Of Kings and Horses: Two New Horse Skeletons from the Royal Cemetery at el-Kurru, Sudan

Claudia Näser,Giulia Mazzetti

doi:10.14324/111.444.ai.2020.10

Abstract

This article presents the zooarchaeological evidence from two horse burials at the royal cemetery of el-Kurru, Sudan. The skeletons, whose survival after excavation was unknown, were recently rediscovered in storage in the Sudan National Museum. The article outlines the archaeological context of these specimens, their importance for research on equids in the ancient Nile valley and the first results of their zooarchaeological analysis.

Highlights

This article presents the zooarchaeological evidence from two horse burials at the royal cemetery of el-Kurru, Sudan
The article outlines the archaeological context of these specimens, their importance for research on equids in the ancient Nile valley and the first results of their zooarchaeological analysis
Debates on the use of horses in the ancient cultures of the Nile valley have been lively throughout the last century, covering a wide range of topics such as the date of their introduction to the region (Clutton-Brock 1974; Braunstein-Silvestre 1984; Bibby 2003; Meeks 2005; Raulwing and Clutton-Brock 2009), their ideational and ideological significance (Török 1991; Lenoble 1994; Meeks 2005; Guermeur 2012) and the potential for a distinct breed having been raised in Kush, namely the Middle Nile valley in present-day Sudan (Postgate 1974; Dalley 1985; Heidorn 1997)

Summary

Introduction

Debates on the use of horses in the ancient cultures of the Nile valley have been lively throughout the last century, covering a wide range of topics such as the date of their introduction to the region (Clutton-Brock 1974; Braunstein-Silvestre 1984; Bibby 2003; Meeks 2005; Raulwing and Clutton-Brock 2009), their ideational and ideological significance (Török 1991; Lenoble 1994; Meeks 2005; Guermeur 2012) and the potential for a distinct breed having been raised in Kush, namely the Middle Nile valley in present-day Sudan (Postgate 1974; Dalley 1985; Heidorn 1997). This article presents the zooarchaeological evidence from two horse burials at the royal cemetery of el-Kurru, Sudan.

Results

Conclusion