Letti Desert 1: A new archaeological site associated with the ancient African Kingdom of Kerma.

The ancient Kingdom of Kerma is one of the oldest known states in Africa, emerging in the third millennium BC from the urbanisation of pastoral communities in the Selim Basin of the Third Cataract of the Nile, and persisting until 1504 BC, when it was conquered by the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose I. The Kermans built distinctive urban centres with monumental buildings and necropolises, although these have only been extensively studied around- the Third Cateract, with some funerary cites around the Fourth Cataract also known.

In a paper published in the journal Antiquity on 1 December 2023, Piotr Osypiński of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Marta Osypińska of the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław, Justyna Kokolus, an independent researcher from Stara Dąbrowa in Poland, Paweł Wiktorowicz, also of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Roman Łopaciuk of the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and Amel Hassan Gismallah of the National Corporation of Antiquities and Museums in Khartoum, describe a new archaeological site associated with the Kingdom of Kerma, from the Letti Basin of the Middle Nile Valley in Northern Sudan.

Osypiński et al. identified a number of new sites on the edge of the desert in the Letti Basin, sites which would have been located in close proximity to the seasonally overflowing Nile at the time when Kerma existed. Some of these sites appear to have been extensive settlements, from which were recovered characteristic Kerman ceramic objects, Animal bones, and stone tools, as well as carrying out excavations at one site, named Letti Desert 1.

Middle part of the Nile Valley and location of site Letti Desert 1. Osypiński et al. (2023).

Radiocarbon dates recovered from organic material at Letti Desert 1 suggest that the site was occupied for about 700 years, with the oldest dates being between 2205 and 2020 BC while the youngest come from between 1618 and 1497 BC, around the time of the Egyptian conquest. 

A mud brick building with a surviving thickness of about one metre was established to have been constructed around the beginning of the second millennium BC. Neighbouring structures contained large storage vessels, and had foundations made from boulders up to 3 m in diameter. A granary area with a pavement of square stones was surrounded by post holes. Another area was interpreted to be a metal workshop, with fragments of a large melting pot, and several bronze smelts recovered. 

Architectural elements recorded in the eastern part of the Letti Desert 1 settlement, marked in red. The size of opened excavation is 5 × 5 m. Osypiński et al. (2023).

Analysis of zooarchaeological remains from the site suggests that Cattle became progressively less important over time, with Sheep replacing them as the major form of livestock. This was probably associated with the drying of the local climate and spread of desert. Cattle are known to have remained culturally important, with the rulers of Kerma being buried with Cattle bucrania (the frontal part of the skull, with the horns) in the latest stages of the civilization. However, isotopic studies of these remains suggest that these Cattle came from outside the Nile Valley, possibly from North Kordofan to the south, from where Cattle could be driven to the Letti Basin via the dry channels of Wadi el Melik and Wadi Howar.

Stone pavements in the western part of the Letti Desert 1 settlement, view from the north Osypiński et al. (2023).

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Archaeologists discover body with Christian tattoo in medieval Nubian cemetery.

Archaeologists from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology have discovered Christian tattoo on a body recovered from a medieval Nubian cemetery during one of a series of expeditions to the area between 2012 and 2018, according to a press release issued on 18 October 2023. The Christian theme of the is not in itself surprising, as Christianity was the predominant religion in region at the time and the body was found in a cemetery associated with the Ghazali Monastery, which is about 20 km from the modern town of Karima in Northern State, Sudan. However, this is only the second tattoo known from medieval Nubia, making it a significant discovery. The body is of unknown sex at the current time, although thought likely to have been male, due to its proximity to the monastery, and is thought to have been between 35 and 50 years old when they died, sometime between 667 and 774 AD. 

Images of tattoo on the dorsal (top) side of the right foot. Picture was taken with a full spectrum camera and digital enhanced using ImageJ software with a DStretch plugin. Kari Guilbault/Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology.

The tattoo comprises a Christogram, which was a symbol combining the Greek letters 'chi' and 'rho' used to indicate Christ, plus the Greek letters alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, a combination often used to imply God as the beginning and ending of all things. The location of the tattoo, on the upper part of the foot, may also be significant, as it images of Christ often have a nail driven through this location.

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Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake in Northern Province, Zambia.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 4.2 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km roughly 5 km to the southwest of the town of Mbala in Northern Province, Zambia, slightly after 6.45 am local time (slightly after 4.45 am GMT) on Thursday 21 January 2021. A quake of this size is not normally large enough to present any threat to Human life or property, but may have been felt locally.

 

The approximate location of the 21 January 2021 Northern Province Earthquake. USGS.

Earthquakes are rare in Southern Africa, making this one of the largest Earthquakes ever recorded in the country. Because of this rarity it is hard to make precise judgements about the cause of quakes in the region, due to a paucity of data. Botswana is close the southern end of the Great Rift Valley exits the continent and passes out under the Indian Ocean. The Great Rift Valley is slowly splitting the African Plate in two allow a line from the Red Sea through Ethiopia, and which includes the great lakes and volcanoes of east-central Africa. This has the potential to open into a new ocean over the next few tens of millions of years, splitting Africa into two new, smaller, continents; Nubia to the west and Somalia to the east.  

 

Movement on the African Rift Valley, with associated volcanoes. Rob Gamesby/Cool Geography.

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Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake in Northern Province, Zambia.

The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake at a depth of 26.7 km roughly 846 km east of Kaputa in Northern Province, Zambia, slightly after 2.30 am local time (slightly after 0.30 am GMT) on Friday 24 February 2017. There are no reports of any damage or casualties arising from this quake, though people have reported feeling it across much of northeastern Zambia, and it is likely to have been felt in parts of neighbouring Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The approximate location of the 24 February 2017 Northern Province Earthquake. USGS.

Eastern Zambia lies within the the of the Great Rift Valley, which is slowly splitting the African Plate in two along a line from the Red Sea through Ethiopia, and which includes the great lakes and volcanoes of east-central Africa. This has the potential to open into a new ocean over the next few tens of millions of years, splitting Africa into two new, smaller, continents; Nubia to the west and Somalia to the east.

  Movement on the African Rift Valley, with associated volcanoes. Rob Gamesby/Cool Geography.

 

Witness accounts of Earthquakes can help geologists to understand these events, and the structures that cause them. The international non-profit organisation Earthquake Report is interested in hearing from people who may have felt this event; if you felt this quake then you can report it to Earthquake Report here.

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