later Islamic - to the modern age. This means that a rich treasure of prehistoric and early settlements, burial sites and
cave drawings will be lost and the last
agricultural system in the cataract zone
of a desert which is based on intensive
irrigation will be destroyed.

The project, under the guidance of
Dr. Hans-Peter Wotzka, is concerned with the exploration of an area of 40 square

kilometres comprising the largest of the Nile islands which will disappear in the reservoir, and the stretch along the adjacent right bank of the river. The Africa Research Unit of the Institute of Prehistory and Early History at the University of Cologne will thus take part in an international programme after the appeal of the Sudanese Archaeological Institute to all the research groups and institutions which have been active in the

4th cataract on the Nile