Habarab  (Site Code HBB)

The east bank north of Simit is thinly populated with a few small hamlets at Irau and Habarab, continuing eastwards as far as the edge of Masida, on the south side of Arduan island.
 
HBB 001 (91/50)    
Habarab S, Graves, Kerma?
Close to the mouth of a khor, 200m E of the road, a  single cairn and 4 small mounds of stone <1m in diameter lie on ancient gravel and silt banks cut through by the khor.  A small number of Kerma sherds were recovered from an area of less than a hectare surrounding these mounds, but may not be associated.

HBB 002 (91/49)  
Irau W, Occupation, Medieval
W of the road in cultivated areas and low halfa grass covered dunes, intermittent scatters of Christian pottery indicate the presence of a medieval settlement in the locality.

HBB 003 (91/48)    
Irau E, Occupation, pre/E Kerma
This site just to the S of the hamlet of Iraw, covers an area of some 2ha with the road cutting through its W side, and rock outcrops  bounding it to the E. Surface remains consist of extensive scatters of lithics and sherds which include both Pre-Kerma and Early Kerma material.

HBB 004 (91/47)     c.19°52/30°19
Serreig, Settlement, Medieval
Lying 200m W of the road, 2 poorly preserved buildings lie along the N and W side of a small rock outcrop on the edge of cultivation. The main structure measures some 20m square and is built of mud and rough stone, the other structure is built of mudbrick on stone foundations.  Surface sherds indicate a medieval Christian settlement, probably of quite late date.

HBB 005 (91/45)    
Habarab SE, Occupation, Prehist?
Thin scatters of early pottery, probably Neolithic were noted in a disturbed area used for gravel extraction 250m SE of the village. This may be a disturbed cemetery site.

HBB 006 (91/46)    
Habarab E, Habitiation, Prehist?
In rock outcrops E of the southern end of the village a small subcircular stone structure is associated with a thin scatter of lithics and sherds, probably Neolithic.

HBB 007 (91/44)     c
Habarab madrasa, Occupation, Medieval
Immediately S of the village in cultivated areas and among small rock outcrops are extensive scatters of Christian sherds, indicating a medieval settlement in the vicinity.  No structural remains were noted.

HBB 008 (91/67)     19°53.621/30°19.096
Awai Fagiriki, Village, Medieval
To the N of the hamlet on a rocky seasonal island, 3 well-preserved stone and mudbrick buildings of medieval date. Elements of barrel vaults survive.

HBB 009 (91/61)     19°53.485/30°19.078
Qubba Fagir Arabi, Tombs, Islamic
A well preserved mudbrick qubba lies at the edge of the modern Islamic cemetery.  Further rectangular binaya tombs lie closeby.  Local tradition suggests that the Qubba is that of the supposed founder of the settlement.  However, numerous fragments of Christian pottery noted within the modern cemetery area suggest an earlier settlement in the vicinity.

HBB 010 (91/62)     19°53.574/30°19.227
Fagiriki  Diffi     Islamic
To the E of the cemetery, a partially preserved mudbrick Diffi, probably no older than the 19th Century stands at the E end of the village.  Just to the S across the road stands a large rectangular structure of jalus faced with stone, of unknown date.

HBB 011        19°50.904/30°18.165
Habarab - Irau, Inscriptions  Pharaonic
A cluster of Pharaonic graffiti on the W and E sides of a NS oriented rocky ridge, on the E side of modern fields, S of Iraw village. 2 texts on E side and 3 on W side.  These have been (partly) published (Hintze & Reinecke 1989), although they were mistakenly located at Debeira in Lower Nubia. (see Hintze, F. and Reineke, W.F. 1989. Felsinschriften aus dem sudanesischen Nubien. Berlin - Vol. I. texts 618-20 and p.186; Vol.II. pl.272)

HBB 012         19°50.961/30°18.188
Habarab - Irau, Occupation, medieval
Extensive scatters of medieval pottery N of HBB011 on open ground to E of modern pump.  Qadus fragments and kiln waste in the same area may come from a more recent kiln site. No structural remains visible.

HBB 013         19°50.96/30°18.185
Habarab - Irau, Diffi (site of), postmedieval
Site of Diffi, recently demolished during construction of new irrigation pump.  Surface marked by spreads of rubble.

HBB 014         19°52.920/30°18.803,
Habarab-Tomandiffi, Diffi, postmedieval
Poorly preserved Diffi with stone foundations and mudbrick and jalus superstructure.  Most of E side of building now destroyed.  At least 10 large grindstones within or on N side of building as well as storage jars. Probably finally abandoned relatively recently.



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