The Bayuda is the vast arid region south of the large S-bend of the Nile in Sudan. Although
being a desert several valleys - the largest amongst them the Wadi Abu Dom and the Wadi
Muqqadam - collect the seasonal rainfall and enable limited habitation. Human occupation of the
Bayuda began in the Palaeolithic and continues until today. However it is still quite sparse
due to the unfavourable environmental conditions. Nevertheless this region and its
archaeological evidence need to be studied for reconstructing life in the past and incorporated
into the interpretive framework of the cultural history of the Sudan.The first Archaeological
Bayuda Conference was held from 10 to 12 September 2015 at Münster University Germany. The
proceedings of this event present the current state of archaeological and cultural-historical
research on the region. This book is therefore the first comprehensive collection of
archaeological research on the Bayuda. Part I is devoted to the results ofthe initial 'Wadi Abu
Dom Itinerary' survey project which ran from 2009 to 2016. In part II further substantial
research in and about the Bayuda is published adumbrating as well as highlighting the high
archaeological potential of this region. As the conference aimed at engaging in an
interdisciplinary dialogue these proceedings want to showcase the current state of research
about the Bayuda while also attempting to define research questions for future explorations.
