The royal district of Natakamani at Napata. Report of the Season

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1 The Italian Archaeological Mission in Sudan Jebel Barkal University Ca Foscari, Venice (Italy) The royal district of Natakamani at Napata. Report of the Season Emanuele M. Ciampini The season of the Italian Archaeological Mission in Sudan Jebel Barkal, was carried out between November 5 th and December 6 th. The team comprised: Emanuele M. Ciampini (director, University Ca Foscari, Venice), Grazyna Bakowska- Czerner (archaeologist, Jagiellonian University, Krakow), Francesca Bertoldi (University Ca Foscari: anthropologist), Silvia Callegher (student, University Ca Foscari Venice), Martino Gottardo (archaeologist), Francesca Iannarilli (PhD University Ca Foscari Venice, archaeologist); Federica Pancin (student Post- Graduate School of Archaeological Heritage, Universities of Venice-Udine-Trieste), Alessandro Roccati (Emeritus Professor of Egyptology, field assistant), Alice Salvador (Turin Egyptian Museum, illustrator), Silvia Zauner-Mayerhofer (restorer). Mr Mohamed El-Tom represented the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM); the crew was composed of about 45 workers, headed by Mr Loei Shams Ola. The Mission was supported by several institutions: the Excavations Fund of the University Ca Foscari, Venice and the Italian Ministry of the Foreign Affairs, which also provided their institutional support in Italy and in Sudan; the Mission is part of the Qatar- Sudan Archaeological Project (project QSAP.A.34), which ensures since the season a fundamental support for the activities of the team. To all these Institutions the Italian Archaeological Mission in Sudan expresses the deepest gratitude; the Italian Mission would also thank the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums of the Sudanese Republic (NCAM), the Sudan Embassy in Rome and the Italian Embassy in Khartoum for their help in the success of the season. The activity of the season The activity of the season covered about four weeks, during which the team undertook different investigations in the area of the Palace of Natakamani; the main field was in the inner side of the western peripheral wall, in order to continue the investigations started in the previous season on the pre-palatial structures, found under the Natakamani s palace foundations; another traditional field was the survey in the southern side of B1800, a severely destroyed building, already object of attention by the Mission in Both fields aimed to update the information concerning Meroitic Napata, and define some specific aspects of the architectural features. A second, fundamental task of the season was devoted to the documentation of the archaeological materials; this year, the team undertook a preliminary work on the materials (mainly pottery) from the oldest Donadoni s excavations, stored in the Museum of Karima. Thanks to the availability of the Sudanese authorities, all the metallic boxes were examined, and the diagnostic sherds newly stored, we hope to conclude this work during next season, with the full recording of the materials (photographs, drawing). The aim of this activity is to update the Mission database, in which also the materials stored in the Museum will be collected. Strictly connected with the just mentioned activities is the restoration program; this issue belongs to the start ups planned by the Mission, and its results were already exposed in the report of the season A new activity, initiated during the current season, was undertaken by the anthropologist who joined the Mission; her work was devoted on the few skeleton remains, dug in the building B2400 and stored 1

2 with the material of the Mission. Some of the results of the work were exposed, at the end of the season, in a lecture delivered in the University of Khartoum (5 th December, 2016). The excavations in the Palace of Natakamani (B1500) The main field of the season was in the Palace of Natakamani; as stated in previous reports, the investigations aimed to define the plan of the building platform, outlining the profile of its architectural elements. In the plan of the team, a particular attention was devoted to the remains of the so called pre-palatial structure(s), clearly identified in the season 2015, and whose extension, at the moment, is difficult to recognize. Thus, the season started investigating the part of the south-western corner of the palace still missing in the plan: what we expected to find, was at first the inner texture of the foundation i.e., the system of the casemates, which ruled the architectural plan of the palatial platform and the probable joined parts of the prepalatial structures. In order to get these goals, the team opened a wide field, with two main areas (fig. 1): a) a southern area, which approximately corresponds to the open square sector, closed by the two large casemate walls; b) a smaller digging in the inner part of the platform, just north of the western entrance to the palace 1. To these two areas, one can also add the inner part of the southwestern corner, newly opened in order to complete the map of the palace with the topographical data. The cleaning of the surface in the southern area let us collect several elements of the palace architecture (for instance, a red brick from the façade corner, or the fragment of a water pipe) and equipment (pottery sherds, also painted, and the bottom of a jar with organic remains, see below). Fig.1 The digging brought to the light the profile of the palatial inner walls, partially built on the remains of some massive older structures. The inner masonry of the platform dug in the current season is characterized by two main mud brick walls, with orientation North/West South/East; the southern of these was already recognized during the previous season 2, while the northern one was dug for the first time during the current season. Both the walls outline a large square area, whose sides are about 9 m long; this area was censed to have been the foundation level of an open court, as noted in previous seasons. Nevertheless, at the end of the season, the map of the area testified a complex archaeological context, where the open area was exploited by a sector for storing and cooking; the main feature of the whole area is the articulated chronology of the structures here dug, which seem to have connected the pre-palatial foundations with the Natakamani architecture. Massive sections of the pre-palatial walls were found under the peripheral wall of the platform (fig. 2); their discovery confirms the monumental features of the building(s), which previously stood in the ceremonial area of Napata, later chosen by Natakamani for his royal district. These architectural remains are not the only evidence for the chronological phases of the area; after the excavations, the plan of the area was clearly marked by the presence of remains of a walls system, which 1 The North digging was undertaken close to an area already investigated in The wall was not dug, but its profile was clearly recognizable in the very extremity of the 2015 field area. 2

3 were later covered by the structures connected with the royal palace. censed to have been an open area in the foundations level. The core of this sector is a small, quite square room, probably dated to a late phase of the palace; it was probably connected with the production of food and storage of goods, and its connection with the palace is confirmed by the level of its foundations, coherent with those of the casemate walls (see above all the proximity of levels in the northern wall of the room: fig. 4). Fig. 2 We deal with mud bricks walls (some of them very small), which now partially lie in a deeper level of the area; we can recognize the profile of a north-west/south-east wall, later buried by the northern foundation of the casemate, two sections of an east/west wall, and probably a small remain at north (fig. 3) 3. More difficult is the identification of a date for the massive wall, close to the peripheral wall of the palace; according to the technical information, its position seems to be coherent with the construction of the casemate wall (i.e., the foundation of the royal palace), but it could also be earlier, approximately in a period between the pre-palatial and the palatial period. Fig. 4 The interior of the room was empty of any evidence concerning its use, but a layer of ashes, which testifies the presence of fire. The main evidence for cooking in the structure is due to a small compound, directly added to the corner of the room; here, a tiny wall encompassed a narrow space, where a manyfires hearth was located (fig. 5). Fig. 5 Fig. 3 In the middle of the field, the excavations identified a new structure, which let us suppose the use of what was previously 3 The size of the mud bricks respects the Meroitic standard: 30 x 14 x 8 cm. The structure consists of three large, upside down jars; in the interior of these, three other, smaller pots were found, while some more pots for fire were located beside the main hearth. The digging confirmed the use of the structure for cooking: all the area was filled with charcoal and ashes, mixed with sand, while the surface of the pots shows clearly 3

4 evidences of fire. Despite a very probable long usage of the structure, we have to note the lack of any remain of animal bones, and of vegetal seed as well; the equipment of the sector also comprises several stone fragments, probably belonging to millstones. We have no clear evidence for dating these structures; maybe, their connection with the foundations level of the northern wall of the casemate seems to be the proof for a chronological connection between them, but we can also suppose a later date for the square room and the hearth, of course always in the period of the palace. The archaeological context of these hearths is probably one of the best samples for the use of the monumental buildings in Napata as residential place; when the court moved with the king to the royal city, the palace and probably other connected edifices were refreshed (see below), while some parts of them became the core sector in the organization for storing and cooking. Just close to the western entrance, but clearly separated from it 4, an open area was planned in order to create a service sector for the palace; this specific use of the area, close to the western entrance, is also confirmed by the discovery of a lot of clay-sealings, seal impressions and tokens, i.e. the typical equipment for a storing sector, added to the palace. Both the foundations of the small room, and those of the massive casemate northern wall, mark the level of the Natakamani palace; the coherence of these structures is surely a good result for the work undertaken in the 2016 season, but the digging also offered other significant data for the history of the building. Indeed, the widening of the field towards south (i.e., towards the area investigated in the 2015 season) brought to the light what seems to have been an archaeological palimpsest; under the ground level of the area of the square room, the digging found a double row of pots (fig. 6): the first is aligned with the pre-palatial south-north wall, while the second lies now aligned with the southern wall of the square room. The pots show a similar size and typology 5, and have no evidence of fire; it means that the first use of this sector, before the building of the palace, was for storing. These containers offered the first evidence in the Natakamani palace of a storage system of goods; the analysis of the interior of one of these jars gave no particular information: it was filled with sand, mixed with ashes, some pottery fragments and charcoal. Fig. 6 Fig. 7 The storage containers seem to have occupied a wider area of the site: indeed, beside the two rows of jars, the digging found some more similar pots in other locations of the field, but their position is particular, being left under the foundations of the casemate northern wall (fig. 7), and under the foundation of the small square room as well (fig. 8). 4 Probably from the same main wall built in correspondence with the northern massive foundation of the casemate. 5 The diameter of the jars is about 30 cm. 4

5 Fig. 8 Such a discovery adds some fundamental elements in the history of the area: the prepalatial structures, identified since the season 2015, can now be enriched by the evidence of a storage sector, which seems to have had a close chronology (if later, probably no more than one or two generations). What is surprising, is the preservation of the pots under the palace: some of these were probably covered by the new ground level (see above all the area south of the small square room), others were directly buried under the foundations of the new walls (see also the northern field of the season 2016). Last, we have to note that the ground level marked by the top of the storage pots became the foundation level for the palace. Last, we have to appoint our attention to the massive mud brick wall, aligned with the southern wall of the casemate; we described it as part of the original plan of the palace, but probably later it was transformed in a new structure: part of it seems to have been destroyed in order to create a flat, regular surface of an unknown use. The main evidence for this late arrangement of the wall consists in covering it with fragments of red bricks, which are still clearly recognizable in the sector close to the peripheral wall of the platform (fig. 9). The use of this new arrangement of the wall remains at the moment unknown, but it seems to have been part of the same sector used for the storing and cooking; the only sure evidence of its structure, is the level of the red bricks cover, which is higher than the ground level of the cooking sector. Fig. 9 Thus, the several levels of use and the relative chronological phases can be summarized as follows: I) A pre-palatial phase, which corresponds to the massive walls found under the foundations of the peripheral wall of the palace platform, and to the sections of small walls, later buried by the walls of the square room in the middle of the open area (see above, fig. 2). II) The area for storing, represented by the double row of jars. To this phase probably belongs also the massive wall, with which the north-south row of jars is aligned (fig. 10). Fig. 10 III) The palatial phase, represented by the massive northern wall of the casemate and by the eastern section of the southern wall (fig. 11). We might also add the wall which partially defines the western side of the field; even if its orientation is coherent with the casemate wall, its position is particular, being in the middle of the open area and without any clear connection with its organization. The foundations of the palace currently cover some jars of the ancient storing sector. 5

6 Fig. 11 The work of the season also comprised the data collection from the inner texture of the south-western corner of the palace, dug in the season 2015 (fig. 15); here, the presence of the pre-palatial structures was recognized for the first time, giving a new perspective in the reconstruction of the history in the Meroitic sector. IV) The square room (fig. 12). Fig. 15 Fig. 12 V) The three-fire hearth, added to the square room (fig. 13). Fig. 13 The excavations of B1800 (*) The excavation of the building B1800, previously investigated in 2014 and more in detail in 2015, has been extended in the Season 2016 towards its southern sector, close to the four square column bases (two of them still in situ), built on a red brick section of foundations. A previous survey revealed the presence of a mud brick structure, thus in the 2016 season it was decided to extend the digging so as to highlight other potential parts of this structure. VI) The red brick cover of the southern wall (fig. 14). Fig. 16 Fig. 14 The excavations (about 6,5 x 8,5 m; fig. 16) allowed us to recognize some foundations (*) Report by M. Gottardo and Fr. Iannarilli. 6

7 composed by a core preserved for 1,90 m of length plus another section of about 0,75 m and two stumps, perpendicular to the central one. The size of the mud bricks clearly repeats the well known model of the palace B1500, i.e. 32 x 17 x 8 cm. Sometimes the wall structures are interrupted by pits, filled with bread moulds; somewhere, the digging could not be undertaken because of the presence of monumental, plastered stone elements (above all column drums 50 cm of diameter, 35 cm of thickness), hard to be removed because of their weakness. The structures dug in the 2016 season are part of the building identified as B1800; we have here to note that the foundations are lower than in other sectors of the edifice, because the ground slopes downward. Moreover the parts of this structure identified in the Season 2016 seem to be in axis with the ones dug in the Season Pottery and Finds The work of the season was particularly fruitful also in collecting several kinds of finds and potsherds; these heterogeneous materials confirmed some suggestions concerning the current palace life. archaeological materials brought to the light can be described as follows: Pottery: the area dug in the season offered a quantity of pottery samples; the first evidence of these materials appeared already in the field surface, where also painted fragments were unearthed. Due to the organization of the work, the diagnostic samples were collected and stored in order to get their complete recording during next season. Finds: the materials brought to the light during the season offer several suggestions concerning the life of the palace; the total of the materials, processed (i.e., documented and photographed) during the season consists in 101 objects. The amount can be listed in the following typologies: - Clay-sealings and tokens: close to the area of the main hearth, several fragments concerning the storing of goods were discovered. We mainly deal with a group of clay sealings, which still preserve the impression of the seal, but we have also to mention some rope impression on mud for sealing the jar / container (figs ). A particular typology of material connected with the administration and the storing of goods in the palace can be identified with the numerous tokens, which belong to the same system of palace management (fig. 21). The iconographical repertoire of the clay sealings is an interesting collection of subjects, which comprise, for instance, a bird plus the sun disk as marker of the kingship, a human representation, maybe a king, or the crocodile. Fig. 17 Fig. 18 Fig. 19 Fig. 20 Fig Glazed tiles: few samples of the architectural decoration of the palace were brought to light during the season; we probably deal with sporadic elements, even if their position in the inner main halls of the edifice can be supposed (fig. 22). 7

8 testify the regular work of refreshment of the walls (inside and outside). What we have to note is also the locations of the majority of the cups, very close to the area of the claysealings: we probably deal with a service area of the palace, where some goods and other materials were stored. Fig Plaster fragments: as in previous seasons, the field debris are filled with small remains of the walls lining; we deal with plaster fragments, whose decoration repeats the well known colors collection used by the Meroitic craftsmen (figs ). Fig. 26 Fig. 23 Fig Paint and bowls for colors: one of the most interesting group of materials brought to the light during the excavations is a group of mineral paint samples; the colors repeat the same collection, known by the plaster fragments (fig. 25), and confirm the traditional praxis of the regular refreshment of the wall decoration (probably on the occasion of the arrival of the king in Napata). Fig. 27 Fig Sporadic: among the materials listed in this group, we mention a very small fragment of golden foil (about 3 mm), a fragment of a faïence crown of Bes, and some fragments of glazed small and precious vessels, probably from the equipment of the palace (figs ). Fig. 29 Fig. 30 Fig. 25 Together with the paint samples, some small cups used by the Meroitic craftsmen were found (figs ); in their interior, the evidence of ancient colors is clear, and might Restoration, conservation and presentation of the site During all the phases of the activity, a work of restoration and conservation was ensured in order to leave the materials and the architectural structures in the best conditions. Due to the specificity of the activities on the 8

9 objects and on the structures, we can sum up them as follow: - Archaeological materials. This activity was undertaken in the season 2016 on the materials from the excavations and on the stored objects. The finds were cleaned during the fieldwork, with a particular care in some specific objects (see for instance the fragmentary painted jar found in the area of the main hearth (figs ). Fig. 31 stored in the Museum of Karima (see below): here, the cleaning of the objects (above all pottery, washed in the court of the same museum) was the first step in the checking process, which ended with a temporary storage before the complete recording, planned in next season. - Architectural structures. At the end of the excavations, the activity of the Mission comprised a work for reconstruction and protection of the structure investigated during the season. It is not a bare work of covering, but rather the last step in the analysis of the monument, which ends with the hypothetical profile of the main walls, dug in the season. This year, part of the main inner northern wall of the casemate was rebuilt (fig. 34), with the traditional respect of the original texture of the masonry (i.e., the respect in the use of red or mud bricks). Fig. 32 Other objects restored during the season are from the Mission s store, such as the bronze lamp, found in the season 2015 and now perfectly clean (fig. 33). Fig. 34 Due to the important results achieved during the current season, it is necessary to update the short pamphlet published in the previous season; in the plan of the mission, a new version of the presentation text will be ready before the end of the season Work in the Museum of Karima (**) Fig. 33 A fundamental support was given by this activity in the recording of the materials In the 2016 season, part of the team worked at the museum of Karima and the main aim was processing all the pottery assemblage recovered in the early years of the Italian Mission. During the 2015 season, the team conducted a reconnaissance of the materials removed by the Mission since its inception in (**) Report by A. Salvador. 9

10 the1970 s. Other than some architectural elements (decorative and structural), 51 metal boxes and a large wooden chest were identified. These were found to contain a mixture of artefact types and materials, the majority of which were ceramics, especially pottery. All the containers have been collected and placed together, when possible, on the bespoke metal shelves that were specially designed and made to the requirements of the Italian Mission during the 2015 season (Fig. 35). Unfortunately, part of the sherds processed has been found without any recorded information about their context of provenance (1427 sherds in total, representing the 9,4% of the total amount of processed sherds). The total amount of sherds counted was Only the diagnostic sherds, totalling 3975, have been kept. Bread moulds, of both flat and conical forms, were counted but not kept. For the proportions of these data, see Pie Chart below. Fig. 35 The large wooden chest was relocated from its original position towards the metal shelves, to effectively isolate some architectural elements recovered during the excavation work of the Italian Mission since the 1970 s. The 2016 season undertook a reorganisation of the museum's store room, of which the assessment of pottery collection was the initial step. Finds of other materials (mostly fragments of faïence tiles and a small number of stone objects) were not assessed beyond a preliminary quantification and separation from the pottery sherds. In ten working days, a four-person team, assisted by the Directress of the Museum, processed 51 metal boxes (fig. 36) and 20 gouffas, for a total amount of 54 contexts. The diagnostic sherds are both wheel made and handmade. Among the handmade, Nubian pottery represents a sub category: generally globular bowls, characterised by an either black or reddish burnished surface, sometimes decorated with impressions, stamps or geometrical motifs. Whilst processing the sherds, two issues became apparent immediately: the state of preservation of finds in the museum store room, and their unprovenanced, imprecise and inconsistent storage, caused by the collection methodology by the Italian Mission at the beginning of the project. All the sherds retained during the 2016 season for further studies were washed (fig. 37), in order to remove dust and sand. The not retained sherds were gathered together in a specific, recorded spot. Fig. 36 Fig

11 Metal boxes are still the best way to preserve all types of materials in the arid Sudanese climate, from insect infestation and to avoid other animal disturbance. Yet, they can no longer be sealed hermetically, because the top has been removed or partially opened, allowing sand and dust to enter. The lack of a consistent collection policy is noticeable for all artefact types, but particularly pottery. For some contexts it is likely that a 100% collection policy was employed, because the amount of non diagnostic sherds was much greater than the diagnostics. These sherds had been marked with a permanent marker, suggesting that they had been washed previously. Characterised either by having the context marked on their surface or upon the metal box, which provided their origin from within the excavation area, other contexts have a greater proportion of diagnostics and very few, if any, non diagnostic sherds. The choice of a permanent marker, and the large writing on the outer surface of the sherd is not easy to agree with, especially because it is not reversible. The wrapping of decorated, painted sherds, whilst still wet, in newspaper led to the transference of ink onto the pottery. Furthermore, when we tried to remove the newspaper, fragments of it adhered to the sherds, demanding an unnecessary conservation intervention. Finally, 1427 sherds were unassigned and therefore have to be considered out of context. Out of the total, 995 sherds were discarded, representing the 69,7%. The remaining 30,3% is represented mostly by wheel made sherds, Nubian, and finally handmade sherds. These sherds have been collected together in three metal boxes, separate from the other contextualised pottery assemblage. At the end of the season, the sherds were bagged by context and placed in numbered metal boxes, pertinent to the buildings and squares from which they came. To avoid dust covering the sherds, the metal shelves were covered by a piece of cloth, which has been secured to the shelving structure itself. From the contextualized sherds, it has been possible to distinguish three main foci for previous excavations: temples, in the edge of the area of palm trees (2 squares, 6 contexts), and buildings B1500 (22 squares, 38 contexts) and B3200 (5 squares, corresponding to 5 contexts). A metal box recording Sondaggi 1973 was also found. However without further research, it will not be possible to locate these sondages. Initial impressions are that the pottery assemblage from the early years reflects that found by the Italian Mission in the palatial area of Jebel Barkal in recent seasons. In general, Meroitic pottery is represented by small polished red bowls, undecorated plates, small jars for storing, globular jars, and several small amphorae imported from Egypt. Other forms have also been recognised, such as small handmade goblets, imitation of roman sigillata, Nubian bowls and cups, handmade globular jars with basket impressions.the collected data have been inserted in an excel database, containing information pertaining to the assemblage enabling statistical analysis and contextual comparisons. The primary goal of future seasons will be to photograph, draw, describe individual sherds, context by context, and ultimately to establish a pottery typology for the site. Yet, this should only be undertaken if and when the fabric analysis and other archaeometrical data have been generated. Anthropological remains (***) The human remains found in the burial named Tomb 1 6 belong to two subjects, individual A and B. The first step of our anthropological analysis was to separate them from the animal bones with which they were commingled, then we dry-cleaned and restored the fragments. The first subject, A, is represented by more abundant and better preserved skeletal remains even if it still shows evident (***) Report by Fr. Bertoldi. 6 The human remains are from the excavations in the building B

12 post-mortem damage caused by weathering factors that created fissures and alterations of the cortical surface of long bone, cracks of the spongy bone on the epiphyseal parts and damage of the teeth enamel. Age estimation was based on the degree of development and eruption of teeth and on the fusion stages of epiphyses to diaphyses, given that unfortunately we miss total diaphyseal lengths useful for stature estimation (fig. 38). Fig. 38 We diagnosed an age of years for subject A considering the third molar fully formed and the stage of epiphyseal union of long bones and of 8 years for subject B from the degree of teeth and skeletal development (Fig. 39). From the morphological aspects of the skull and of the pelvis we diagnosed a male sex for subject A while for subject B given its non adult age the sex remains undetermined. occupational stress, and a marked degree of muscular engagement of the scapular girdle, humeri and lower limb bones, accompanied by the presence of calcanear facet double on the left calcaneus and of peroneal tubercle on the right calcaneus. Post-cranial skeletal indexes (ratios between measurements of long bones) gave values of gracility for the clavicle, eurybrachy for the humeri, euroleny for the ulnae, weak femoral pilasters, eurymery for right femur and platymery for the left, eurycnemy for the tibiae (that is roundish rather than flattened sections of long bones), with marked lineae asprae and soleae on both femurs and tibiae. From the paleopathological perspective and despite the bad degree of preservation of the remains we recorded severe cribra orbitalia (grade III of Hengen) on the orbitary process of the frontal bone of subject A, most probably due to iron deficiency anaemia (maybe as a consequence of heavy parasitic infestation), and porosity of the palate and of the sphenoid bone that could be linked to scurvy or lack of vitamin C in the diet. Storage At the end of the recording process, all the materials were left in the Mission s store 7 (Fig. 40). Fig. 39 Among the non metrical traits of the skull we recorded the presence of obelic foramina, lambdoid wormian bones, double zygomatic foramina and lambdoid ossicle, while postcranial bones showed the presence of notchlike defect on the clavicles (syndesmopathy of the costo-clavicular ligament), more evident on the right side, among the markers of Fig. 40 The materials still work in progress were left in temporary boxes or gouffas, clearly identifiable among other objects. This 7 For the storing of the materials see E.M. Ciampini, The Royal District of Natakamani at Napata. Report of the Season

13 temporary storing was made in the Museum of Karima, where the materials from older seasons are at the moment identified and ready for a complete recording (see above). We have here to mention the storing of the anthropological remains, that after several years are now completely recorded and safe in specific boxes. ** ** ** ** At the very end of the report, we would like to thank all the people and the institutions, that supported the Mission during the field season in Sudan; their assistance and help granted us the necessary support to carry out the work during this period, and to get the result of the research in the site. Thus, we deeply thank Dr Abdelrahman Ali Mohammed (General Director of the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums), Dr Alhassan Ahmad (National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums), Dr Salah Eldin Mohammed Ahmed (Qatar Sudan Archaeological Project), and Dr Fabrizio Lobasso (Italian Ambassador in Sudan). A special thank is due to Prof. Thomas Leisten (Qatar Sudan Archaeological Project), who honored our Mission with a visit to the site at the end of the season. To all these people the Italian Archaeological Mission in Sudan Jebel Barkal, is in debt of gratitude. 13