WARSAW, POLAND—An unusual set of medieval Nubian paintings with Christian themes has been discovered by a team from the University of Warsaw’s Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology in the deserted town of Old Dongola in Sudan, according to a report in Artnet News. In one of the paintings, a Nubian ruler thought to be a king named David, bows to Christ, who is seated in the clouds, and kisses his hand, while both are shielded by the spread wings of the archangel Michael. An accompanying Old Nubian inscription includes a plea to God to protect the city. King David is known for having attacked Egypt, then ruled by the Mamluk Sultanate, for unknown reasons. In response, the Mamluks sacked the city in 1276. Archaeologists speculate that the paintings may have been made while the invading army was on the march or already besieging Dongola. The complex of rooms where the paintings were discovered is adjacent to a major church. “I think these structures were built in exactly this place because of the presence of the Great Church of Jesus, which was the largest and most important church in Nubia according to written sources,” said project director Artur Obłuski. For more, go to “A Nubian Kingdom Rises.”
