15 October – 15 December 2014

Exhibition curator: dr Dobiesława Bagińska

Beer, which is the theme of our exhibition, has been produced in the area of Sudan since time immemorial. The display presents many aspects of beer production, ranging from beer vessels, ethnographic sources, archaeobotanical remains, presentation of different cereal species, to the meaning of beer in the culture of the ancient Sudan.

Archaeological excavations carried out by the Poznań Archaeological Museum in the area of the 4^th Cataract of the Nile in the years 2003-2010, revealed an unprecedented number of ceramic bottles with elongated necks of “beer jar” type, which were used to store beer. They were deposited in burials as grave goods together with other valuable vessels. Dating from the Meroitic to Christian period (3^rd  century BC to 14^th century AD), they testify to great importance of beer in the life and beliefs of the people once inhabiting the area of the modern-day Sudan. These extraordinary finds have inspired us to conduct further study on the subject and to create an exhibition on this fascinating aspect of the ancient Sudanese culture.

The contemporary ethnographic sources presented at the exhibition give a glimpse into how beer was produced. In addition, we give recipes for beer originating from different regions of Sudan – Northern state, Nubia, Kassala, Khartoum and Darfur.

The exhibition is complemented by interesting photographs that illustrate the culture of the ancient and the modern-day Sudan, our excavations and the most important element associated with the ‘beer culture’, namely beer vessels found at the sites of Es-Sadda, Hagar El-Beida, Saffi, Tanqasi, Meroe, Old Dongola and Banganarti.