7 research outputs found
Exploration of the late prehistoric occupation in the western part of Jebel Sabaloka in central Sudan: findings of the 2018 field campaign
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Comparison of Different Gouge Collections from Central Sudan
This article represents a basic comparison of gouge collections from three different sites (Esh Shaheinab, Fox Hill and Kadero). These sites have produced important collections of lithics from the Early Neolithic period in central Sudan. Gouges were chosen as an important marker of various activities, and these were studied on the basis of examining this type of artefact. This paper presents basic observations on the technology and function of these artefacts
Summary of the session 85 ‟Tracking the Neolithization Processes on Both Sides of the Sinai: a bridge between the Near East and North-eastern Africaˮ. 25th annual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists in Bern (4-8th September 2019
International audienc
Exploration of the late prehistoric occupation at Jebel Sabaloka in central Sudan: findings of the 2017 field campaign
In the autumn of 2017, the exploration of the late
prehistoric occupation on the west bank of the Nile at
Jebel Sabaloka came to its fifth season. The fieldwork
focused on the site of Fox Hill (SBK.W-20), last explored
in 2012. Four trenches (no. 21–24) measuring 24 m2
in
total (fig. 3) were excavated, all on Terrace 3 of the site
(fig. 2). The most significant findings of the field campaign
include the following:
(1) A large late prehistoric burial ground was uncovered
on Terrace 3. Based on the hitherto finds of intact
(14 individuals) and disturbed burials and their distribution
in Trenches 21 and 22 only, the burial ground
appears to have been confined roughly to the southern
third of Terrace 3 and to have contained at least several
dozen deceased (figs. 4a, 5, 6). The use of shells
of Nile bivalves as burial goods was attested (B.5, B.6;
figs. 7 and 8); other items serving this function were
not detected. Of interest is the presence of stone piles,
in some cases carefully built, which covered burials
particularly in the eastern part of Trench 22 (fig. 5).
Before carrying out AMS 14C analyses, a Late Mesolithic
dating can be tentatively put forward for (at least
part of) this burial ground based on similarities to the
burial ground at the site of Sphinx (e.g. Varadzinová –
Varadzin 2017).
(2) Terrace 3 had been used for settlement as well, both
during the Mesolithic and the Neolithic. Several settlement
features were uncovered, of which at least
two had shapes reminiscent of those characteristic of
storage pits (F.54, F.57 – not dated more precisely so
far; fig. 4a). Also, a stratification of settlement layers
was detected (fig. 4b).
(3) Of utmost significance is the discovery of fragments
of what appears to be a stratified sequence of layers
of Pleistocene dating (!) (fig. 9). They contained numerous
assemblages of lithics with an unusually high
representation of vein quartz, tiny cores ca. 1 cm in
size used for production of microbladelets possibly by
indirect percussion, and other pieces of lithics exhibiting
advanced patination. The material has tentatively
been assigned to the Late Stone Age.
(4) The first of its kind was also a workshop for the production
of Neolithic gouges on red rhyolite (fig. 1, 2,
11), detected in the western part of Fox Hill, with finds
of raw material, primary shaping waste, finalisation
waste, and unfinished as well as finished artefacts.
The exploration of the site will continue in 2018.354
Výzkum pravěkého osídlení v pohoří Sabaloka v centrálním Súdánu: poznatky z výzkumné sezóny 2017 // Exploration of the late prehistoric occupation at Jebel Sabaloka in central Sudan: findings of the 2017 field campaign
In the autumn of 2017, the exploration of the late
prehistoric occupation on the west bank of the Nile at
Jebel Sabaloka came to its fifth season. The fieldwork
focused on the site of Fox Hill (SBK.W-20), last explored
in 2012. Four trenches (no. 21–24) measuring 24 m2
in
total (fig. 3) were excavated, all on Terrace 3 of the site
(fig. 2). The most significant findings of the field campaign
include the following:
(1) A large late prehistoric burial ground was uncovered
on Terrace 3. Based on the hitherto finds of intact
(14 individuals) and disturbed burials and their distribution
in Trenches 21 and 22 only, the burial ground
appears to have been confined roughly to the southern
third of Terrace 3 and to have contained at least several
dozen deceased (figs. 4a, 5, 6). The use of shells
of Nile bivalves as burial goods was attested (B.5, B.6;
figs. 7 and 8); other items serving this function were
not detected. Of interest is the presence of stone piles,
in some cases carefully built, which covered burials
particularly in the eastern part of Trench 22 (fig. 5).
Before carrying out AMS 14C analyses, a Late Mesolithic
dating can be tentatively put forward for (at least
part of) this burial ground based on similarities to the
burial ground at the site of Sphinx (e.g. Varadzinová –
Varadzin 2017).
(2) Terrace 3 had been used for settlement as well, both
during the Mesolithic and the Neolithic. Several settlement
features were uncovered, of which at least
two had shapes reminiscent of those characteristic of
storage pits (F.54, F.57 – not dated more precisely so
far; fig. 4a). Also, a stratification of settlement layers
was detected (fig. 4b).
(3) Of utmost significance is the discovery of fragments
of what appears to be a stratified sequence of layers
of Pleistocene dating (!) (fig. 9). They contained numerous
assemblages of lithics with an unusually high
representation of vein quartz, tiny cores ca. 1 cm in
size used for production of microbladelets possibly by
indirect percussion, and other pieces of lithics exhibiting
advanced patination. The material has tentatively
been assigned to the Late Stone Age.
(4) The first of its kind was also a workshop for the production
of Neolithic gouges on red rhyolite (fig. 1, 2,
11), detected in the western part of Fox Hill, with finds
of raw material, primary shaping waste, finalisation
waste, and unfinished as well as finished artefacts.
The exploration of the site will continue in 2018