Newly Discovered Document Confirms a 'Legendary' African King - Medievalists.net

"The document contains instructions sent by the king to a subordinate named Khidr. In the order, Khidr is told to receive three units of cloth from a man named Muhammad al-ʿArab and give him a ewe and her lamb in exchange. The animals were to be collected from another individual, ʿAbd al-Jabir, suggesting that the transaction involved multiple participants and the coordination of goods within the king's network."

"Although such exchanges might appear mundane, the researchers argue that they reflect the way rulers maintained relationships and authority within their communities. Rather than simple commercial trade, the order likely represents a form of reciprocal gift exchange through which kings reinforced loyalty and prestige among local elites and visiting merchants."

"The Arabic document offers a rare glimpse into how power was exercised in Nubia during the centuries after the decline of the medieval Christian kingdom of Makuria. The discovery is part of an ongoing project examining dozens of Arabic texts discovered at Old Dongola, including letters, legal notes, administrative documents, and amulets."

Polish archaeologists discovered an Arabic document at Old Dongola in Sudan that confirms the historical existence of King Qashqash, previously considered semi-legendary. The document contains a royal order instructing a subordinate named Khidr to coordinate an exchange of cloth for livestock between multiple parties. Though the transaction appears routine, researchers argue it demonstrates how medieval Nubian rulers maintained authority and relationships through reciprocal gift exchanges rather than simple commerce. This discovery provides rare insight into political and social structures in Dongola during the post-Makurian period, when Sudan experienced significant Arabisation and Islamisation. The find is part of a broader examination of Arabic texts from the site.

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