An Archaeologist is Racing to Preserve Sudan’s Heritage as War Threatens to Erase its Cultural Past

December 2, 2025

Sudanese archaeologist Shadia Abdrabo is working in Paris to create a comprehensive digital database of Sudan's archaeological treasures and museum collections following the devastating 2023 civil war between military factions. The conflict has resulted in the looting and destruction of multiple museums, including the ransacking of the National Museum in Khartoum, which housed approximately 100,000 artifacts ranging from prehistoric items to ancient mummies and Kushite royal treasures. Despite receiving support from institutions like the Louvre and British Museum, Abdrabo faces the enormous challenge of cataloging decades of records—many handwritten or in photographs—while working primarily alone with funding only until April 2026.

Who is affected

Shadia Abdrabo and her colleagues at Sudan's National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums (NCAM)
Sudanese people, particularly those from Nubia and heritage-rich regions
Staff and researchers at Sudan's 11 museums
Hundreds killed and over 80,000 displaced people from El Fasher, North Darfur
International scholars and institutions working on Sudanese cultural heritage
Museums worldwide (Louvre, British Museum, Kelsey Museum of Archaeology) providing support
Team of approximately 15 Sudanese working in the Khartoum museum
UNESCO and cultural heritage advocates like Ali Nour

What action is being taken

Shadia Abdrabo is building an online database of Sudan's archaeological sites, museum collections, and historical archives from Paris
She is cataloging objects, typing descriptions, and recording information from various sources (spreadsheets, handwritten inventories, photographs)
A team of about 15 Sudanese workers is cleaning and restoring damaged items in the Khartoum museum
Colleagues at the Louvre, British Museum, and other institutions are lending support
The Sudan Cultural Emergency Recovery Fund is working to unite institutions, scholars, and donors around recovery efforts
UNESCO is appealing to collectors to refrain from acquiring or participating in the transfer of Sudanese cultural property

Why it matters

Sudan's cultural heritage represents some of the world's earliest civilizations, including the Kushite kingdoms that rivaled ancient Egypt in power and wealth, and contains artifacts dating back to prehistoric times and mummies from 2,500 B.C. The loss of these irreplaceable items means the destruction not only of physical objects but also of research, studies, and historical knowledge about ancient cultures that were connected through trade and military activity to Egypt, the Mediterranean, and Mesopotamia. UNESCO has stated that the "threat to culture appears to have reached an unprecedented level," yet Sudan has received significantly less international attention and media coverage than similar cultural emergencies in Afghanistan and Iraq, resulting in a reduced global response. The documentation Abdrabo is creating is essential for tracking looted items and potentially recovering Sudan's stolen heritage, while also preserving knowledge of what existed before the war's destruction.

What's next

Abdrabo has funding until April 2026 to finish compiling data and building the platform
The team working in the Khartoum museum will soon be able to compare what remains with Abdrabo's database to establish what is missing
Abdrabo needs to complete cataloging for other museums beyond the national museum, as well as archaeological sites and archives, and add pictures, ID numbers, and coordinates to existing records
The tracking of looted items will continue with the goal of recovering as much as possible

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint