DBMNT

Provenance: Ghazali
Region: Makuria
Findspot: (a), (c), (d), (e), (f): Shinnie and Chittick’s excavations:
(a), (c), (d), (e): findspot not recorded
(f): northern church

(b): Lepsius's expedition, findspot not recorded

(g): Polish-Sudanese excavations, fill above southern church
Excavation no.: (a), (c), and (d): I 67 (a–c)
(b) and (f): not registered
(g): G.13.003
Present location: (a), (c), (d), (e), (f): Sudan National Museum, Khartoum (b): Skulpturensammlung und Museum für Byzantinische Kunst, Berlin (previously Ägyptisches Museum, Berlin) (g): Gebel Barkal Museum, Karima
Museum no.: (a), (c), (d): SNM 11623 (b): 10001 (old no. ÄM 12835) (e): SNM 11599 (f): SNM 11608 (g): not registered

Material: terracotta
Object dimensions: (a): H: 10; W: 8; Th: 2
(b): H: 23; W: 13; Th: 2.2 (3.5 with the border)
(c): H: 16; W: 14; Th: 2
(d): H: 12; W: 11; Th: 2
(e): H: 9; W: 11; Th: 2
(f): H: 9.5; W: 8.5; Th: 2
(g): H: 10; W: 13.5; Th: 2(3.2 with the border)
Reconstructed dimensions: H: c. 62; W: 45
Text dimensions
Object colour: core black, front dark red (slipped), back red and grey; decoration black and white (painted)
Text colour: yellow and purple
Lines: 14 (16 reconstructed)
Height of letters: 1.6–2.5

Description: Seven fragments, two joining (a+b), of undoubtedly the same round-topped plaque. Fragments (a+b): upper left margin; (c) and (d): central right margin; (e)+(f): left lower part, no margins; (f): lower right corner. The epigraphic field framed by a raised border ca. 2 cm wide, leaving a broad uninscribed outer margin (3.5 cm at the bottom, 2–3 cm at the top and on the right, 3.5–4 in top left part). The text ruled with incised lines, forming registers of 2.5–3 cm.

Porous Nile clay with organic and mineral admixture (mica, quartzite).
Decorative elements: The raised border decorated with a zigzag line with dots in the bottom margin and an X-pattern with dots in the side margins. The zigzag decoration painted purple, the X-pattern painted purple and yellow alternatively (no traces of paint in fragment [e]). The letters and ruling lines painted alternatively yellow in odd lines and purple in even lines.
State of preservation: fragmentary; seven fragments from different parts of stela

Latest edition: I. Ghazali 29
Other editions: Shinnie – Chittick 1961, p. 90, no. 67 (fragments [a], [c], [d]); p. 72, no. 9 (fragment [e]); p. 75, no. 18 (fragment [f]); I. Khartoum Copt. 90, pls. 55–60 (fragments [a], [c], [d]); 79, pl. 49, lower (fragment [e]); 82, pl. 51, lower (fragment [f])

Other publications: Erman 1899, p. 413 (fragment [b] mentioned); Junker 1925a, p. 123 (physical description of fragment [b])

Text 61