🇬🇧 [2002-2005] Excavations by the University of Lille III Charles de Gaulle: Zankor and Abu Sofyan
Under the direction of Brigitte Gratien
Located to the south of Wadi el-Milk, right along the famous “40 Days Trail” which runs through Darfur and Kordofan, the site of Zankor has long been characterized for its monolithic columns standing in the middle of the arid steppe.
Surveyed by British explorers during the Condominium era, it was not until 2002 that a full-scale archaeological dig was carried out by the Mission archéologique de Gism el-Arba (University of Lille III) led by Brigitte Gratien.

The excavation of Zankor was a courageous and pioneering undertaking. Working conditions were extremely harsh, even for seasoned archaeologists. From a scientific perspective, the challenge was no less daunting: the focus of archaeological research in Sudan has traditionally remained on the Nile Valley, leaving few comparative elements to help identify the cultures uncovered at Zankor—none of which developed a writing system. Yet, despite the abundance of publications speculating on the connections between the civilisations of the Nile Valley and those of inland Africa, it was only the Gism el-Arba Mission that dared to venture into the field in search of concrete archaeological evidence.

When the survey was extended to a wider perimeter of around twenty kilometres surrounding the site, it became evident that the settlement of the area was ancient, dating back to the Middle Palaeolithic. Over time, both the population and the number of sites grew, particularly around the scattered jebels in the plain, which offered protection from the wind. The cemeteries, by contrast, were established in open areas of the steppe. These cultures have not yet been clearly identified or precisely dated, largely due to the absence of comparative material, but research in the region is still ongoing.
Nevertheless, several levels of occupation have been discovered. The first one dating from the 2nd millennium BC and is characterized by light dwellings, lithic tools and very fine polished ceramics with incised decoration.
The second level is very well represented, particularly on the site of Zankor. Dating from around the year zero, this culture is contemporary with that of Meroe, but yet, no Meroitic remains been discovered.
Thick walls reinforced by observation towers once enclosed a vast area measuring 1.3 by 1.8 kilometres along the ridge of Jebel Zankor. Below this fortified zone lay a less densely populated residential area, also contained within the enclosure. A rainwater collection system and two high-altitude cisterns were constructed to supply the settlement. Although the site has been almost entirely destroyed—its large bricks repurposed for modern buildings—it is known that the ancient houses featured several rooms, either clustered or arranged in a row. Circles of polished stone pillars indicate the presence of places of worship.

The ceramics found at Zankor are distinctive—crudely shaped, built on basketry, coated in a red slip, and sometimes decorated with geometric motifs. Despite this cultural individuality, the occupation of the site appears to have been short-lived. Zankor was likely the seat of an independent principality, with no evident ties to the Nile Valley civilizations that flourished during the same period.
Later occupations of the area remain poorly understood. The town of Foga is currently the only known urban centre from a subsequent phase. The region seems to have enjoyed a renewed period of prosperity in the 13th and 14th centuries, but once again, no strong links have been established with the Christian kingdoms then active along the Nile.
Across the plain, cemeteries from various periods are scattered, most marked by stone mounds. Some stand out due to a prominent central tumulus enclosed within a quadrilateral of raised stones. One particularly striking example near Zankor has been dated by radiocarbon analysis to the late 13th or early 14th century.
The region may have later suffered significant decline due to water scarcity, prompting centres of authority to shift south-westward.

In 2005, prospecting began at the Abu Sofyan site, 250 kilometers north of Zankor. Since its discovery in 1923 and according to an initial survey conducted in 1935, only a large tumulus and a few rock engravings had been mentioned, all of which were unrelated to the cultures of the Nile Valley, or even to Zankor. Prospecting therefore began in an area measuring 20 x 20 kilometers. The oldest site mentioned dates from the Middle Paleolithic.
One of the most remarkable discoveries was a small Neolithic cemetery consisting of around ten burial mounds preceded by a double avenue of standing stones. A stelae sanctuary may also have existed nearby.
Later on, the number of inhabitants decreased and became more concentrated than in Zankor, but the cemeteries remained numerous and scattered. At Abu Sofyan, there is a completely silted-up settlement recognizable by its enclosure and a necropolis. The largest tomb is 50 meters in diameter and over 3 meters high, topped by a brick tumulus.
The local ceramics seem to date from the Meroitic era although they bear some similarities to those from Kerma, which are much earlier.
Another stone-encased town dominates an inhabited area, as at Zankor, but with a slightly different pattern to the upper/lower town division.
One particular aspect of Abu Sofyan should be noted: rock paintings from all periods depict wildlife or crudely stylized figures, including mounted camels in the latest drawings.
The area south of the Nile near the Forty Days’ Trail has therefore been occupied by man almost continuously since prehistoric times, but seems to have remained isolated from the civilizations of the valley. This suggests a succession of independent kingdoms along these trade routes, prior to the extension of the Darfur Sultanate into Kordofan and the Fung campaigns of Central Sudan.
OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
sfdas (5 novembre 2024). 🇬🇧 [2002-2005] Excavations by the University of Lille III Charles de Gaulle: Zankor and Abu Sofyan. SFDAS Khartoum. Consulté le 13 février 2026 à l’adresse https://sfdas.hypotheses.org/5675

