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Medieval pilgrims journeyed deep into Africa, archaeologists discover
The Kingdom of Makuria is the quintessential forgotten civilization. Very few people have even heard of it, yet it ruled southern Sudan for hundreds of years and was one of the few kingdoms to defeat the Arabs during their initial expansion in the 7th century AD. Makuria was a Christian kingdom, born out of the collapse of the earlier Christian kingdom of Axum. Makuria survived as a bulwark of Christianity in medieval Africa until it finally collapsed in 1312.
Now excavations of some of its churches at Banganarti and Selib have revealed that this kingdom was a center of pilgrimage, attracting people from as far away as Catalonia, in modern Spain. The 2,300 mile journey from Spain to southern Sudan is a long one even today, but imagine when it had to be done on horseback, walking, and boats powered only by sails and oars. Yet an inscription records that one Catalan named Benesec made the journey almost a thousand years ago, probably to pray for a cure to an illness. "Benesec" was a popular Catalan name in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Another inscription with an accompanying painting shows a Muslim man, Deif Ali, making a pilgrimage to the church to pray for a cure to his blindness. This isn't as unusual as it might sound. In regions where religions mingle, some people will go to holy places of the other religion. When I covered the Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela for Reuters back in 2001, I met Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs all coming to be a part of the religious festival.Makurian artists produced some amazing religious frescoes, like this image of the birth of Jesus, courtesy Wikimedia Commons, and this closeup of St. Anne, also courtesy Wikimedia Commons. Both come from the cathedral of Faras, an important Makurian city.
The churches are in southern Sudan, not the new Republic of South Sudan. The nation of Sudan (the northern one) has many sites of archaeological and historical interest and is a popular destination for adventure travel.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Africa, Europe, Sudan, Spain
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cha Talcbot Nov 7th 2011 11:55AM
Obviously never heard of the crusades. Where do you get these "reporters"?
endorph Nov 7th 2011 12:15PM
This story has nothing to do with the Crusdaes which took place in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries and were focused on the Holy Land - not Africa. The people in this story defeated the Arabs during their initial expansion in the 7th century nearly 400 years before the first Crusaders left Europe to pillage the Holy Land. Perhaps Cha so do your homework before commenting about these "reporters".
Alfred Schrader Nov 7th 2011 1:13PM
There's enough tuna, mackeral, shark, squid, shrimp, jellyfish, stingray, sardines, etc. off of the coast of Somalia to feed all of Africa. All of it. Of course, they would have to put out the nets and haul it in. Everything living in the sea is edible.
LarryFrom10EC Nov 7th 2011 2:50PM
Endorph, while I agree I don't understand the Crusader connection here, perhaps you should do some homework. The Eighth Crusade began when the Franks invaded Tunisia.
amcreed Nov 7th 2011 1:29PM
Why do you allow free advertising on your comment section!!!!
Ivanna Havsec Nov 8th 2011 2:24AM
Stop the nonsense