First results of field research of the international expedition to the Sao culture sites in the Republic of Chad

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Abstract

The article publishes the results of archaeological research at the Sao culture sites in the Republic of Chad conducted by the international expedition in 2023. A team of researchers from the Institute of Archaeology RAS (Russia), the Centre for National Research and Development Studies, the National Museum and Universities of Doba and Sarh (Republic of Chad), and the Centre for African Studies at the University of Porto (Portugal) conducted survey activities at three Sao settlements in the vicinity of N'Djamena. During the excavation of pits at the settlements, a significant amount of pottery material was found, heating and/or manufacturing kilns were cleared, and a child burial in a vessel was unearthed. A preliminary analysis of the ceramic, palaeoanthropological, and archaeobotanical collections obtained during the fieldwork was conducted. According to radiocarbon analysis, the exposed cultural layers and found objects date back to the mid-7th – early 15th centuries AD, the upper layers of the settlements date back to the 19th century AD.

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About the authors

D. S. Korobov

Institute of Archaeology of the RAS

Author for correspondence.
Email: dkorobov@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. Yu. Sergeev

Institute of Archaeology of the RAS

Email: alexarchbot@yandex.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

E. V. Sukhanov

Institute of Archaeology of the RAS

Email: sukhanov_ev@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow

O. S. Chagarov

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: chagarov89@gmail.com
Russian Federation, Moscow

H. M. Noudjiko

Centre for National Research and Development Studies

Email: hamdjimilman@gmail.com
Chad, N'Djamena

N. Ponari

University of Sarh

Email: ponanembonde@gmail.com
Chad, Sarh

N. B. Djeramia

University of Doba

Email: dkorobov@mail.ru
Russian Federation, Doba

J. Barreira

University of Porto

Email: joaombarreira@gmail.com
Portugal, Porto

M. A. Serra

University of Porto

Email: miguel.antonio.serra@gmail.com
Portugal, Porto

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. 1 – the location of the study area on the map of Africa; 2 – settlements of the Sao culture in the Republic of Chad on the Open Street Map (settlements of Toukra Dassa 1–3 are shown in blue); 3 – the location of settlements of Toukra Dassa 1–3 on a satellite image.

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3. Fig. 2. Settlements of Toukra Dassa 1 (1) and 2 (2). Photo of 2023.

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4. Fig. 3. Pit 2 at the settlement of Toukra Dassa 2.

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5. Fig. 4. Profiles of the sides at the settlement of Toukra Dassa 1 (1) and 2 (2–5).

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6. Fig. 5. Photographs of pits and objects at the settlements of Toukra Dassa 1 (1–3) and 2 (4, 5).

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7. Fig. 6. Photographs of objects from the settlement of Toukra Dassa 2.

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8. Fig. 7. Individual finds from the settlements of Toukra Dassa 1 (1–7, 9–11) and 2 (8).

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9. Fig. 8. Ceramics from the settlements of Toukra Dassa 1 and 2.

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