Afval als bouwmateriaal voor kleitichels van de Nubische Bronstijdtempel Deffufa

Abstract

Waste as building material for the Bronze Age Nubian mudbrick temple Deffufa. 

Recycling and reuse are ancient practices, as seen in the mudbricks of the Nubian Bronze Age Deffufa temple. This article explores how waste material – mammal bones, fish remains, feathers, ceramics, and other artifacts – were deliberately incorporated into mudbricks, alongside typical tempering agents like straw. Microscopic analysis of 15 mud bricks from the Deffufa temple from Kerma reveals how the inclusion of waste was a consistent practice during the building of the temple. The use of waste might have been inspired by various motives, ranging from strictly economic and structural to the cultural and symbolic. The use of waste furthermore challenges traditional views in archaeology on purity and ritual cleanliness. Comparisons with contemporary sites suggest that this practice was not unique to Kerma. This study illustrates the complex relations between humans, animals, plants and their environment, demonstrating how resourcefulness shaped architectural traditions.