A large portion of popular knowledge about Christian art appears to be centered primarily around European tradition. Eurocentrism is something that often keeps us from seeing the full picture, forcing us to focus on a very small part of the world and a very limited number of cultures. The archeologists who recently found medieval Christian wall paintings in North-Eastern Africa will probably agree with this statement. A team of scientists from Poland excavated the ruins of the ancient capital of the Christian Kingdom of Nubia and stumbled upon an unexpected discovery.

Archaeologists Discovered Ancient Christian Art in Sudan

Old Dongola is an archeological site situated in the northern part of Sudan, which used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Nubia in the Middle Ages. Ancient Christian art was discovered by archeologists from the Polish Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology. The early Christian images were painted on the walls of small chambers hidden in one of the ruins. One of them depicted the Virgin Mary wearing a gray robe and carrying a book in one hand and a cross in the other — an uncommon way of depicting the Mother of God, which appears to not be attested in any known traditions.

A unique wall painting of Nubian royalty was spotted on one of the walls: it contained the image of the Nubian King kissing the hand of Jesus Christ who is depicted sitting next to him, joined by the Archangel Michael spreading out his wings around them. The archeologists commented on the finding, saying it was not a typical way of picturing kings in African iconography. The intimate scene shows the ruler asking for protection from the Savior and the saint.

The Polish archeologists were especially surprised by the size of the chambers they found in the ruins. One of the theories explaining their origin is that they date back to the Battle of Dongola, which took place in the 13th century. However, scientists remain confused by the shape and location of these chambers.

The researchers shared that working in cramped spaces during the sweltering Sudanese weather was a true challenge. The ancient Christian wall paintings appear to be well-preserved despite being there since the Medieval times.

The lead archaeologist Artur Obluski said that this excavation shows the true uniqueness and originality of African art. This discovery proves that Nubians were not simply inspired by other Christian art traditions but created a unique iconography of their own.