housed in an outbuilding of the University of Khartoum, but the conservation work laid the foundations for the construction of a national museum. Its location was carefully chosen, close to the former zoological garden, where the recovered temples could be integrated into a larger history of Sudan.
The German architect Friedrich Hinkel conducted extensive research in Sudan and played a key role in the museum’s design, opting for a unique layout that reflects the winding course of the Nile. Therefore,Each temple was reconstructed along a specially designed basin that simulated the riverbank of Lower Nubia, preserving their original alignment and contextual significance.
The museum was inaugurated in 1971 and represents
a milestone in the Sudanese updated 2024 mobile phone number data cultural landscape. Therefore,It not only preserves Nubian artefacts, but is also a centre for research, education and cultural mediation.
What are the most notable collections?
The Sudan National Museum the rich history of emancipation day and houses artefacts ranging from prehistory to the Islamic period. Therefore,The museum’s collection of more than 100,000 artefacts is an important source for understanding what shaped this region.
One of the most remarkable collections is that of the Neolithic civilisations dating from 5000BC to 3500BC. Artefacts from this period offer insights into the early agrarian (farming) societies that laid the foundations for later social organisation and cultural expression. Particularly loan data fascinating are the remains of daily life, including pottery and tools, which illustrate the technological progress of these prehistoric communities.
The museum
Also displays artefacts from the period of Egyptian colonisation in Nubia, which led to a fusion of cultures and artistic styles.Therefore, Among the most important collections are objects from the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms of Egypt (2660BC to 900BC) that illustrate the intertwining of two great civilisations.
The Pre-Kerma civilisations (from 2180BC) show the development of culture and power dynamics in the region. Another collection focuses on the Kingdom of Kerma (2500BC to 1500BC), known for its monumental architecture and advanced society.
The Kushite civilisation,
Especially from 660BC to 300BC, is another. The magnificent collection includes huge statues of Kushite kings and their deities. These emphasise the artistic skills of the period and also reflect the theocratic and political ideas of Kushite society.
Perhaps
One of the most remarkable aspects of the museum is the presentation of the Meroitic civilisation (300BC to AD350) and the post-Meroitic kingdoms. The artefacts from this period, including intricately inscribed funerary stelae (tablets made of rock), jewellery and beautifully decorated pottery, tell stories of the everyday and the sacred. They highlight the rich spiritual life and social customs of the civilisation.