In a quiet Parisian office, Sudanese archaeologist Shadia Abdrabo works against the clock, her focus entirely on preserving what remains of her nation's cultural heritage. As conflict devastates Sudan, this dedicated curator from Sudan's National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums faces an unprecedented challenge: documenting thousands of years of history before more is lost forever.
The Devastating Impact on Sudan's Cultural Treasures
The brutal conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces that erupted in April 2023 has exacted a terrible toll on Sudan's cultural institutions. Abdrabo confirms that two regional museums in El Geneina and Nyala have been almost completely destroyed. The situation in Khartoum is equally dire, where the National Museum housing approximately 100,000 objects was ransacked by militias.
"We have to work fast to secure our collections. We've already lost two museums and we don't want to lose more," Abdrabo told The Associated Press during her year-long research grant in France. Her mission involves creating a comprehensive online database of Sudan's archaeological sites, museum collections, and historical archives.
Irreplaceable Losses and International Response
The National Museum's collection represented millennia of Sudanese history, featuring artefacts from prehistoric times, the Kerma Kingdom, the Napatan era when Kushite kings ruled, and treasures from the Meroitic civilisation responsible for Sudan's pyramids. Among the most significant losses are mummies dating back to 2,500 B.C., considered among the world's oldest and most archaeologically important.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has expressed grave concerns, stating that the "threat to culture appears to have reached an unprecedented level." UNESCO has conducted inventories and trained police and customs officers to identify stolen antiquities, while appealing to collectors to avoid acquiring Sudanese cultural property.
Personal Sacrifice and Preservation Efforts
For Abdrabo, the conflict carries deep personal significance. "I'm from Nubia, from the north, an area filled with monuments, archaeological sites and ancient life," she explained. This region once hosted some of the world's earliest kingdoms, rivalling ancient Egypt in power and wealth.
When the war began, Abdrabo was working at the National Museum in Khartoum. She fled north with her three sisters through multiple cities as conditions deteriorated. During this chaotic period, she and colleagues from NCAM worked tirelessly to protect Sudan's 11 museums and UNESCO World Heritage sites by moving precious artefacts to secure locations.
However, cultural heritage advocate Ali Nour believes these protective measures came too slowly. "While applications were being drafted, sites were being emptied. While risk assessments were reviewed, entire archives vanished," Nour wrote in an article for the UK-based International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works.
International Collaboration and Future Challenges
Researcher Meryam Amarir notes that unlike cultural emergencies in Afghanistan and Iraq, "Sudan has not benefited from strong media coverage denouncing the degradation and plundering of its cultural heritage. This lack of visibility has reduced the international response."
Geoff Emberling of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology at the University of Michigan emphasises Sudan's historical significance: "Ancient Sudan maintained strong connections with Egypt, the Mediterranean world, and Mesopotamia, serving as a primary source of gold for the region. If we're interested in these ancient cultures, then we have to be interested in Sudan."
Emberling is involved with the recently established Sudan Cultural Emergency Recovery Fund, a task force requested by NCAM that aims to unite institutions, scholars, and donors in urgent recovery efforts. He stresses the critical nature of Abdrabo's work: "What Shadia Abdrabo is doing is urgently essential — establishing what's missing."
Abdrabo has secured funding until April 2026 to complete her database, but fears this may be insufficient. The work is painstakingly complex, with datasets arriving in various formats from spreadsheets to handwritten inventories and decades-old photographs. She estimates having completed only about 20% of the work, having recorded 1,080 objects so far just for the national museums.
"We are working on tracking what has been looted," Abdrabo stated, her voice heavy with emotion. "I cry when I talk about this. My only goal and message is to bring back as much as possible, to do as much as I can for Sudan, but it's not easy for us."
Beyond the direct conflict, the consequences of war including displaced populations and militia presence continue to endanger Sudan's heritage. "It's not safe for the art to be in unsecure locations," she added, concluding with a stark reminder: "Until the war finishes we just don't know what is going to happen."
