Currently, post-excavation work is being undertaken for this project.

The Egyptian name of Kawa, Gematon, strongly suggests that it was founded by the pharaoh Akhenaten in the 14th century BC although the earliest structural evidence known from the site is a temple built during the reign of Tutankhamun.

The town was abandoned probably in the 4th century AD. It was a major urban centre covering approximately 40 hectares with a build-up probably of 11 metres of stratigraphy in the centre of the site.

The project conducted a detailed contour survey of the town, excavated and planned buildings, and investigated the adjacent cemetery.

The top of Taharqo’s bark stand as found resting on the stone floor of the sanctuary chamber in Building A is shown in the main picture. Taharqo was the Kushite king who reigned 690-664 BC and the probable builder of the shrine shown in the second image.

The third image shows one of two kilns in the lower town, of a type which is extremely rare in the Nile Valley but can be closely paralleled in the north-western provinces of the Roman Empire.

In the winter of 2013, a new phase of activity began at Kawa under the umbrella of the Qatar-Sudan Archaeological Project. Part of this project focused on ensuring the long-term survival of the site and on making it more accessible to both Sudanese and foreign visitors. One of the steps in achieving these aims has been the production of a site guide in Arabic and English — available here for download.

Downloads …
SITE GUIDE in Arabic >
[ 8.8Mb pdf ]
SITE GUIDE in English >
[ 5.1Mb pdf ]

The post-excavation and publication project is in progress, and Volumes 1 and 3 are now available in print and open access online . Further, the Society has decided to make available downloadable draft reports (see below) as soon as they are completed. Much relevant research that is required to complete these reports is not included but some basic data can be consulted.