Archaeology Under Fire: The History of Sudan Between Water and War

Join ASOR’s Early Career Scholars on April 4, 2025 at 12:00pm ET via Zoom for a virtual Research in Action talk from Dr. Rennan Lemos about cultural heritage in Sudan.

Abstract: The history of archaeology in northern Sudan is, to a large extent, a history of salvage excavations. Successive dam projects in Lower Nubia have posed a tremendous threat to the region’s archaeology, resulting in significant losses but also producing one of the most comprehensive records of archaeological heritage in a single area. Drawing on archival materials and recent fieldwork, this talk will explore how Sudan’s archaeological heritage has been endangered—first by the flooding of Lower Nubia and now by war—and how a history of major threats has shaped the region’s heritage.

Presenter: Rennan Lemos teaches Egyptian and Sudanese archaeology at the University of Cambridge. He co-directs the Djehutyhotep Project and is assistant director of the Sanam Temple Project in Sudan. In 2024, he was a recipient of the Annual Prize “à la mémoire de Jean Leclant”, awarded by the Michela Schiff Giorgini Foundation.

The event, a part of our “Research in Action” series, is FREE for the ASOR community, but registration is required.