Murals with Drawings of Christ and Virgin Mary Discovered in Northern Sudan

Syriac Press ^ | 4/12/23

[marshmallow]

KHARTOUM — While excavating an archaeological site in the Old Dongola region of northern Sudan, Polish researchers discovered stone artifacts dating back to the Middle Ages including ancient murals inscribed with drawings and pictorial motifs of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the archangel Michael.

The researchers described the discovery as unique and unexpected because the images were painted in an unusual way compared to other Christian archaeological discoveries in northern Sudan.

The Polish archeologists said the unique archaeological discovery has great artistic and historical significance for the Old Dongola region. They explained the murals have retained their natural colors and appear as if they were engraved today. They will continue working to decipher the mysterious symbols surrounding the unusual discovery, said the researchers.

The archeology team also found stone blocks with the name “al-Kawa” engraved in hieroglyphics.

[MeganC]

Sad that such a wonderful region of faith was lost to the scourge of Islam.

[BradyLS]

Looks Byzantine! Amazing!

[Boogieman]

Yeah, that was my thought as well, looks like Byzantine art. Maybe some Greeks fleeing the Ottomans resettled there? There was a “Byzantine diaspora” after the Turks started crowding them out.

[Albion Wilde]

Ping!

[Zuriel]

So they got Jesus and Mary to pose for the paintings?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Albion Wilde.

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[Claud]

The Greek presence in Sudan goes way back to pre-Islamic days. Basically, the Byzantines converted the Nubian kingdoms in the late 500s, although there was also influence from Coptic Egypt. As you can imagine, the sacred art of the region was influenced by Byzantine and Coptic styles, often with a contrast between light-skinned Christ and saints and darker-skinned Nubian bishops. The last Christian kingdom, Alodia, only fell in 1504. Many frescos were saved from Faras cathedral in the 1960s when the Aswan High Dam was being built, as the area was about to be flooded.

[Boogieman]

Yes, I know “Alodia” from this historical strategy game called EU4 I play; the game starts in 1444 AD so they are still around. But the game sets them as Coptic religion, so I didn’t realize they were actually Orthodox. Probably the game just did that for gameplay purposes, so the poor Ethiopians had a country to vassalize or ally since they are otherwise completely surrounded by muslims.

[BradyLS]

Great info! Wikipedia says the Coptics reached Sudan around the 2nd Century. The early Byzantines exerted an influence on the Coptics in Sudan as well before being encroached upon by the spread of Islam beginning in the 7th Century.

[Claud]

From what I read it’s uncertain to what degree they were (Monophysite/Miaphysite) Coptic or Byzantine Orthodox....there is evidence for both, and the last I read it seemed both groups had their partisans in the area.

[Claud]

Rereading some of my research on this again. Apparently Alodia and Nobatia were evangelized by Copts, and it’s Makuria where the Byzantine influence seems strongest. But it wasn’t clear cut along political lines. There are definitely inscriptions that point to Orthodoxy, so perhaps both groups had their adherents, at least in the beginning. That said, it certainly seems like you’re right, that Coptic was the predominant element.

EU4 eh? Might need to check out this game. We are big Age of Empires fans here....especially my 9 year old girl.