PhD thesis by Joanna Ciesielska
Between the sixth and fifteenth c. CE, a vast expanse of central and southern Sudan belonged to t... more Between the sixth and fifteenth c. CE, a vast expanse of central and southern Sudan belonged to the kingdom of Alwa, ruled from the urban metropolis of Soba. Renewed investigation of the city unearthed a small cemetery in the northern part of the site. The heterogeneity of burial practices raised some questions as to the cultural and religious affinities of the deceased and suggested potential multiculturalism of the local urban population. We applied isotopic analyses to investigate the origins of the people buried at Cemetery OS and their concomitant ways of life. Non-concordance of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and δ 18 O values with local hydro-geological background speaks to the mixing of water sources as a result of residential mobility. The concordance of human and faunal strontium and oxygen results, combined with elevated δ 13 C values corresponding to almost exclusive reliance on C 4 produce, points to the possibility of seasonal movement of people with their herds between the Nile valley and the adjacent grasslands. Despite the turn of the medieval Nubian economy towards settled agriculture, by revealing the granular specificities of human adaptation in challenging ecosystems, our results produce the first insight into the enduring diversification of economic production, even in urbanized settings, and persisting participation of local peoples in agropastoral symbiosis. Résumé Entre le VIe et le XVe s. CE, une vaste étendue du centre et du sud du Soudan appartenait au royaume d'Alwa, gouverné depuis la métropole urbaine de Soba. Une nouvelle enquête sur la ville a mis au jour un petit cimetière dans la partie nord du site. L'hétérogénéité des pratiques funéraires a soulevé certaines questions quant aux affinités culturelles et religieuses des défunts et a suggéré un potentiel multiculturalisme de la population urbaine locale. Nous avons appliqué des analyses isotopiques pour étudier les origines des personnes enterrées au cimetière OS et leurs modes de vie concomitants. La non-concordance des valeurs de 87Sr/86Sr et δ18O avec le contexte hydrogéologique local témoigne d'un mélange de sources d'eau résultant de la mobilité résidentielle. La concordance des résultats humains et fauniques en strontium et en oxygène, combinée aux valeurs élevées de δ13C correspondant à une dépendance
unpublished PhD thesis, 2022
Christian funerary sites in the area of medieval Nubian kingdoms are characterised by enormous va... more Christian funerary sites in the area of medieval Nubian kingdoms are characterised by enormous variability, both in terms of the layout of whole burial grounds, as well as the sole appearance of individual burial units. The goal of research conducted within the framework of this thesis was the investigation of this variability in order to uncover the social identities of the deceased buried at the cemeteries of Ghazali in northern Sudan. The core of the site is a medieval monastery dated from the 7th to the 13th centuries AD. The funerary sphere of Ghazali is composed of four burial grounds (Cemeteries 1-4), belonging to both monastic and local lay populations. The differences between populations were investigated using spatial distribution of architectural features, as well as isotopic analyses of diet and mobility. Resources accessibility draws an economic divide between entire groups of various adaptations and modes of living and thus becomes a correlate of status. Meanwhile, much more pronounced internal diversity of the monastic Cemetery 2 suggests that the status in medieval Nubia was proclaimed through economic means. Wealth entailed privilege, which was then expressed through the location of burial in tandem with its architectural elaborateness. In effect, vertical ranking was demonstrated in funerary realm through one’s relationship to religion.
Papers by Joanna Ciesielska
Studia Etnologiczne i Antropologiczne
The preliminary report covered the results of the fieldwork conducted in Soba (Sudan, Khartoum St... more The preliminary report covered the results of the fieldwork conducted in Soba (Sudan, Khartoum State) in 2021-2022. It includes a general description of the idea behind the project as well as results of geophysical surveys, archaeological excavations, pottery studies, analysis of macro organic remains and stone tools, ethnological research, and training program.
2020 the construction of a storeroom began. The building was to be located next to a police stati... more 2020 the construction of a storeroom began. The building was to be located next to a police station at the site, so archaeological excavations had to be conducted there before construction started (Trench 1/SH). Simultaneously, an initial ethnological study was undertaken in al-Gen'ab and Marabiya al-Sherif to understand the attitudes that the inhabitants of modern Soba have to the archaeological remains. Aerial photography Before geophysical prospection and excavation, systematic documentation by means of aerial photography was undertaken. Vertical and oblique photos as well as video captures were made using a camera suspended under an unmanned aerial vehicle (DJI Mavic Air 2 with Hasselblad camera). Oblique photos recorded the changing landscape of Soba. Vertical photos with ground control points measured by means of a GPS RTK (Topcon Hiper SR) were processed to create 3D-models of the surface of the site (Agisoft Metashape software). Subsequently, digital elevation models (DEMs) and orthomosaics were made, and used throughout the research. All topographical measurements were made using the WGS84 / UTM zone36N coordinate system (EPSG: 32636). The same documentation technique was applied during excavations. Each explored layer in every trench was documented with vertical, oblique and 3D-model aerial photographs. The aerial video captures of the fieldwork and the landscape were integrated to create movie clips promoting Sudan's heritage and our research. The films, as well as selected aerial photos from the fieldwork, can be found on the project website (www.soba.uw.edu.pl).
Antiquity, 2021
Recent geophysical exploration and excavations, together with new radiocarbon dates, have shed li... more Recent geophysical exploration and excavations, together with new radiocarbon dates, have shed light on the spatial organisation of medieval Soba in Sudan, and can partly be connected to the oral histories of the city's demise.
Preliminary report from excavations conducted in 2020 before the construction of the storage hous... more Preliminary report from excavations conducted in 2020 before the construction of the storage house at Soba East, Khartoum Province, Sudan.
Archaeometry, 2021
In contrast to contemporaneous Byzantine and Egyptian textual accounts, little is known about med... more In contrast to contemporaneous Byzantine and Egyptian textual accounts, little is known about medieval Nubian monastic diets. Femur samples from 30 monks interred at Ghazali monastery (occupied ca. 680–1,275 CE), Sudan were examined for δ13Ccol and δ15N. δ13C averaged ‐ 17.0‰ ± 1.0‰ (range: −14.7‰ to −19.0‰); δ15N averaged 11.3‰ ± 1.1‰ (range: 7.5‰ to 13.4‰), suggesting primarily mixed C3/C4 diets with variable animal protein consumption. Such data, the first from Nubian monastic contexts, bring forth questions about expected versus actual monastic diets, as well as access to foodstuffs and dietary variation over time, as the diets of the monks were not entirely uniform.
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2021
Abstract The advent of Christianity in Nubia (modern Sudan) in the sixth century AD prompted a fa... more Abstract The advent of Christianity in Nubia (modern Sudan) in the sixth century AD prompted a far-reaching cultural transformation, with changes in material culture, architecture, and cultural practice, marked in the funerary sphere as well. Due to its uneven hydrological conditions, Sudan has always been populated by peoples possessing diverse economic adaptations, with agricultural communities settled along the fertile Nile valley and various mobile pastoralist groups occupying vast areas of the adjacent deserts. This study contributes novel data to the study of medieval Nubian subsistence strategies through an assessment of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) values in the bone collagen and apatite of 25 lay individuals interred within three contemporaneous cemeteries adjacent to the medieval monastic settlement of Ghazali in northern Sudan. Along with human values, this study utilizes a number of faunal samples for the comparative investigation of diet among various groups buried at the site. Collected results suggest primary reliance on C4 products with regular contributions from terrestrial animal proteins. Examined in the context of archaeological data, large contributions of C4 may be considered indicative of subsistence diversification and semi-pastoral economies of the local medieval populations.
African Archaeological Review, 2021
Recent research at Soba focuses on the tangible and intangible heritage of the medieval capital o... more Recent research at Soba focuses on the tangible and intangible heritage of the medieval capital of Alwa kingdom, whose remains cover approximately 275 ha. About 222 ha of this area has been built up or transformed into agricultural land in the past 30 years. An ethnographic survey was also carried out in the built-up area to understand how the residents engage with the archaeological heritage and material remains. The undeveloped area of the capital (53 ha) was the focus of interdisciplinary archaeological fieldwork conducted in 2019 and 2020. A large-scale geophysical survey, using a fluxgate gradiometer and ground-penetrating radar, was initiated in the undeveloped area, and excavation trenches were opened to verify distinctive magnetic anomalies. Along with the ethnographic and geophysical data, the study of the pottery, burials, and stratigraphic sequence (supplemented with radiocarbon dates) provides new insights into the spatial organization of the medieval capital.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2020
The current paper investigates the prevalence and aetiology of proximal femur fractures in two te... more The current paper investigates the prevalence and aetiology of proximal femur fractures in two temporally distinctive groups of medieval Christian Nubia: the monastic community (ca. late 7 th to half of 13 th c. AD) and a later group of postmonastic, intrusive interments (ca. 13 th c. AD) from Cemetery 2 at Ghazali, northern Sudan. Four cases of proximal femur fractures were identified macroscopically among the skeletal remains of 86 adult individuals, and subjected to detailed investigation of underlying aetiology due to the unusual demographic characteristics of the individuals. The proximal femora were subjected to radiographic examination and classification of trauma using the AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) system and the prevalence of fractures was calculated. Among the 77 adult individuals examined from the Monastic Phase of Cemetery 2, three cases of hip fractures were identified, a prevalence of 3.9%, while only one was identified among the nine Post-Monastic individuals, which accounts for 11.1% of the total sample. All of the recognized fractures belong to the extracapsular type. Analysis of the mechanisms of This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. fracture in the four studied individuals from Ghazali, despite the relatively young age of male individuals, does not exclude osteoporotic background resulting in stressinduced fragility trauma. Considering the demographic profile of the deceased and observed co-morbidities, it is concluded that sustained fractures were the result of high-impact injuries connected with demanding physical activity in the harsh Bayuda desert environment.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2019
During the archaeological excavations of a Christian monastic cemetery in northern Sudan, a doubl... more During the archaeological excavations of a Christian monastic cemetery in northern Sudan, a double-vaulted tomb was discovered housing the remains of three individuals, among them a 50+ year old female. The skeletal remains of this individual displayed significant asymmetry of the lower limbs, with apparent muscle atrophy and shortening of the left extremity, in combination with other symptoms suggestive of a neurogenic background of the condition. This paper presents a differential assessment, considering various possible etiologies of the observed lesions, including poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, and Rasmussen's encephalitis. The morphology and patterning of the observed lesions suggests the first known occurrence of poliomyelitis from medieval Sudanese contexts.
Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean, 2018
The excavation report covers eight months of fieldwork at the site of Ghazali, which resulted in ... more The excavation report covers eight months of fieldwork at the site of Ghazali, which resulted in the clearing of the entire monastery and the discovery of three annexes located on the north and west of the complex. The spiritual part of the monastery included two churches located in the southeastern corner of the complex, a household compound on the west side and a refectory and dormitory in between. Conservation work focused on the reconstruction and restoration of water storage installations in Room Y, as well as north of the North Church. Excavation outside the monastic walls brought the discovery of an iron smelting area with several well-preserved furnaces. Exploration of the monks’cemetery uncovered regular box superstructures and an intriguing variety of substructures from simple vertical pit tombs to elaborate vaulted chambers.
International journal of paleopathology, Jan 25, 2018
This article examines pronounced osteoblastic-osteolytic vertebral lesions in a middle adult male... more This article examines pronounced osteoblastic-osteolytic vertebral lesions in a middle adult male (Ghz-2-033), from the Christian Nubian monastic settlement of Ghazali (ca. 670-1270 CE), Sudan, to explore their potential etiology. Morphological assessments of sex and age were undertaken in conjunction with macroscopic and radiological methods of assessment for the skeletal lesions documented. Macroscopic assessment of Ghz-2-033 identified mixed osteoblastic-osteolytic lesions in L2-L3 with minor foci in T12-L1, while radiological assessment identified no further lesions. This paleopathological analysis considers tuberculosis, brucellosis, pyogenic intervertebral disc infection, neoplastic conditions, and mycotic infections as potential etiologies. Tuberculosis is the most probable etiology for the lesions observed. This assessment is based on the morphology of the lesions in conjunction with the known confined living quarters at Ghazali and the presence of tuberculosis vectors (i.e....
Azania:archaeological Research in Africa, Feb 3, 2023
Archaeometry, 2021
In contrast to contemporaneous Byzantine and Egyptian textual accounts, little is known about med... more In contrast to contemporaneous Byzantine and Egyptian textual accounts, little is known about medieval Nubian monastic diets. Femur samples from 30 monks interred at Ghazali monastery (occupied ca. 680–1,275 CE), Sudan were examined for δ13Ccol and δ15N. δ13C averaged ‐ 17.0‰ ± 1.0‰ (range: −14.7‰ to −19.0‰); δ15N averaged 11.3‰ ± 1.1‰ (range: 7.5‰ to 13.4‰), suggesting primarily mixed C3/C4 diets with variable animal protein consumption. Such data, the first from Nubian monastic contexts, bring forth questions about expected versus actual monastic diets, as well as access to foodstuffs and dietary variation over time, as the diets of the monks were not entirely uniform.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2020
The current paper investigates the prevalence and aetiology of proximal femur fractures in two te... more The current paper investigates the prevalence and aetiology of proximal femur fractures in two temporally distinctive groups of medieval Christian Nubia: the monastic community (ca. late 7th to half of 13th c. AD) and a later group of post‐monastic, intrusive interments (ca. 13th c. AD) from Cemetery 2 at Ghazali, northern Sudan. Four cases of proximal femur fractures were identified macroscopically among the skeletal remains of 86 adult individuals, and subjected to detailed investigation of underlying aetiology due to the unusual demographic characteristics of the individuals. The proximal femora were subjected to radiographic examination and classification of trauma using the AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) system and the prevalence of fractures was calculated. Among the 77 adult individuals examined from the Monastic Phase of Cemetery 2, three cases of hip fractures were identified, a prevalence of 3.9%, while only one was identified among the nine Post‐Monastic individuals, which accounts for 11.1% of the total sample. All of the recognized fractures belong to the extracapsular type. Analysis of the mechanisms of fracture in the four studied individuals from Ghazali, despite the relatively young age of male individuals, does not exclude osteoporotic background resulting in stress‐induced fragility trauma. Considering the demographic profile of the deceased and observed co‐morbidities, it is concluded that sustained fractures were the result of high‐impact injuries connected with demanding physical activity in the harsh Bayuda desert environment.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 2019
During the archaeological excavations of a Christian monastic cemetery in northern Sudan, a doubl... more During the archaeological excavations of a Christian monastic cemetery in northern Sudan, a double‐vaulted tomb was discovered housing the remains of three individuals, among them a 50+ year old female. The skeletal remains of this individual displayed significant asymmetry of the lower limbs, with apparent muscle atrophy and shortening of the left extremity, in combination with other symptoms suggestive of a neurogenic background of the condition. This paper presents a differential assessment, considering various possible etiologies of the observed lesions, including poliomyelitis, cerebral palsy, and Rasmussen’s encephalitis. The morphology and patterning of the observed lesions suggests the first known occurrence of poliomyelitis from medieval Sudanese contexts.
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PhD thesis by Joanna Ciesielska
Papers by Joanna Ciesielska
large burial fields that have been excavated since 2015. Over 80 tombs investigated within Cemeteries
1 and 2 exhibit a range of diversity in terms of their architectural form, from simple rock-cut pits
topped with rectangular stone cairns to mud-brick mastabas with inscribed funerary stelae and doublevaulted
chamber tombs. The location of Cemetery 2, next to the monastic edifices, combined with the
demographics of the anthropological sample (64 out of 66 skeletons from the original context belonged
to adult males) and epigraphic analysis of Greek and Coptic inscriptions on the stelae, confirm the
preliminary identification of the cemetery as a burial ground of the monks inhabiting the monastery,
making Ghazali one of only three known sites in medieval Nubia with supposed monastic cemeteries. The
fieldwork and writing of the following publication was facilitated by the grant 2014/13/D/HS3/03829
National Science Centre, Poland and Qatar Sudan Archaeological Project QSAP.A.36