Ain Farah

It lies in the Furnung Hills some 130 kilometres (81 mi) northwest of El Fasher, and 600 miles (970 km) to the southwest of Dongola.^[1] The region is picturesque, with relatively fertile hills and spring sources. The archaeological site is situated close to a hill, about 100 metres (330 ft) above the source lakes. Date palms thrive in the lakes. From there, the access goes through a dry valley, which was previously secured in the back by a wall.

Archaeological work is in early stages. A survey of a sample of houses and excavation of a grave was undertaken by Ibrahim Musa Mohammed (1986) during his survey of Darfur.^[2] The grave contained a flexed burial and over 200 iron beads, an ostrich eggshell necklace, a perforated cowrie shell, and iron jewellery. One of the corroded iron objects yielded a surprisingly early date (1500 +/- 200 bp, Q 3155), falling at least six and perhaps as many as eleven centuries before the likely time of the Tunjur; Mohammed interprets this as signifying a pre-Islamic presence and continuation into Islamic times. Christian Nubian pottery has been found at the site in the ruins of a brick-built monastery.^[1]

14°15′57″N 24°18′58″E / 14.265713°N 24.316149°E / 14.265713; 24.316149