| Recipient | Dr Claudia Näser |
|---|---|
| Date | 01 February, 2021 |
| Amount | £7470 (Research Award) |
| Summary | This grant is for completing the excavation of a Late Medieval Nubian church (c. 1150-1500 AD) on the island of Kurta in the Middle Nile valley. There is a dimension of urgency, as looting and associated destructions pose an imminent threat to the site. Kurta represents the second specimen of a hitherto unknown type of church, built in a highly exposed position on top of the fortification walls of a Medieval fortress. Completing the recording of Kurta is a unique chance to establish this architectural type, while also providing new impulses for the analysis of both, the defensive/surveillance and the sacral elements of the assemblage. In a comparative perspective, results promise to enlarge understanding of political and social representation at the intersection of religious life and military power in Late Medieval North Africa. |
