Resumen de Archaeological excavations in prehistoric sites of the Blue Nile area: Central Sudan

Víctor Manuel Fernández Martínez, Mario Menéndez Fernández, Alfredo Jimeno Martínez

• español

  Resultados de las excavaciones en dos yacimientos mesolfticos, uno de la zona del río (Sheikh Musta fa1, fechado por carbono-14 en c. 7705-7600 bp) y otro en Wadi Sobo (El Mahalab, c. 7705-6940 bp), y un yacimiento neolftico inicial del wadi (Sheikh el Amin, c. 5555-4590 bp), con análisis exhaustivos de estratigrafías, cerámicas, materiales lfticos y otros hallazgos, usando métodos multivariantes (componentes principales, análisis factorial). Aunque la erosión ha afectado parcialmente a los sitios mesolíticos, se recuperaron importantes datos sobre la evolución cultural regional del VIII al y milenio bp, cuyas lineas de cambio van desde cerámicas nilóticas con lineas onduladas incisas a tipos saharianos con impresiones de lineas rectas y punteadas, y desde puntas de dorso y segmentos estrechos a segmentos anchos que reflejan el paso de la pesca y caza mayor a la caza menor La pesca pierde importancia progresivamente a lo largo del periodo de los tres yacimientos, mientras que la recolección vegetal, inferible a partir de los morteros, aumenta continuadamente para empezar a decrecer al final antes del paso a una economía pastoril nómada.

• English

  Extensive excavations were carried out in two Mesolithic sites, in the river area (Sheikh Mustafa-1, radiocarbon dated to c. 7930-7600 bp) and in the Wadi Soba zone (El Mahalab, c. 7705-6940 bp), and at a wadi Early Neolithic site (Sheikh el Amin, c. 5555-4590 bp). The results of comprehensive analysis of stratigraphical conditions, pottery and lithic material and other cultural types are presented.

  Multivariate methods such as principal component and rotated factor analysis have been applied to quantitative data from excavated sectors and squares at the three sites. Even though the Mesolithic sites are partially deflated, significant information was gathered on the cultural evolution in the area during the 8th – 5th millennia bp. The inferred scenario presents several change trends: from specifically Nilotic pottery decoration (incised wavy line) to Saharan types such as impressed rocker and dotted wavy line, from lithic backed points and narrow lunates, used for fishing and hunting big game, to wide lunates for the hunting of smaller game. Fishing importance decreased along the whole period of the three sites. Plant gathering, deduced from grinders frequency, increased to a maximum during the Neolithic but a decrease is inferable for the latter phases of this period when the transition begun to a pastoralist way of life.