Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Running in Sudan


I tried something I’ve never done as an archaeologist: I went running while in the field. It was glorious and strange. I got up in the dark and started just as the morning star faded. I was almost completely alone the first morning: nobody out of their houses, no cars on the road, not even more than a dog or two chasing me. Just the sound of shoes crunching on compacted sand.


It was a little more crowded the second day. I passed two older men walking on the road, and one of them said “mashallah” in a tone that could only have meant “oh, god”. Then I ran past a camel on my back to our house in the village.

4 comments:

  1. Glad to hear that you can run there, and I hope it's not too hot. Be careful not to get overheated
    For perspective, though, it was -15 in Ann Arbor this AM and we have an erg test on Saturday...

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  2. Maybe you'll start a new trend in El Kurru. Do they stock Nikes or Asics in the mercantile?

    Glad to hear you got there safely!

    Helen

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  3. Dear Dr. Geoffrey, was so pleased to talk recently in the location and continue messaging each other via emails. i passed through what you had written and was so enjoyed.
    sorry for you thickness and thanks God for bringing you to normal again
    just a modest suggestion to propose here, that is to involve an expert of a Nobian lang. in the team..you may knew that this lang is still being used by some tribes of northern Sudan such as mahas and danagla, taking int account that many names in research location are originally Nobian's.
    e.g. the word kuru in Nobian is a kind of familiar bird that living in that area (some thing like dove), seemed to have no connection between the bird and place, however, other similar words may have, sorry for lengthening
    wish you good time

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  4. Thanks Yasir--will look forward to talking with Nubians in Sudan next year!

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