Excavations at the medieval Red Sea port of Suakin, Sudan

Abstract

The port of Suakin on the western shores of the Red Sea served as one of the most important trading centres of the region throughout the second millennium AD. In 2002 an integrated conservation research project was initiated at the site following decades of neglect. This paper reports on one section of this project, the excavations centred on the building known as the Beit el Basha. This section of the archaeological investigations has provided important information relating to the earliest occupation of the island and key insights into medieval settlement and activity in the area.Le port de Souakin sur la cô te ouest de la mer Rouge a été l'un des centres commerciaux les plus importants de la région tout au long du deuxième millénaire de notre ère. En 2002, un projet de conservation intégrée de recherche a été lancé sur le site après des décennies de négligence. Cet article présente une section de ce projet, les fouilles autour de l'édifice connu sous le nom de Beit el Basha. Cette section des enquêtes archéologiques a fourni des informations importantes relatives à la plus ancienne occupation de l'île et des renseignements clés sur le peuplement et l'activité médiéval dans la région.

Endangered maritime archaeology in North Africa – the MarEA Project

“…Textual references to Suakin appear from the tenth century onwards whilst archaeological excavation supports an initial occupation from, at least, the first half of the eleventh century (Breen et al 2011). Throughout much of the second millennium Suakin was one of the region's primary ports, facilitating trade and the movement of peoples from Africa to the Arabian/Persian Gulf and further afield to South Asia.…”

“…Up to the sixteenth century these seem to have been mainly irregular structures with a number of contemporary stone buildings. Following the Ottoman takeover, more substantial numbers of stone (coral block) buildings were constructed, some of which remained in use (albeit renovated) up until the port's effective abandonment in the early twentieth century (Bloss 1936; 1937; Breen et al 2011; Mallinson et al 2009).…”

“…C) 1930 oblique aerial photo looking southeast over Suakin Island with the shore of Condenser Island in the foreground (Durham University Sudan Archive, from Breen et al . 2011). Two wrecks are visible on the foreshore off Condenser Island.…”

“…There are, however, numerous coral reefs, shoals and islands, such as the Suakin archipelago, located off the Tokar Delta (Figure 1). Remote documentation initially focused on the sites of Suakin, Aydabh and Badi; because they are known ancient harbours, and thus foci of maritime activity (Adam 2017;Breen 2013;Breen et al 2011;Peacock and Peacock 2008). Documentation aimed to consolidate the scattered literature on each site into a geospatial form suitable for database entry and with enhancement via satellite imagery-based threat and condition assessment.…”

Scoping Review of the Occupational Health and Safety Governance in Sudan: The Story So Far

“…This incident is believed to cause a substantial operational, economic, and environmental impact on Suakin port. Suakin port on the western shores of the Red Sea is one of the important trading hubs in the region [ 10 ], and was at the time investigating a massive fire that broke out in the cargo area a month before the vessel incident [ 11 ]. Another tragedy happened in December 2019, when a deadly fire at Salome Ceramic Factory, in the capital Khartoum, killed around 23 people and injured more than 130 [ 12 ].…”