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Between c. 300 BC and AD 350, the Meroitic kingdom dominated the Middle Nile Valley; following its breakdown, it was replaced by a series of smaller successor polities. Explanation for this change centres on socio-political and economic instability. Here, the authors investigate the role of climate and environment using stable carbon and oxygen isotope analyses of human and faunal dental enamel from 13 cemeteries. The results show increasing δ18O values towards the end of the Meroitic kingdom and in the post-Meroitic period, combined with less negative δ13C values. These trends suggest a shift towards more arid conditions associated with changes in agricultural practices and land use that may have contributed to the kingdom's dissolution.

New excavations at the Jebel Moya cemetery in Sudan reveal previously unknown, continuous burial activity from the third millennium BC to c. 2000 years ago. Radiometric dates, archaeobotanical analyses and new approaches to the pottery sequence reveal a long-lasting and vibrant community in what was previously dismissed as a marginal environment in south-central Sudan.

New excavations at the Jebel Moya cemetery in Sudan reveal previously unknown, continuous burial activity from the third millennium BC to c. 2000 years ago. Radiometric dates, archaeobotanical analyses and new approaches to the pottery sequence reveal a long-lasting and vibrant community in what was previously dismissed as a marginal environment in south-central Sudan.

This paper outlines the ways in which the project is addressing the colonial legacy of Henry Wellcome as well as presenting the data from the first three field seasons at Jebel Moya, south-central Sudan. These data have substantially revised our chronological and socio-economic understanding of the site. Our excavations, initiated in 2017 and continued in 2019 and 2022, show a longer, more continuous occupation of the site than has been previously recognised. The faunal and botanical remains have implications for the spread of early domesticates in the eastern Sahel and for climate changes, and raise issues of resilience. There is confirmed human burial activity from at least the third millennium BC onwards, while the pottery continues to yield information about the variety of decoration and, for the final Assemblage 3, data on its usage. Overall, the continued importance of the site for the eastern Sahel is re-emphasised. نتائج المواسم الثلاثة الأولى في جبل موية، السودان إيزابيل فيلا جريجوري ، مايكل براس ، أحمد آدم ، إيونا كوزيرادزكا-أوغونماكين ، شادية عبد الوهاب ، عبد الحي فضلمولا ، آنا دن هولاندر ، دوريان كيو فولر ، كيفين ماكدونالد ، عز الدين حجاج ، مصعب خالد ، عمر علي و هناء إبراهيم . توضح هذه الورقة الخطوط العريضة التي تعامل بها المشروع مع الإرث الاستعماري لهنري ويلكوم بالإضافة إلى عرض البيانات من مواسم العمل الميداني الثلاثة الأولى في جبل موية، جنوب وسط السودان. لقد قامت هذه البيانات بتنقيح جوهري لفهمنا الزمني والاجتماعي والاقتصادي للموقع . تُظهر أعمال التنقيب، التي بدأت في عام 2017 واستمرت في عامي 2019 و 2022، استيطان الموقع لفترة أطول وأكثر استمراراً مما تم التعرف عليه سابقاً. البقايا الحيوانية والنباتية لها دلالات على انتشار الدواجن المبكر في شرق الساحل و تغير المناخ، و تثير قضايا بخصوص قدرة التحمل. هناك نشاط دفن بشري مؤكد منذ الألفية الثالثة قبل الميلاد (على الأقل) فصاعداَ، بينما يستمر الفخار في تقديم معلومات عن مجموعة متنوعة من الزخارف، كذلك لنسبة للتجميع النهائي 3، حيث يقدم بيانات عن استخدامها. بشكل عام، تم إعادة التأكيد على الأهمية المستمرة للموقع لمنطقة شرق الساحل .

New excavations at the Jebel Moya cemetery in Sudan reveal extensive evidence for Meroitic-era occupation, providing valuable data on contemporaneous diet, migration, exchange and population composition in sub-Saharan Africa.

This report presents the latest data from ongoing excavations at Jebel Moya, Sudan. This year saw the opening of five new trenches and continued excavation of an archaeologically rich trench. We have recovered four individual burials, a mud brick wall and a number of animal and archaeobotanical remains. The excavations also yielded a longer pottery sequence, showing clearly that the site was in use by at least the sixth millennium BC. This season confirms the long and complex history of Jebel Moya and provides the material for future studies on population health and subsistence. This season also saw an increase in community engagement and a more detailed study of the various historical trajectories that make up the biography of Jebel Moya.