Judging a book by its cover: a new project analysing leatherwork from Sur Island, Sudan

Abstract

A new project at the Institute of Archaeology will build on the work of the Humboldt University Nubian Expedition by bringing together multi-disciplinary approaches in the analysis and cataloguing of leatherwork recovered from a medieval church on Sur Island, Sudan. A particular focus of the Sur Island Leatherwork Project will be the rich corpus of Late Coptic bookbindings. They include fragments of unparalleled variety, ranging from examples of Coptic codices known from Egyptian contexts to more unusual structural components which may reflect Nubian leatherwork traditions. By combining archaeometric analyses with socio-historical research on the assemblage, we hope to shed light on the nuances in the use and cultural value of leather in Makuritan Nubia and Late Coptic bookbinding more broadly. The material reflects a diverse range of influences and will add to the growing body of knowledge about the Fourth Cataract region in Sudan.