A Brief Report On The 2019 Season In Duweym Wad Haj

This article reports on the results of archaeological, soil, geoinformatical, engineering and other interdisciplinary research and surveys in Duweym Wad Haj in 2019. Debris of arches and columns of riwaq were discovered inside the old mosque and sand deposits ca 2.5 m thick were excavated here, interleaved with traces of settlement dated to the 13th and 14th centuries AD. In other squares thick sand deposits were also excavated, covering walls and debris, containing dressed stones. A probable channel was discovered in pre-mosque layers. The pottery discovered dates to a broad range from the Mesolithic/ Neolithic to the Islamic periods. The torso of a statue, presumably of Napatan origin, has been discovered by the survey. Soil research has determined that the old mosque might stand on an at least 7 metres high complex of Aeolian sands. Two phases of the floor of the mosque, sloping down from the south-eastern corner towards the northwestern corner and the very accurate orientation of the qibla wall towards the Kaaba have been corroborated. The construction of the minbar was examined and traces of its wooden railing have been discovered. Samples from lintels in the windows of the mosque indicate the use of coniferous wood. The old mosque may have served for hajj pilgrims from central and western Africa and links to the Red Sea coast have been indicated.