Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin
Anthropology
Bulletin
1) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia; 2) Moscow Institute of Architecture State Academy (MARCHI), Rozhdestvenka, 11, Moscow, 107031, Russia; 3) Russian Orthodox University of st. John the Apostle, Novaja plochad, 12, 3, Moscow, 109012, Russia; 4) Paleoethnology Research Center, Novaja plochad, 12, 5, Moscow, 109012, Russia; 5) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Anthropology, Leninskie Gory, 1(12), Moscow, 119234, Russia
Krol Alexei A., PhD; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-5601-2890; alexykrol@gmail.com; Berezina Natalia Y., PhD; ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5704-9153; berezina.natalia@gmail.com; Chirkova Alina Kh., PhD; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4332-0747; melnichuk.alina@mail.ru; Fedorchuk Olga A., PhD; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9645-2014; lela.fed@yandex.ru; Gordeev Fedor I.; ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1647-8327; fedorgordeev98@gmail.com; Kalinina Olga S.; ORCID ID: 0000-0003-2533-7913; olikku@gmail.com; Tolmacheva Elena G., PhD; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9003-409X; etolma@mail.ru
Materials and methods. This article is a collective research conducted by the members of the Nubian archaeological and anthropological expedition of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov Moscow State University. The article outlines the main results of the expedition's work over four field seasons at the Deraheib site, located at the headstream of Wadi al-Allaqi, in the northern part of the Nubian desert (Central Atbai) in the Republic of Sudan. From 2017 to 2022 The Nubian expedition excavated the Northern Fortress, Building 3 (Mosque) at the settlement of Deraheib, the Southern Necropolis; carried out an reconnaissance mission to the Onib ring structure. Results and discussion. Based on the study of the obtained archaeological materials (primarily the analysis of ceramics and textiles), as well as data from written sources, it was established that the medieval part of history of the monument covers the period between the 9th and 12th centuries. The archaeological site of Deraheib can be associated with the city of Al-Allaqi, mentioned in Arabic sources as a gold mining center in the Nubian desert, a trading city that was located on one of the caravan routes connecting the Red Sea port of Aidhab and the city of Aswan. The materials of the excavations of the Northern Fortress made it possible to advance a hypothesis that the building, erected in the 9th century, functioned more like a fortified castle of the local ruler rather than a fortress. The study of Building 3 allows us to say with confidence that it was a Friday mosque, founded at the beginning of the 10th century. Ongoing excavations in the Southern Necropolis have revealed Muslim burials (25 out of 31 investigated burials) and burials that are associated with the population that lived on the territory of Atbai in the Late Antique — Early Medieval period, known from classical sources as Blemmyes. A group of anthropologists obtained important data on the sex and age of the population of Deraheib, traces of daily activities and pathologies reflected in the skeleton. An important direction in the research of the MSU complex expedition is the study of the modern population of Central Atbai, primarily the Bisharin tribe of the Beja tribal union. The article outlines the main directions of these studies and preliminary results. Acknowledgements. To Director of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of the Lomonosov MSU Academician Alexandra P. Buzhilova; Deputy Director of the Paleoethnology Research Center, Denis V. Pezhemsky for help in organizing the expedition, valuable advice, and comments during the scientific research. We also thank the British Museum (and personally R. Walker), the Geocomplex Company, the Kush Company, E.V. Bokova for financial and friendly assistance. Without it the expedition would not have been able to complete its tasks in full. We also thank A. Sesht for translation of the article. The work was performed within the framework of “Anthropology of Eurasian Populations (biological aspects)” topic number: АААА-А19-119013090163-2. Research was carried out under partial support of MSU Shared Research Equipment Center “Technologies for obtaining new nanostructured materials and their complex study”, National Project "Science" and MSU Program of Development.
Sudan; Central Atbai; Nubian Desert; Wadi al-Allaqi; Deraheib; Onib; Blemmyes
DOI: 10.32521/2074-8132.2022.3.100-124
Цит.: Krol A. A., Berezina N.Y., Chirkova A.Kh., Fedorchuk O.A., Gordeev F.I., Kalinina O.S., Tolmacheva E.G. Research of the Nubian archaeological and anthropological expedition of the Research Institute and the Museum of Anthropology of Moscow State University in Central Atbai (2017–2022) // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2022; 3/2022; с. 100-124 (Published: September 15, 2022)
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