Western Deffufa
| Western Deffufa | |
|---|---|
The temple in 2009 | |
Location in Sudan | |
| Type | Temple |
| Location | Northern State, Sudan |
| History | |
| Built | c. 2500 BC |
| Site notes | |
| Material | Mudbrick |
| Height | c. 20 meters |
The Western Deffufa, located in the ancient city of Kerma in northern Sudan, is one of the oldest known monumental structures in the Nile Valley. The existing building was constructed after 1750 BC, during the Classic Period of the Kerma culture.[1][2] Rising about 20 meters (65 feet) high, it was built entirely from sun-dried mudbricks. Inside, the structure consists of a series of chambers and courtyards, thought to have been used for religious activities, rituals, and ceremonies central to the Kerma civilization.[3] The word "Deffufa" comes from the Nubian language, referring to buildings made of mudbrick, which were common Kerma’s architectural style.[4] An early version of the Western Deffufa previously existed during the Early Period of the Kerma culture (c. 2400-2000 BC), but little is known about its form.[2]
The Western Deffufa has been the focus of significant archaeological interest since its discovery in the early 20th century. Excavations led by Charles Bonnet and his team have revealed much of the site's layout and have uncovered numerous artifacts, including pottery, religious icons, and tools, all of which offer insight into the daily and spiritual life of the Kerma civilization.[5]
References
- ^ "Kerma: Chronology". Kerma: Mission Archéologique Suisse au Soudan.
- ^ a b Radner, Karen; Moeller, Nadine; Potts, Daniel T. (21 April 2022). The Oxford History of the Ancient Near East. Oxford University Press. pp. 102–103. ISBN 978-0-19-068760-1.
Kerma grew from a small, newly founded fortified village in Kerma ancien (2500–2000 BC), to a fortified settlement of 3 hectares in Kerma moyen (2000–1750 BC), to a fully urban settlement of about 25 hectares in Kerma classique (1750–1500 BC). In its last phase, Kerma was centered around a monumental mudbrick temple known as the "Deffufa" (a Nubian-language term for fortified structures), but the settlement also included a palace, public audience hall, chapels, houses of varying size, and abundant evidence for production of ceramics, faience, and glazed quartz, objects in copper alloy, as well as bread.
- ^ "Features - A Nubian Kingdom Rises - Archaeology Magazine - September/October 2020". Archaeology Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ Manzo, Andrea; Kendall, Timothy (2000). "Kerma and the Kingdom of Kush, 2500-1500 B.C.: The Archaeological Discovery of an Ancient Nubian Empire". African Arts. 33 (2): 16. doi:10.2307/3337772. ISSN 0001-9933. JSTOR 3337772.
- ^ Trigger, Bruce G. (1976). "Kerma: The Rise of an African Civilization". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 9 (1): 1–21. doi:10.2307/217388. ISSN 0361-7882. JSTOR 217388.