INSIGHT INTO HOLOCENE ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE EDAR AREA OF EASTERN SUDAN.

Holocene archaeological sites in the Sudan occur in many regions and span the period from the end of the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. They present diverse cultures, including pre-ceramic, pastoral, agro-pastoral, and farmer occupations. These diversities in chronology and context encouraged the development of multiple terminologies, some of which further complicated our understanding of Late prehistoric archaeology in the Sudan. One of the rich areas for Holocene archaeology that has yet to be discussed is the Eastern Desert of the lower Atbara River (EDAR). This paper presents the major characteristics of Holocene archaeology in the EDAR using the findings from archaeological surveys and excavations conducted from 2016-2022. The data were collected from riverine sites and the desert about 60-80 km east of the Atbara River. The sites' settings, artifact characteristics, and C14 dating offer interesting pictures of agro-pastoral landscapes. The major characteristics of the finds are more homogenous with Holocene antiquities in eastern Sudan and differ slightly from the Holocene context in central Sudan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]