This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: For centuries, a life-size petroglyph has stood over the rocky landscape of Miseeda in northern Sudan. Exactly who the figure carved into a granite hill represents remains uncertain, but researchers suspect it may depict an ancient Kushite ruler.
In the 7th century CE, local builders constructed a Christian church directly around it. In a new study published in the journal Antiquity, scientists investigated both the petroglyph and the church to understand what these connected monuments reveal about the area's history. "The church at Miseeda, erected in the seventh century around the much older petroglyph, appears to have developed around a site that had retained social significance over millennia," wrote the researchers.
While the church and the carving were the main focus of the project, they were far from the only features studied. In all, the study authors surveyed nearly 300 archaeological sites across the Miseeda area, part of the Mahas region. On the granite hill around the church, the team documented other rock carvings, including animals like lions, elephants and cattle, alongside later Christian symbols such as crosses and carved ships.
Elsewhere, the team led by Dr. Ciesielska of the University of Warsaw studied pottery from the area. Analysis of various styles revealed several periods of human activity, peaking in the ancient Mesolithic period (12,000–8,200 years ago), the Late Neolithic/pre-Kerma period (c. 3000–2500 BCE) and later medieval Christian times (c. 6th–15th centuries CE).
To better understand who the giant rock carving might represent, the researchers looked at similar monuments in the region. One example is at a site called Gebel Qeili, which features a giant carving of King Sherkarer, an ancient ruler from the Kingdom of Kush. Such monumental carvings are rare in this part of Africa.
The scientists suggest that the Miseeda carving may depict a ruler and could have served as a marker of a borderland. "This reinforces the interpretation of the Miseeda representation as a marker of a borderland; however, a more precise date remains to be established," commented the study authors. The researchers also collected accounts from local people to understand how the community views these ancient ruins today.
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