Working Together: Community, Conservation, and Preservation Strategies for Royal Painted Tombs at El-Kurru, Sudan

ABSTRACT

This paper discusses the conservation and preservation of the twenty-fifth dynasty royal painted tombs of Queen Qalhata and her son King Tanwetamani in the ancient kingdom of Kush at El-Kurru, Sudan. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region, Sudan’, the tombs fall under the International Kurru Archaeology Project. This collaboration with archaeologists, architects, engineers, and community stakeholders focuses on improving visitor access to the tombs while ensuring their preservation. Sustainable site maintenance was considered in developing realistic conservation strategies while working in a remote area with limited materials. The treatment plan for these tombs evolved from a thorough understanding of materials and methods used in their fabrication, analysis of their history and alteration over time, and consideration of future use and accessibility. Discussion with stakeholders informed collaborative decision-making processes to arrive at appropriate treatment methodologies which could be implemented in a compressed time frame. Choice of treatment materials and decisions about stabilization and improvements to the physical structure were based on availability, ease of use, and support of long-term maintenance. These measures will enhance visitor safety and contribute to the long-term preservation of the tombs, with the hope of serving as a model for similar projects in the region.

KEYWORDS:

• El-Kurru
• preservation
• conservation
• treatment
• painted
• tomb
• site work
• collaboration

Acknowledgements

Conservation efforts at El-Kurru would not be possible without permission from the National Council for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM) in Sudan and its Director General, Dr Abdelrahman Ali Mohamed. For this, the authors express their sincere gratitude. The authors would also like to thank NCAM Director of Conservation, Dr Iglal M. El Malik for her continued support. We are also grateful to the Qatar-Sudan Archaeological Project for their support in the preservation of Sudanese heritage. We owe special thanks to El-Kurru project co-directors Dr Geoff Emberling, Dr Rachael Dann, and Dr Abbas Sidahmed Mohamed-Ali, who work tirelessly throughout the year organizing logistics that ensure a productive and successful season. Grateful thanks to our NCAM inspector, Sami Elamin, and the International Kurru Archaeological Project foreman, Mansour Mohamed Ahmed Elhadari, who provide invaluable information and insight. Their resourcefulness as community liaisons are greatly appreciated. We are also thankful for the assistance of Osama Murkaz and the Acropole Hotel in Khartoum, especially George Papoulatos, for sourcing supplies and arranging transportation. Thanks also to our El-Kurru colleagues from the 2018 and 2019 seasons, especially Ignacio Forcadell, Nadejda Reshetnikova, and Antonio García Sánchez for their building and fabrication expertise; Suzanne Davis, who provided invaluable conservation expertise and guidance, and Martin Thygesen Jensen for allowing us to use his photography. We would like to show our gratitude to the El-Kurru community for their kindness and generosity, and to the hospitality of es-Sadeq Mohammed Saleh and family, our hosts in El-Kurru. This conservation season was partially supported by the University of Michigan, the University of Copenhagen, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. To them we are immensely grateful.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.