The PalaeoAffad Project and the Prehistory of the Middle Nile

Abstract

Current work on the PalaeoAffad Project allows us to contribute greatly to the legacy of prehistoric research in the Middle Nile Valley. This paper presents the state of research on Late Pleistocene settlement on both banks of the river. Based on absolute dates obtained in the Affad Basin (since MIS5 up to the 5th millennium BP), the prehistory of the area has become an important reference point for general NE-African studies. We were able to investigate most of the Palaeolithic sites there before the landscape was totally changed by the industrial farms in areas that had been inaccessible for traditional agriculture up to now.

Keywords

• Archaeological heritage
• Prehistory
• Southern Dongola Reach
• Sudan