Czech team excavates ancient sites dedicated to Nubian gods
An archaeological expedition organised by the National Museum has made remarkable finds in the area of Wad ban Naqa – ruins dating back to the Kingdom of Meroe in today’s Sudan. The Náprstek Museum is currently holding talks on the expedition’s progress after the first two seasons, including research at a temple dedicated to Nubian lion gods. They have also been studying a circular structure whose origins have remained a mystery since it was first excavated in the 1950s.
“The site of Wad ban Naqa is one of the most important archaeological sites in the territory of the ancient Kingdom of Meroe. Most of the structures that are located there, some of them were already archaeologically surveyed in the past. During our second excavation season we focussed mainly on the so-called ‘small temple’, a structure built in either the first century BC or first century AD and continually used as a sacred building until the collapse of the Meroe Kingdom in the fourth century. The temple was likely dedicated to one of the native Nubian lion gods, either Apedemak or Sebiumeker.”
How important were these gods for worshippers?
What was his role?
“He was worshipped like the other lion gods and goddesses (lions were common in the area into the 19th century and were highly revered as powerful and majestic beasts). If we are able to prove that Sebiumeker was the main deity in this temple, it would be the first archaeological structure dedicated to him uncovered.”
I’ve also read about a complex of buildings that you have been exploring whose original use remains a mystery; could you tell me a little bit about those?
“We started exploring the structure of the so-called circular building even in our first excavation season. There are two earlier theories concerning the function of the main building of the complex, a perfect circle with a diameter of 27 metres, what was once a building in the shape of a beehive.
