Abasseya Project

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Works performed in Abasseya – Sector B

Sector B was cleaned in order to continue the excavation process. The southeastern area was arranged according to the criteria initiated in the previous campaign. The whole area was cleaned and all the column fragments found in the sector were moved there. These fragments were placed following, if possible, the construction sequence of a column: capital, pre-capital, drums and base. In cases in which the pieces were found together, clearly belonging to a single column, the sequence has been maintained.

As for the archaeological work, the first thing done after the initial cleanup, was the excavation and removal of the Islamic burial found in the northwest corner of the building. The buried remains were moved to the northeast corner of the archaeological site. After removing the burial, the destruction level of the north side of the building was completely dug out. To help preserving the north wall of the building, it was left untouched against the wall, 40 centimeters of the destruction level. Aside this, in the entire north side, including the northwest and northeast corners, it has been reached a level of compacted material, still above the original street level of the building. On the south side, after removing the column pieces accumulated in previous campaigns, the excavation has begun and it has been reached the same compact level that is above the old street level.

The interior of the building has begun to be excavated and in three of the subdivisions, it has been reached the destruction level.

We have begun the restoration work on the walls of the building. The outer wall of the south side and the one of the southeast corner has been fully cleaned. A protective net has been placed on top of the old levels preserved, which has been covered with a layer of clay. At the edges, a ribbon of green clay marks the boundary between the preserved level and the restored level. A layer of bricks from the excavation, have been temporarily placed above the restored level. It has also been placed a line of redbricks on top of the interior walls as a temporary measure to protect the mudbrick walls.

Works performed in Abasseya – Sector C

In Sector C, it was opened a square area of 11 meters by 13 meters which was later expanded towards the south side by two meters. It has been found the remains of a quadrangular building (5 meters by 5 meters) built in local sandstone. It is very bad preserved. The building retains only the last row of blocks from the walls and most of the pieces are split into small pieces, making it difficult to excavate. In the north and south sides two distinct destruction levels are associated with the building. On the north side is formed by the remains of local sandstone, while in the south side most of the accumulated material is fired redbrick, forming a very compacted and hard level. It has been partially documented the original street level associated with the existence of the building. Two factors have influenced the poor condition of the building, on one hand the natural slope of the land that makes that the ancient construction and street level almost coincide with the current street level and, secondly, the poor quality of the local sandstone which is very fragile.

To preserve the remains found in Sector C, it has been chosen to close the excavated area again, covering it with sand. It has been thoroughly registered the excavation process with notes and photos and it has been drawn the remains found in this sector.

Material from the Abasseya 2013 season

All material found during excavation of the sectors B and C have been cleaned, identified and inventoried. The most significant pieces have been drawn and photographed. All material found during this campaign has been stored with the material of the previous campaigns in the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Dongola (in Karima).