Archaeological works to the north of the Great Amun temple at Jebel Barkal (Sudan): preliminary results and new perspectives

Abstract

The paper presents preliminary results and discusses future perspectives on archaeological research in the area to the north of the Great Amun temple at Jebel Barkal (Napata) in connection to the most recent excavations of elite Meroitic structure B 1700. The field season of 2020 at B 1700 continued to bring to light a new monumental foundation platform of the cellular type constructed for a building which function and meaning remain a subject for debate. The now available data suggest that B 1700 followed the classic Meroitic square plan with rooms arranged around a central columned space, utility chambers on the ground floor, and official areas on the upper floor(s). Paper discusses general features of the exposed plan of B 1700, the process of its construction, recorded archaeological matrix, and finds. Special mention is made of the brick masonry, earlier occupation phase, later activities at the site, and the great pottery dump which was extensively used in the fill of the foundation platform. The author argues that elite building B 1700 was probably constructed at the time of king Natakamani (1 century AD) – one of the most known Kushite rulers of the Classic Meroitic period – and did not continue functioning for more than, probably, one century. The study of B 1700 and its surrounding area has a considerable significance for reconstructing the history of the development of the temple and royal zone to the north of the temenos of the Great Amun temple at Jebel Barkal as well as provide new data on the actual nature of Napata as an economic and political center of Meroitic Kush.