🇬🇧 Sai Island

Sai Island is a reflection of Nubia as a whole, divided between the history of Egypt and that of the Kushite kingdoms of ancient Sudan. The first excavation site to inaugurate the Franco-Sudanese archaeological cooperation in 1954, it is known for its incredible diversity of archaeological remains, concentrated in a small territory.

Located south of Batn el-Haggar (“stone belly”), a rocky region where navigation on the Nile is difficult, its territory is naturally protected by the river and has often played a strategic and military role in the history of Nubia, as is evidenced by the remains of an Egyptian fortified city dating from the New Kingdom and the still prominent remains of an Ottoman fortress.

Having always hosted very diverse research programs, the mission is now focusing on the establishment of an archaeological map to facilitate the management of its highly threatened heritage, the excavation and publication of the Kushite necropolises partially explored in the past, as well as the clearing and study of the Egyptian city.

This work allows us to better understand how its space has evolved over time, between periods of great influence and competition from new regional centers. Continuously occupied from prehistory to the present day, it offers a unique context in Sudan to follow the history and evolution of the Nubian populations through its different cultural phases.

Since 2019, the archaeological mission of Sai Island has joined the UMR 8167 – Orient & Méditerranée (CNRS – Sorbonne University). It benefits from the support of the Consultative Commission for Archaeological Research Abroad of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.