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Magnetic Gradient and Electrical Resistivity Tomography Surveys in Meroe, the Capital City of the Kush Kingdom, Sudan

  1. M. A. Mohamed-Ali1,*,
  2. T. Herbich2,
  3. K. Grzymski3,
  4. R. Hobbs1

Article first published online: 16 JAN 2012

DOI: 10.1002/arp.1415

Issue

Archaeological Prospection

Archaeological Prospection

Volume 19, Issue 1, pages 59–68, January/March 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mohamed-Ali, M. A., Herbich, T., Grzymski, K. and Hobbs, R. (2012), Magnetic Gradient and Electrical Resistivity Tomography Surveys in Meroe, the Capital City of the Kush Kingdom, Sudan. Archaeol. Prospect., 19: 59–68. doi: 10.1002/arp.1415

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, Durham, UK

  2. 2

    Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

  3. 3

    Department of World Cultures, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

*M. A. Mohamed Ali, Faculty of Earth Science and Mining, University of Dongola, Wadi Halfa, Sudan. Email: m.a.mohamed-ali@durham.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 MAR 2012
  2. Article first published online: 16 JAN 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 4 DEC 2011
  4. Manuscript Revised: 8 JUL 2011
  5. Manuscript Received: 28 AUG 2010

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Keywords:

  • Magnetic survey;
  • electrical resistivity tomography;
  • archaeological prospection;
  • Meroe;
  • Kush;
  • Sudan

ABSTRACT

One of the most important archaeological sites in Sudan is Meroe, capital city of the kingdom of Kush (800 bc to ad 400). The site is located in the Nile valley, about 200 km northeast of Khartoum. The most prominent feature among the ruins of Meroe is the Royal City: a stone-walled enclosure containing remains of palaces, governmental buildings and temples. The current study presents the results of integrated magnetic gradient and electrical resistivity tomography surveys in unexplored and partly explored areas in the central part of the site and in the southern part of the Royal City. The main enclosure wall, remains of sandstone and red-brick buildings, and a number of small archaeological structures have been traced on magnetic maps. The extent of buildings, identified by magnetic survey, has been complemented by information on the depth of structures provided by electrical resistivity tomography. The geophysical results have been partly verified through excavation. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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