The article reviews the body of archaeological and architectural evidence for social transformation taking place in Dongola during the period from the end of the 13th through the end of the 17th century, the uppermost stratum uncovered by Polish archaeologists excavating the ruins of the medieval seat of Makurian kings. Domestic architecture from the late 14th through 17th centuries and the artifactual finds from these dwellings, which were built on top of the ruins of the Makurian capital, demonstrate the character and extent of changes in the education, culture and religion of the inhabitants of the city from the Funj period
The four seasons, two in 2012 and two in 2013, carried out in ancient Dongola by an expedition
from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, were devoted
to continuing excavations in a number of areas: the fortifications on the Citadel and houses from the
Funj period (17th–18th century) outside of the fortifications; site SWN on the Citadel, including
Building B.I (Palace of Ioannes) and Building B.V (church); and the monastery complex on Kom H,
encompassing the monastic church, sanctuary of Anna, gates to the monastery for monks and laity,
finally the commemorative building of the Dongolan bishops with three crypts where the third of
the crypts was revisited to study the burials from an anthropological perspective. In late 2013, a new
Qatar–Sudan Archaeological Project (No. 10) was launched with fieldwork concentrated on the
Mosque Building and within the Citadel.
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